Connecticut State Department of Public Health

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Continuing Education Requirements

Social workers are required to complete a minimum of fifteen hours of continuing education during each registration period. For purposes of this section, "registration period" means the twelve-month period for which a license has been renewed and is current and valid.

 

Qualifying Continuing Education

 

Continuing education shall be related to the practice of social work. Such continuing education shall consist of courses, workshops and conferences offered or approved by the Association of Social Work Boards, the National Association of Social Workers or a school or department of social work accredited by the Council on Social Work Education Boards or other nationally recognized organization.

 

Not less than five hours shall be earned through in-person or synchronous online education with opportunities for live interaction; and not more than ten hours shall be earned through asynchronous online education, distance learning or home study. For purposes of this section, "synchronous online education" means live online classes that are conducted in real time, "asynchronous online education" means a program where the instructor, learner and other participants are not engaged in the learning process at the same time, there is no real-time interaction between participants and instructors and the educational content is created and made available for later consumption

 

Licensees shall complete at least two contact hours of training or education during the first renewal period in which continuing education is required and not less than once every six years thereafter on the topic of mental health conditions common to veterans and family members of veterans, including (1) determining whether a patient is a veteran or family member of a veteran, (2) screening for conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder, risk of suicide, depression and grief, and (3) suicide prevention training.

 

Licensees shall complete not less than one contact hour of training or education in each registration period on the topic of cultural competency.

 

Please note that the Department does not review or approve continuing education courses.  It is incumbent on the licensee and the provider to insure the course meets the requirements outline on this page. 

 

Documentation and Record Retention

 

Each licensee shall obtain a certificate of completion from a provider of the continuing education for all continuing education hours that are successfully completed and shall retain the certificate for a minimum of three years following the license renewal date for which the activity satisfies the continuing education requirement.  Upon request by the Department, the licensee shall submit the certificate to the Department.  A licensee who fails to comply with the continuing education requirements prescribed in this section may be subject to disciplinary action.

 

A social worker holding a license issued by the Department of Public Health who holds a professional educator certificate that is endorsed for school social work and issued by the State Board of Education may satisfy the continuing education requirements by successfully completing professional development activities pursuant Section 10-145b of the general statutes, provided the number of continuing education hours completed by such person is equal to the number of hours per registration to meet the requirements outlined on this page.

 

Waivers and Extensions

 

Licensees applying for the first time for license renewal are exempt from the continuing education requirements.

 

The Department may, for a licensee who has a medical disability or illness, grant a waiver of the continuing education requirements or may grant such licensee an extension of time in which to fulfill the requirements, provided the licensee submits an application for waiver or extension of time.  The Department may grant a waiver or extension not to exceed one registration period, except that the department may grant additional waivers or extensions if the initial reason for the waiver or extension continues beyond the period of the waiver or extension.

 

A waiver of the continuing education requirement may be granted by the Department to a licensee who is not engaged in social work during a given continuing education registration period, provided the licensee submits a waiver request prior to the expiration of the continuing education period.

 

Return to Active Practice Following Waiver

 

Any licensee granted a waiver of the continuing education requirements shall be required to complete seven hours of continuing education not later than six months from the date on which such licensee returned to active practice.

 

Reinstatement of a Lapsed License

 

Applications for reinstatement of a lapsed MSW or LCSW license shall submit evidence documenting successful completion of seven hours of continuing education within the one-year period immediately preceding the date of application for reinstatement.

 

Questions regarding these requirements may be emailed to dph.counselorsteam@ct.gov.