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| Board of Social Work |
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| Perimeter Center Phone: (804) 367-4441 Hours: Mon-Fri 8:15 to 5:00 |
| Other Citizen Services |
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Disaster Preparedness |
Email Communication from the Board
The Virginia Board of Social Work primarily communicates with licensees and applicants by email regarding applications and renewals. Please ensure that you add the board’s email address (socialwork@dhp.virginia.gov) to your safe recipient list to ensure that you receive all email communication from board staff.
Mid-Level Licensure
The 2017 Virginia General Assembly passed House Bill 614, which authorizes the Board of Social Work to license baccalaureate social workers and master’s social workers. This legislation makes no changes to the current scopes of practice, but divides the current category of “Licensed Social Worker (LSW)” into two license types reflective of the education background: “Licensed Baccalaureate Social Worker (LBSW)” and “Licensed Master’s Social Worker (LMSW)”. This legislation became effective on July 1, 2018, and the changes to the Regulations, which will implement the requirements are currently under executive branch review. We hope the regulations will become effective this year. We will communicate updates as we receive them.
ASWB EXAM UPDATE – EFFECTIVE JANUARY 2, 2018
The Association of Social Work Boards (“ASWB”) licensing exams are changing effective January 2, 2018. Please visit ASWB's website to learn more about the changes, read the 2017 Analysis of the Practice of Social Work and review the timeline for implementation.Opioid Addiction Crisis Declared a Public Health Emergency in Virginia
On November 21, 2016 Governor McAuliffe issued a News Release stating that State Health Commissioner Marissa Levine has declared Virginia’s opioid abuse crisis a Public Health Emergency in the Commonwealth.
Visit the Virginia Department of Health for more information.
Download Commissioner Levine’s message to healthcare practitioners on dispensing Naloxone.
Application Information
Notice: Applications are typically processed within 6 weeks of the receipt of a complete file. Please refer to your online application checklist to ensure that all items have been received. Incomplete applications will not be processed.
Please review the Frequently Asked Questions and Licensure Process Handbook prior to contacting the Board office. You are also encouraged to email any questions to socialwork@dhp.virginia.gov. Board staff will respond to all messages as soon as possible. Thank you for understanding and cooperation as we focus on ensuring complete applications continue to be processed within 30 business days.
Renewal Explanation for 2015 Regulation Changes
In 2010, the Board introduced changes to the Regulations Governing the Practice of Social Work to require licensees to renew their license on an annual basis, rather than a biannual basis. The amended Regulations became effective on December 30, 2015. The Regulations now require that CE hours are completed prior to licensure renewal in even years beginning with the 2017 renewals. The chart below provides clarification as to the number of CE hours required for each renewal period.
| 2017 Renewal Renewal: June 30, 2017 |
2018 Renewal Renewal: June 30, 2018 |
2019 Renewal Renewal: June 30, 2019 |
2020 Renewal Renewal: June 30, 2020 |
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| FEE | CE | FEE | CE | FEE | CE | FEE | CE | |
| Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) |
$90.00 | 30 hours of CE from 07/01/2015 to 06/30/2017 | $90.00 | 15 hours of CE from 07/01/2017 to 06/30/2018 |
$90.00 | No CE required to renew license | $90.00 | 30 hours of CE from 07/01/2018 to 06/30/2020 |
| Licensed Social Worker (LSW) |
$65.00 | 15 hours of CE from 07/01/2015 to 06/30/2017 | $65.00 | 7.5 hours of CE from 07/01/2017 to 06/30/2018 |
$65.00 | No CE required to renew license | $65.00 | 15 hours of CE from 07/01/2018 to 06/30/2020 |
| Registered Social Worker | $25.00 | N/A | $25.00 | N/A | $25.00 | N/A | $25.00 | N/A |
| Associate Social Worker | $25.00 | N/A | $25.00 | N/A | $25.00 | N/A | $25.00 | N/A |
IMPORTANT PRACTICE INFORMATION!
If you work in a non-exempt setting, you are required to be licensed at the appropriate level or under board approved supervision in order to provide social work services to clients in Virginia in accordance with § 54.1-3701 of the Code of Virginia. For a list of exemptions from licensure, please review the Laws Governing Social Work by clicking here.
Online Services
- Applicants for registration of supervision or licensure towards Licensed Social Worker or Licensed Clinical Social Worker can apply online. Click here to begin the online application process.
- Existing Licensees can renew a license, change an address and request a duplicate license online.
Applications & Forms
Download Applications and Instructions available from the Board of Social Work.
Regulated Professions
The following professions are regulated by the Board of Social Work.
- Associate Social Worker
- Licensed Clinical Social Worker
- Licensed Social Worker
- Registered Social Worker
Laws & Regulations
Keep in the know about important laws and regulations:
Laws and Regulations Governing Social Work
Guidance Documents
View and download the list of available guidance documents from the Board of Social Work. These documents provide information or guidance to the public to interpret or implement statutes or the agency's rules or regulations.
Board Members, Meetings and Minutes
Board of Social Work Calendar of upcoming Board meetings and minutes from past Board meetings. View the current Members of the Board.
Frequently Asked Questions
Find the answers to common questions
Regulatory Town Hall
The Virginia Department of Planning & Budget has designed a Regulatory Town Hall for anyone interested in the proposal of regulations or meetings of regulatory boards.
Helpful Information
- 2015 Healthcare Workforce Data Findings
- Pass/Fail Summary 2000-2016
- Duty to Report Adult Abuse, Neglect or Exploitation
- Address of Record: Section 54.1-2400.02.B of the Code of Virginia requires the Department
of Health Professions (DHP) to collect an official address of record from
each health professional to be used by DHP for agency purposes. The Code
also requires DHP to provide an opportunity for a health professional
to provide a second address for the purpose of public dissemination. If there is no second (public) address provided, the official address
of record will be used as the public address for the purpose of public
dissemination. If the health professional would prefer that
his/her address of record remain confidential, then an alternative public
address must be provided to DHP. (Note: the License Lookup feature on
the DHP public website does not contain the full address. However, public
addresses are available by contacting Virginia Interactive Premium Service
or the Board.) An individual is not required to submit a place of residence
for either the official address of record or the public address. A post
office box or a practice location is acceptable.
Changes to either address may be made at the time of renewal or at any time by written notification to the Board. Changes to the address of record may also be made at any time by accessing your licensure information through the online system. Any change that is made to one of the addresses does not automatically update the other address. Address information should be kept current for the address of record and the public address (if different from the address of record) at all times.