H.B. 100

1

SOCIAL WORKER EXAMINATION AMENDMENTS
2 2012 GENERAL SESSION
3 STATE OF UTAH
4 Chief Sponsor: David Litvack
5 Senate Sponsor: David P. Hinkins
6
7 LONG TITLE
8 General Description:
9 This bill modifies the Social Worker Licensing Act by amending provisions for
10 licensing exams under certain circumstances.
11 Highlighted Provisions:
12 This bill:
13 . requires the Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing to provide by rule,
14 additional time to complete a social worker licensing exam for an applicant who is a
15 foreign born legal resident of the United States for whom English is a second
16 language or a member of a federally recognized Native American tribe; and
17 . makes technical changes.
18 Money Appropriated in this Bill:
19 None
20 Other Special Clauses:
21 None
22 Utah Code Sections Affected:
23 AMENDS:
24 58-60-205, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2010, Chapter 214
25
26 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
27 Section 1. Section 58-60-205 is amended to read:

28 58-60-205. Qualifications for licensure or certification as a clinical social worker,
29 certified social worker, and social service worker.
30 (1) An applicant for licensure as a clinical social worker shall:
31 (a) submit an application on a form provided by the division;
32 (b) pay a fee determined by the department under Section 63J-1-504 ;
33 (c) be of good moral character;
34 (d) produce certified transcripts from an accredited institution of higher education
35 recognized by the division in collaboration with the board verifying satisfactory completion of
36 an education and earned degree as follows:
37 (i) an earned master's degree in social work resulting from completion of an education
38 program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education; or
39 (ii) an earned doctoral degree in social work that results from successful completion of
40 a clinical concentration and practicum approved by the division and defined by rule under
41 Section 58-1-203 ;
42 (e) have completed a minimum of 4,000 hours of clinical social work training as
43 defined by division rule under Section 58-1-203 in not less than two years and under the
44 supervision of a clinical social worker supervisor approved by the division in collaboration
45 with the board;
46 (f) document successful completion of not less than 1,000 hours of supervised training
47 in mental health therapy obtained after completion of the education requirement in Subsection
48 (1)(d), which training may be included as part of the 4,000 hours of training in Subsection
49 (1)(e), and of which documented evidence demonstrates not less than 100 of the hours were
50 obtained under the direct personal face to face supervision of a clinical social worker approved
51 by the division in collaboration with the board;
52 (g) have completed a case work, group work, or family treatment course sequence with
53 a clinical practicum in content as defined by rule under Section 58-1-203 ; and
54 (h) pass the examination requirement established by rule under Section 58-1-203 .
55 (2) An applicant for licensure as a certified social worker shall:
56 (a) submit an application on a form provided by the division;
57 (b) pay a fee determined by the department under Section 63J-1-504 ;
58 (c) be of good moral character;

59 (d) produce certified transcripts from an accredited institution of higher education
60 recognized by the division in collaboration with the Social Worker Licensing Board verifying
61 satisfactory completion of an education and an earned degree as follows:
62 (i) a social work education program accredited by the Council on Social Work
63 Education and an earned master's degree resulting from completion of that program; or
64 (ii) an education program that contains approved clinical social work concentration and
65 practicum in content as defined by rule under Section 58-1-203 and an earned doctorate
66 resulting from completion of that program; and
67 (e) pass the examination requirement established by rule under Section 58-1-203 .
68 (3) (a) An applicant for certification as a certified social worker intern shall meet the
69 requirements of Subsections (2)(a), (b), (c), and (d).
70 (b) Certification under Subsection (3)(a) is limited to the time necessary to pass the
71 examination required under Subsection (2)(e) or six months, whichever occurs first.
72 (c) A certified social worker intern may provide mental health therapy under the
73 general supervision of a clinical social worker.
74 (4) An applicant for licensure as a social service worker shall:
75 (a) submit an application on a form provided by the division;
76 (b) pay a fee determined by the department under Section 63J-1-504 ;
77 (c) be of good moral character;
78 (d) produce certified transcripts from an accredited institution of higher education
79 recognized by the division in collaboration with the Social Worker Licensing Board verifying
80 satisfactory completion of an earned degree resulting from education as follows:
81 (i) a bachelor's degree in a social work program accredited by the Council on Social
82 Work Education;
83 (ii) a master's degree in a field approved by the division in collaboration with the social
84 worker board;
85 (iii) a bachelor's degree in any field if the applicant:
86 (A) except as provided in Subsection 58-60-205.2 (2), has completed at least three
87 semester hours, or the equivalent, in each of the following areas:
88 (I) social welfare policy;
89 (II) human growth and development; and

90 (III) social work practice methods, as defined by rule; and
91 (B) provides documentation that the applicant has completed at least 2,000 hours of
92 qualifying experience under the supervision of a mental health therapist, which experience is
93 approved by the division in collaboration with the Social Worker Licensing Board, and which
94 is performed after completion of the requirements to obtain the bachelor's degree required
95 under this Subsection (4); or
96 (iv) successful completion of the first academic year of a Council on Social Work
97 Education approved master's of social work curriculum and practicum; and
98 (e) pass the examination requirement established by rule under Section 58-1-203 .
99 (5) The division shall ensure that the rules for an examination described under
100 Subsections (1)(h), (2)(e), and (4)(e) allow additional time to complete the examination if
101 requested by an applicant who is:
102 (a) a foreign born legal resident of the United States for whom English is a second
103 language; or
104 (b) an enrolled member of a federally recognized Native American tribe.




Legislative Review Note
as of 1-18-12 4:15 PM

Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel