1| STATE OF OKLAHOMA |
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2| 2nd Session of the 60th Legislature (2026) |
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3|COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE |
|FOR |
4|HOUSE BILL NO. 1818 By: Newton |
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5| |
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6| |
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7| COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE |
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8| An Act relating to professions and occupations; |
| amending 59 O.S. 2021, Section 1250.1, which relates |
9| to definitions; modifying certain terms; amending 59 |
| O.S. 2021, Section 1253, as amended by Section 1, |
10| Chapter 65, O.S.L. 2023 (59 O.S. Supp. 2025, Section |
| 1253), which relates to qualifications and membership |
11| for the Oklahoma State Board of Licensed Social |
| Workers; modifying certain terms; amending 59 O.S. |
12| 2021, Section 1261.1, as amended by Section 1, |
| Chapter 109, O.S.L. 2024 (59 O.S. Supp. 2025, Section |
13| 1261.1), which relates to issuing various types of |
| social worker licenses; modifying certain terms; |
14| amending 59 O.S. 2021, Section 1265, which relates to |
| titles and abbreviations of social workers; modifying |
15| terms; amending 59 O.S. 2021, Section 1270, which |
| relates to licensed social worker titles; amending |
16| certain terms; and providing an effective date. |
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17| |
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18| |
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19|BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA: |
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20| SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 59 O.S. 2021, Section 1250.1, is |
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21|amended to read as follows: |
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22| Section 1250.1. As used in the Social Worker's Licensing Act: |
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23| 1. "Approved provider of continuing education" means an |
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24|individual, group, professional association, school, institution, |
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1|organization, or agency approved by the Board to conduct educational |
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2|programs; |
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3| 2. "Approved social work program" means a school of social work |
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4|or a social work educational program that has been approved by the |
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5|Board; |
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6| 3. "Assessment" means the gathering of data about emotional, |
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7|behavioral, mental, environmental, biopsychosocial, and |
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8|interactional processes gathered in an effort to identify the |
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9|client's past and current level of functioning. Assessment may also |
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10|include the use of standardized psychometric testing instruments |
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11|upon successful completion of appropriate, specialized courses or |
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12|training; |
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13| 4. "Board" means the State Board of Licensed Social Workers, |
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14|which shall also be known as the State Board of Social Work; |
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15| 5. "Board-approved clinical supervisor" means a licensed |
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16|clinical social worker who has met the qualifications determined by |
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17|the Board for supervision in a clinical setting; |
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18| 6. "Board-approved supervisor" means a licensed clinical social |
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19|worker (LCSW) who has met the qualifications determined by the Board |
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20|for licensure as a supervisor; |
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21| 7. "Case management" means a method to plan, provide, evaluate, |
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22|and monitor services from a variety of resources on behalf of and in |
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23|collaboration with a client; |
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24| |
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1| 8. "Client" means the individual, couple, family, group, |
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2|organization, or community that seeks or receives social work |
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3|services; |
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4| 9. "Clinical social work practice" means the practice of social |
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5|work by a social worker including assessment and diagnosis of |
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6|behavioral disorders, treatment planning, planning intervention, |
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7|case management, information and referrals, including referrals to |
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8|an appropriate allopathic or osteopathic physician when the |
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9|diagnosis or treatment is in question or psychiatric or medical |
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10|treatment is indicated. Treatment methods include the provision of |
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11|individual, marital, couple, family and group counseling and |
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12|psychotherapy based on the education and training of the social |
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13|worker. Treatment shall not include biological or medical |
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14|treatments. The practice of clinical social work may include |
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15|private or independent practice; |
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16| 10. "Clinical supervision" means an interactional professional |
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17|relationship between a supervisor and a social worker that provides |
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18|evaluation and direction over the supervisee's practice of clinical |
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19|social work and promotes continued development of the social |
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20|worker's knowledge, skills, and abilities to engage in the practice |
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21|of clinical social work in an ethical and competent manner; |
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22| 11. "Consultation" means a problem-solving process in which |
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23|expertise is offered to an individual, couple, family, group, |
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24|organization or community; |
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1| 12. "Continuing education" means education and training which |
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2|are oriented to maintain, improve or enhance the practice of social |
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3|work; |
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4| 13. "Continuing education contact hour" means a sixty-minute |
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5|clock hour of instruction, not including breaks or meals; |
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6| 14. "Conviction" means conviction of a crime by a court of |
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7|competent jurisdiction including a finding or verdict of guilt, |
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8|whether or not the adjudication of guilt is withheld or not entered |
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9|on admission of guilt, a plea of nolo contendere, or a guilty plea; |
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10| 15. "Counseling" means a method used by social workers to |
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11|assist individuals, couples, families and groups in learning how to |
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12|solve problems and make decisions about personal, health, social, |
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13|educational, vocational, financial, and other interpersonal |
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14|concerns; |
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15| 16. "Diagnosis" means the use of assessment tools such as the |
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16|Diagnostic and Statistical Manual or the International |
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17|Classification of Diseases; |
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18| 17. "Employment supervision" means the professional |
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19|relationship between a worksite supervisor and social worker in an |
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20|employment setting which provides evaluation and direction as it |
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21|pertains to job-related duties. This type of supervision shall not |
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22|be accepted towards licensure supervision requirements; |
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23| |
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24| |
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1| 18. "Examination" means a standardized test or examination of |
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2|social work knowledge, skills and abilities which have been approved |
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3|by the Board; |
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4| 19. "Implementation and evaluation" means continuing to |
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5|evaluate and monitor the effectiveness of the treatment plan; |
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6| 20. "Independent social work practice" means the practice of |
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7|nonclinical social work by a licensed social worker (LSW), licensed |
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8|clinical social worker (LCSW) or licensed social worker with |
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9|administration specialty (LSW-ADM) outside of an organized setting, |
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10|such as a social, medical, or governmental agency, after completion |
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11|of all applicable supervision requirements, in which the social |
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12|worker assumes responsibility and accountability for services |
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13|provided; |
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14| 21. "Intervention" means application of techniques utilized to |
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15|implement the treatment plan appropriate to an assessment; |
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16| 22. "Licensed clinical social worker" (LCSW) means a person |
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17|duly licensed to practice clinical social work under the Social |
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18|Worker's Licensing Act; |
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19| 23. "Licensed masters social worker" (LMSW) means a person duly |
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20|licensed to practice social work under the Social Worker's Licensing |
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21|Act and who holds a master's degree in social work; |
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22| 24. "Licensed social work associate" (LSWA) "Licensed bachelors |
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23|social worker (LBSW)" means a person duly licensed to practice |
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24|social work under the Social Worker's Licensing Act; |
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1| 25. "Licensed social worker with administration specialty" |
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2|(LSW-ADM) means a person duly licensed to practice administrative |
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3|social work under the Social Worker's Licensing Act; |
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4| 26. "Licensed social worker" (LSW) means a person duly licensed |
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5|to practice social work under the Social Worker's Licensing Act; |
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6| 27. "Licensee" means a person duly licensed under the Social |
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7|Worker's Licensing Act; |
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8| 28. "Licensure supervisor" means a licensed social worker who |
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9|has met the qualifications determined by the Board for a licensure |
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10|supervisor; |
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11| 29. "Nonclinical social work" means the practice of social work |
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12|by a social worker to include but not be limited to case management, |
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13|consultation, education, advocacy and community organization, but |
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14|excluding counseling in independent practice, psychotherapy, |
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15|treatment and diagnosis; |
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16| 30. "Nonclinical supervision" means the supervision of social |
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17|work practice by a social worker to include but not be limited to |
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18|case management, consultation, education, advocacy and community |
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19|organization; |
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20| 31. "Practice of social work" means the professional activity |
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21|of helping individuals, groups or communities enhance or restore |
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22|their capacity for physical, social and economic functioning and the |
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23|professional application of social work values, principles and |
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24|techniques in areas such as clinical social work, social service |
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1|administration, social planning, social work consultation and social |
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2|work research to one or more of the following ends: Helping people |
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3|obtain tangible services; counseling with individuals, families and |
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4|groups; helping communities or groups provide or improve social and |
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5|health services; and participating in relevant social action. The |
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6|practice of social work requires knowledge of human development and |
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7|behavior; of social economic and cultural institutions and forces; |
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8|and of the interaction of all of these factors. Social work |
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9|practice includes the teaching of relevant subject matter and of |
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10|conducting research into problems of human behavior and conflict. |
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11|Except as otherwise provided in the Social Worker's Licensing Act, |
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12|reference to the "practice of social work" shall be the practice of |
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13|a person licensed under the Social Worker's Licensing Act; |
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14| 32. "Private practice of clinical social work" means the |
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15|practice of social work performed by a licensed clinical social |
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16|worker (LCSW) who is wholly or in part self-employed and who assumes |
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17|responsibility for the nature and quality of the services provided |
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18|to the client in exchange for direct payment or third-party |
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19|reimbursement, rather than a salaried employee of an organization or |
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20|institution; |
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21| 33. "Psychotherapy" means the use of treatment methods |
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22|utilizing a specialized, formal interaction between a clinical |
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23|social worker and an individual, couple, family, or group in which a |
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24|therapeutic relationship is established, maintained and sustained to |
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1|understand unconscious processes, intrapersonal, interpersonal, and |
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2|psychosocial dynamics, and the diagnosis and treatment of mental, |
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3|emotional, and behavioral disorders, conditions and addictions; |
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4| 34. "Supervision" means the professional relationship between |
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5|an approved supervisor and a social worker that provides evaluation |
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6|and direction over the services provided by the social worker and |
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7|promotes continued development of the social worker's knowledge, |
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8|skills and abilities to provide social work services in an ethical |
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9|and competent manner; and |
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10| 35. "Treatment planning" or "treatment plan" means the |
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11|organized approach of an assessment to guide the course of |
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12|behavioral health treatment based upon identified needs, problems |
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13|and issues. |
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14| SECTION 2. AMENDATORY 59 O.S. 2021, Section 1253, as |
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15|amended by Section 1, Chapter 65, O.S.L. 2023 (59 O.S. Supp. 2025, |
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16|Section 1253), is amended to read as follows: |
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17| Section 1253. A. There is hereby re-created, to continue until |
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18|July 1, 2025 2028, in accordance with the provisions of the Oklahoma |
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19|Sunset Law, the State Board of Licensed Social Workers, consisting |
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20|of seven (7) members. |
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21| B. Three of the members of the Board shall be licensed social |
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22|workers or licensed clinical social workers licensed pursuant to the |
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23|provisions of the Social Worker's Licensing Act. Two members shall |
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24|be licensed as either social work associates bachelor's social |
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1|workers or master's social workers. One member shall be the |
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2|president of the Oklahoma Chapter of the National Association of |
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3|Social Workers. The remaining member of the Board shall be selected |
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4|from and shall represent the general public. |
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5| C. Responsibility for enforcement of the provisions of this act |
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6|is hereby vested in the State Board of Social Work. The Board shall |
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7|have all of the duties, powers and authority specifically granted |
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8|by, or necessary for, the enforcement of this act as well as other |
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9|duties, powers and authority it may be granted by applicable law. |
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10| D. 1. Each member of the Board appointed as a social worker |
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11|shall: |
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12| a. be a resident of this state, |
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13| b. be licensed in good standing to engage in the |
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14| practice of social work in this state, |
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15| c. at the time of appointment, have been actively |
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16| engaged in the practice of social work for at least |
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17| one (1) year out of the last five (5) years, and |
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18| d. have at least three (3) years of experience in the |
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19| practice of social work. |
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20| 2. Each member of the Board appointed to represent the general |
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21|public shall be a resident of this state who has attained the age of |
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22|majority and shall not be, nor shall ever have been, a social work |
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23|licensee, or the spouse of a social work licensee, or a person who |
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24|has ever had any material financial interest in the provision of |
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1|social work services or has engaged in any activity directly related |
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2|to the practice of social work. |
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3| SECTION 3. AMENDATORY 59 O.S. 2021, Section 1261.1, as |
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4|amended by Section 1, Chapter 109, O.S.L. 2024 (59 O.S. Supp. 2025, |
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5|Section 1261.1), is amended to read as follows: |
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6| Section 1261.1. A. To obtain a license under the Social |
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7|Worker's Licensing Act, an applicant shall: |
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8| 1. Submit a written application in a form prescribed by the |
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9|State Board of Licensed Social Workers; |
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10| 2. Have attained the age of majority; |
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11| 3. Have graduated and received a degree in social work from an |
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12|approved social work program; |
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13| 4. Have completed any necessary post graduate experience and |
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14|supervision in the practice of social work; |
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15| 5. Have passed the necessary examination and paid all fees |
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16|required by the Board; and |
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17| 6. Submit to a national criminal history record check, as |
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18|defined by Section 150.9 of Title 74 of the Oklahoma Statutes. The |
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19|costs associated with the national criminal history record check |
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20|shall be paid by the applicant and submitted to the Board at the |
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21|time of application. With the required fee, the applicant shall |
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22|provide to the Board two classifiable sets of fingerprints to be |
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23|provided to the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation. |
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24| |
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1| B. If the results of the national criminal history record check |
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2|required by subsection A of this section reveal that the applicant |
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3|has been convicted of, or pled guilty or nolo contendere to, any |
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4|felony crime that substantially relates to the occupation of a |
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5|social worker and poses a reasonable threat to public safety, the |
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6|individual's application for licensure may be disapproved and no |
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7|further action shall be taken on the application. |
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8| C. Upon certification by the Board, the Board shall authorize |
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9|the issuance of social work licenses to persons who qualify as |
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10|follows: |
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11| 1. As a licensed social work associate (LSWA) bachelor's social |
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12|worker (LBSW) who has a baccalaureate degree in social work from an |
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13|accredited institution or an approved social work program or both |
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14|and has passed the examination provided for under these provisions |
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15|or who has a doctoral or master's degree in social work from an |
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16|institution with a program accredited by an approved social work |
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17|program and has passed the examination provided for under these |
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18|provisions; |
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19| 2. As a licensed master's social worker (LMSW) who has a |
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20|master's degree in social work from an accredited institution or an |
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21|approved social work program or both and has passed the examination |
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22|provided for under the Social Worker's Licensing Act; |
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23| 3. As a licensed social worker (LSW) who has a master's degree |
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24|in social work from an accredited institution or an approved social |
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1|work program or both and has three thousand (3,000) hours of |
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2|postgraduate experience in the practice of social work under |
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3|professional supervision of a person licensed under those |
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4|provisions, and who has passed the examination provided for under |
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5|the provisions of the Social Worker's Licensing Act; |
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6| 4. As a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) who has a |
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7|master's degree in social work from an accredited institution or an |
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8|approved social work program or both and has three thousand (3,000) |
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9|hours of postgraduate experience in the practice of clinical social |
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10|work under professional supervision of a person licensed by the |
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11|Social Worker's Licensing Act, and who has passed the examination |
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12|provided for under the Social Worker's Licensing Act; and |
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13| 5. As a licensed social worker with administration specialty |
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14|(LSW-ADM) who has a master's degree in social work from an |
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15|accredited institution or an approved social work program or both |
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16|and has three thousand (3,000) hours of postgraduate experience in |
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17|the practice of administrative social work under professional |
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18|supervision of a person licensed by the Social Worker's Licensing |
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19|Act, and who has passed the examination provided for under the |
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20|Social Worker's Licensing Act. |
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21| D. Applicants who have been licensed as an LSWA LBSW, LMSW, |
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22|LSW, LCSW or LSW-ADM in good standing in another state for a minimum |
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23|of three (3) years continually since the time of initial full |
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24| |
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1|licensure post-provisional term and comply with all other state |
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2|requirements shall be licensed by the Board. |
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3| E. No person may engage in the private practice of clinical |
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4|social work unless that person: |
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5| 1. Is licensed under the Social Worker's Licensing Act as a |
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6|licensed clinical social worker (LCSW); and |
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7| 2. Continues to meet continuing education requirements set by |
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8|the Board. |
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9| F. No person may engage in an independent social work practice |
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10|unless that person: |
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11| 1. Is licensed under the Social Worker's Licensing Act as a |
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12|licensed clinical social worker (LCSW), licensed social worker with |
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13|administration specialty (LSW-ADM) or licensed social worker (LSW). |
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14|This specifically and intentionally excludes licensed social work |
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15|associates (LSWA) bachelor's social workers (LBSW) and licensed |
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16|masters social workers (LMSW); and |
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17| 2. Continues to meet continuing education requirements set by |
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18|the Board. |
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19| G. Any person seeking to pursue postgraduate supervision for |
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20|the licensed social worker (LSW), licensed social worker with |
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21|administration specialty (LSW-ADM), or licensed clinical social |
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22|worker (LCSW) must hold licensure status of licensed social work |
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23|associate (LSWA) bachelor's social worker (LBSW) or licensed masters |
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24|social worker (LMSW) prior to board approval of postgraduate |
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1|supervision for licensure as specified in paragraphs 3, 4 and 5 of |
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2|subsection C of this section. |
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3| H. As used in this section: |
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4| 1. "Substantially relates" means the nature of criminal conduct |
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5|for which the person was convicted has a direct bearing on the |
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6|fitness or ability to perform one or more of the duties or |
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7|responsibilities necessarily related to the occupation; and |
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8| 2. "Poses a reasonable threat" means the nature of criminal |
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9|conduct for which the person was convicted involved an act or threat |
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10|of harm against another and has a bearing on the fitness or ability |
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11|to serve the public or work with others in the occupation. |
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12| SECTION 4. AMENDATORY 59 O.S. 2021, Section 1265, is |
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13|amended to read as follows: |
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14| Section 1265. Any person who has received a license as a |
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15|licensed social work associate bachelor's social worker shall have |
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16|the right to use the title Licensed Social Work Associate Bachelor's |
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17|Social Worker, and the abbreviation, LSWA LBSW. No other person |
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18|shall assume such title, use such abbreviation, or any word or |
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19|letters, signs, figures or devices to indicate that the person using |
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20|the same is a licensed social work associate bachelor's social |
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21|worker. |
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22| SECTION 5. AMENDATORY 59 O.S. 2021, Section 1270, is |
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23|amended to read as follows: |
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24| Section 1270. A. It shall be a misdemeanor for any person to: |
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1| 1. Use in connection with his or her name any designation |
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2|tending to imply that he or she is licensed under the Social |
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3|Worker's Licensing Act unless he or she is duly and respectively |
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4|licensed under the provisions of this act; |
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5| 2. Use in connection with his or her name any designation |
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6|tending to imply that he or she is licensed under the provisions of |
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7|this act during the time his or her license shall be suspended or |
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8|revoked; or |
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9| 3. Otherwise violate any of the provisions of this act. |
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10| B. 1. Except as otherwise provided, it shall be unlawful for |
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11|any individual to engage in the practice of social work unless duly |
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12|licensed under this act. |
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13| 2. Except as otherwise provided, it shall be unlawful for any |
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14|individual to engage in the practice of Clinical Social Work unless |
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15|duly licensed as a Clinical Social Worker under this act. |
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16| 3. No individual shall offer social work services or use the |
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17|designation social worker, licensed social work associate bachelor's |
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18|social worker, licensed master's social worker, licensed social |
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19|worker, licensed clinical social worker or the initials LSWA LBSW, |
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20|LMSW, LSW, or LCSW or any other designation indicating licensure |
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21|status or hold themselves out as licensed to practice social work |
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22|unless duly licensed. |
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23| 4. The provision of social work services to an individual in |
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24|this state, through telephonic, electronic or other means, |
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1|regardless of the location of the social worker, shall constitute |
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2|the practice of social work and shall be subject to regulation. |
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3| 5. Any individual who, after hearing, is found by the State |
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4|Board of Licensed Social Workers to have unlawfully engaged in the |
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5|practice of social work or to have violated other provisions of this |
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6|act shall be subject to a fine to be imposed by the Board not to |
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7|exceed Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) for each offense. Each |
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8|violation of this act or Board rules pertaining to unlawful practice |
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9|of social work shall also constitute a misdemeanor. |
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10| 6. Nothing in this act shall be construed to prevent members of |
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11|other professions from performing functions for which they are duly |
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12|licensed; provided, however, such professionals shall not hold |
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13|themselves out or refer to themselves by any title or description |
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14|stating or implying that they are engaged in the practice of social |
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15|work or that they are licensed to engage in the practice of social |
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16|work. |
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17| 7. Students currently participating in an approved social work |
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18|program are exempt from licensure under this act when enrolled in or |
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19|participating in an internship, externship, or other social work |
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20|experience requirements for such programs. |
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21| SECTION 6. This act shall become effective November 1, 2026. |
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22| |
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23| 60-2-16773 TKR 02/26/26 |
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24| |
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Req. No. 16773 Page 16
