Frequently Asked Questions for LBSW, LMSW, LSCSW & Social Work Safety Awareness Training

A. No. Continuing education is not required during the time you are temporarily licensed.

A. If you received your education from a program that is in “Candidacy” for accreditation by the Counsel on Social Work Education, and you meet other requirements, you may be approved to take the social work licensure examination. If you pass the examination, you are eligible to receive a Licensed Bachelor Social Work (LBSW) Temporary Candidacy license or a Licensed Master’s Social Work (LMSW) Temporary Candidacy license. This Temporary Candidacy license will last up to two years and may be renewed for an additional two years. If your program reaches accreditation, you will be able to request your Temporary Candidacy license be converted to permanent license.

A. The BSRB does not review or approve programs before an application has been submitted. Please review the educational/program requirements in K.A.R. 102-2-6 and/or visit with your academic dean.

A. There is not a separate application for a temporary license. Once the licensure application has been submitted and reviewed by the board you will be notified of your eligibility for a temporary license. It is important to understand that you will not be eligible for a temporary license until the board has received a transcript with your degree posted.

A. The Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Examination is the exam which Kansas requires for licensure. The exam is administered, via computer, at ACT Testing Centers. The exam is offered Monday through Friday and Saturdays at some sites. The pass rate for the exam is a scaled score of 70. The level of the examination you will take depends on the type of license you have applied for. A LBSW applicant will take the Bachelors level exam and a LMSW applicant will take the Masters level exam.

A. You must submit a licensure application to the Board office at least six weeks prior to the date you wish to register for the exam. Once the Board approves your application, you will be instructed on how to register for the exam. The exam is administered by ASWB not the BSRB.

A. Indefinitely.

A.  To issue a permanent license the BSRB must have:

      1.  an approved, active (not expired) application
      2.  official exam scores from ASWB (it can take several weeks after the test date for
           BSRB to receive the scores.)
      3.  If not previously provided, an official transcript with the degree posted.

Once we have all these items, we will email you the original license request form.  Complete the form and return it to the BSRB along with the applicable payment and your license will be issued.

A. The basic requirements are:

1. For a LBSW, a baccalaureate degree from a social work program accredited by CSWE, or a baccalaureate degree from a social work program that meets the requirements listed in K.A.R. 102-2-6.
2. For a LMSW, a master’s degree from a graduate level social work program accredited by CSWE, or masters degree from a graduate level social work program that meets the requirements as listed in K.A.R. 102-2-6.

A. No, Kansas does not have reciprocity with any specific state. Kansas does have licensure through reciprocity if:

1. The state in which you are currently licensed has substantially equivalent requirements to those for licensure in Kansas.
2. You have passed the ASWB exam, or a similar examination, at the appropriate level for your license type.

A. K.A.R. 102-2-4a states continuing education shall be oriented to the enhancement of social work practice, values, ethics, skills or knowledge. Additionally, some programs have been pre-approved through the BSRB, which means there ceu’s are approved. However, it is not mandatory that ceu providers hold pre-approval from the BSRB.

A. Extensions are not granted for the renewal of a license. If you are unable to renew your license by the expiration date, you will be required to reinstate.

A. Once you are licensed as a LMSW you may submit a clinical supervision training plan. The training plan must be pre-approved by the BSRB. Link to SW training plan.

A. Yes. If you are licensed and practicing in Kansas, a training plan must be submitted to, and approved by, the BSRB, before a person can count any accrued hours. The BSRB will not backdate any training plans. You will not be allowed to count any hours you accrue if you do not have an approved training plan on file with the BSRB.

A. You must submit all changes in your training plan to the BSRB office within 45 days of the change. If you fail to do this you will loose the hours accrued after the change. Please see Please see K.A.R. 102-2-8 (d)(7).

ALL changes to the training plan need to be submitted in WRITING to the BSRB office for approval.

A. Yes. Please see the SW forms section of our website.

A. No. The BSRB cannot approve a training plan for someone who is not licensed and practicing in Kansas.

A. The supervision and the experience hours accrued in another state will be reviewed and compared with the requirements for specialist clinical licensure in Kansas. The hours and supervision will need to meet Kansas requirements in order to be accepted. Please see K.A.R. 102-2-12.
The requirements for supervision are as follows:

1. You are required to receive at least 1 hour of supervision for every 15 hours of direct client contact.
2. You must meet at least 2 times a month, 1 of which must be individual supervision.
3. You are required to complete a minimum of 100 hours of supervision.
4. At least 50 hours of supervision must be individual supervision.
5. No more than 6 supervisees in the group supervision.
6. No more than half of your supervision hours may be completed in group supervision.

A. The clinical supervisor shall be a specialist clinical social worker (LSCSW) who is licensed in Kansas and as of April 15, 2009, has engaged in the practice of clinical social work including the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders for at least 2 years beyond their clinical licensure date.

A. The clinical supervisor shall be a clinical social worker whose license allows for the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders at the independent level, and as of April 15, 2009, has engaged in the practice of clinical social work including the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders for at least 2 years beyond their clinical licensure date.

A. The total amount to be completed over a minimum of 24 months is 3,000 hours of clinical social work experience.

1. At least 1,500 hours shall be direct client contact providing psychotherapy and assessments, and
2. Up to 1,500 professional hours.
The requirements for supervision are as follows:
3. You are required to receive at least 1 hour of supervision for every 15 hours of direct client contact.
4. You must meet at least 2 times a month, 1 of which must be individual supervision.
5. You are required to complete a minimum of 100 hours of supervision.
6. At least 50 hours of supervision must be individual supervision.
7. No more than 6 supervisees in the group supervision.
8. No more than half of your supervision hours may be completed in group supervision.

A. No. There is no mandatory number of work experience hours that must be met weekly or monthly during supervision.

A. No. The 3,000 hours of post-graduate experience must be obtained in no less than 24 months from the date supervision begins.

A. Yes. All supervision requirements must be completed in no less than two years and not more than six years.

A. Yes. All requirements, except taking and passing the examination, must be completed prior to submitting an application.

A.  To issue a permanent license the BSRB must have:

      1.  an approved, active (not expired) application
      2.  official exam scores from ASWB (it can take several weeks after the test date for
           BSRB to receive the scores.)
      3.  If not previously provided, an official transcript with the degree posted.

Once we have all these items, we will email you the original license request form.  Complete the form and return it to the BSRB along with the applicable payment and your license will be issued.

A. The Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Examination is the exam which Kansas requires for licensure. The exam is administered, via computer, at Pearson Vue Testing Centers. The exam is offered Monday through Friday and Saturdays at some sites. The pass rate for the exam is a scaled score of 70. The level of the examination is the clinical level.

A. You must submit a licensure application to the Board office at least eight weeks prior to the date you wish to register for the exam. Once the Board approves your application, you will be instructed on how to register for the exam. The exam is administered by ASWB not the BSRB.

A. No. Kansas does not have reciprocity with any one state. Kansas does have licensure through reciprocity, which can be met by one of the following:

1. The state in which you are currently licensed has substantially equivalent requirements to those for licensure in Kansas and at least three years clinical practice including the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders as listed in K.A.R. 102-2-2b(c)(2), or
2. You are currently licensed and in good standing and meet the following requirements:
a. Continuous licensure and practice as a clinical social worker for the last 5 years with the minimum required work experience hours as listed in K.A.R. 102-2-2b(b)(3)(A),
b. at least three years clinical practice including the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders as listed in K.A.R. 102-2-2b(c)(2)
c. passage of the ASWB clinical exam (unless you have been continuously licensed for 10 years as a clinical social worker)
d. and a master’s degree in social work.

A. No. At this time Kansas does not require applicants to pass a Jurisprudence examination.

The new law amends KSA 2009 Supp. 65-6313 and states, “On and after January 1, 2011, an applicant for first time licensure renewal as a baccalaureate social worker, master social worker or a specialist clinical social worker, as part of such continuing education, shall complete not less than six hours of social worker safety awareness training.  If the applicant for first time licensure renewal has already taken such training, as part of a previous level of social work licensure renewal, then the applicant is not required to complete an additional six hours of social worker safety training.”

The law requires that all new social workers must have at least six hours of social worker safety awareness training as part of the forty hours of Continuing Education that is required for licensure renewal.

Any Kansas social worker, who is renewing their social work license of any level of license for the first time, will be required to have the six hours of training.  If you were first granted your LBSW, LMSW, or LSCSW in the year 2009 or after, then you will be renewing your license for the first time after January 1, 2011 so you will be required to obtain the six hours of training as part of your regular licensure renewal.

January 1, 2011.

No.  The new requirement applies only to a social worker who is renewing his or her license for the first time.  If you have renewed your current license prior to January 1, 2011, you are not subject to the new requirement.

No, the six hours are included within the forty hours.

No.  The legislation contains a one time only requirement.  Once you have taken the safety training, you have met the requirement.  For your first time renewal of any subsequent social work license, you will not be required to take the safety awareness training again, provided you have documentation of completion of the previous training.  Therefore, remember to keep your documentation for future use.

No.  Since, you are planning to take the safety training as part of licensure renewal for your LMSW, you will have met the safety training requirement.  In the future, when you earn a different level of license and will be renewing that license for the first time, you will not need to include safety training as long as you can prove you already took the safety training.  Therefore, remember to keep your documentation for future use.

Not if the self defense training is more focused on physically defending oneself than on using your social work values, skills, knowledge and ethics to avoid a physical encounter. 

Important  areas of coverage in any safety awareness class should include objectives such as learning to assess the environment, understanding reciprocal communication, studying safety protocols, identification and de-escalation of tense situations, responses to potentially dangerous circumstances, identifying the need for and obtaining assistance, debriefing, administrative and peer support, supervision, and self care.  Please review K.A.R. 102-2-4a for social work continuing education requirements.

Yes.  Continuing Education must be earned within the twenty-four months immediately prior to your license expiration date.

Continuing Education (CE) is given for training that enhances social work skills and practice and is not specific to your employing agency.  If the training you took can be used in your practice as a social worker in another work setting, it should be acceptable.

Not as this time.  However, if you have any questions please, contact the board office.

You may take the training at any time after your license is issued and prior to when you renew.  Keep in mind that you must renew your license before your license expiration date.

Yes.  When you renew your LSCSW in 2012, you will be renewing that level of license for the first time.  You will need to have six hours of safety training in order to renew your license in 2012. 

Yes.  Although you would not be required to take the training, because you are not renewing your LBSW for the first time, you may choose to take the training and count it as part of your CE for licensure renewal.

Yes.  You will be renewing your Kansas license for the first time in 2011.  The new law states all those renewing for the first time at any level must complete six hours in safety awareness training, unless you have documented proof of having previously taken safety awareness training as continuing education.

Yes, the new law will apply when you renew your LBSW for the first time in January 2011.

Will I have to take the safety training again, when I renewal my LMSW licensure?

No, you will not have to repeat it when you renew your LMSW (or even LSCSW) in the future, if you can prove that you have already taken the training, so keep your documentation.

No.  The new law goes into effect on January 1, 2011.  As long as you have successfully renewed your license prior to that date, you will not be required to have the training.

No.  CE for licensure renewal must be earned after you are licensed as a social worker.

No.  All social workers must have three hours of ethics training every time the license is renewed.  Masters and Clinical social workers must also have six hours of diagnosis and treatment as part of their license renewal every two years.  The safety awareness training is a one time only requirement when renewing any level of license for the first time.  It does not have to be repeated for subsequent licensure renewals, even when another licensure level is obtained.

No.  There is no limit on the number of times safety awareness training may be taken.  However, it may be counted only once per renewal cycle.

As with any CE, you need keep your program materials and certificate of attendance for future verification.  It is suggested you keep the safety awareness training documentation until you have obtained and renewed your highest intended level of social work license.