An Official Website of the Commonwealth of Kentucky
Yes. The Kentucky Board of Social Work is now offering a supervision CEU for CSW's. Check it out here. As of March 15, 2022, this CEU will be required for all CSW's in supervision. Once you complete the CEU, you will receive a certificate via email in 5-7 days.
Supervision
No. A licensee completes the training course one time, the DV course does not have to be repeated again.
For example, If you were licensed as a CSW and take the course then you become an LCSW then you will not need to repeat the course again in the new license cagetory for renewal.
Continuing Education
Yes. See 201 KAR 23:075, Section 3.
Please note: These sponsors or providers are not approved for the KY Social Work Ethics course or the LCSW Supervision Training course; these courses have to be pre-approved by the KY Board of Social Work. Please check our approved listing from our website. The courses will have a KBSW approval number on the certificate upon completion.
The board approves CE courses on various topics and assigns an approval number (KBSW#), including courses on Ky. Social Work Ethics and LCSW Supervision.
No. The three (3) hours of CE are required on the Kentucky Code of Ethical Conduct established in 201 KAR 23:080 – a course on the NASW Code of Ethics will not meet this requirement. You can take the NASW course as an elective for credit toward your continuing education hours, but it will not count toward this requirement.
LCSW: Thirty (30) hours, CSW: Thirty (30) hours, LSW: Fifteen (15) hours.
A list of approved LCSW supervisors can be viewed here. [PDF, 375KB]
Yes, but you cannot count the hours under supervision if you work less than 20 hours per week.
You have to be an employee with Social Security and taxes withdrawn from your paycheck – as a CSW who is practicing clinical social work, you are in "training" and you cannot practice as an independent therapist until you complete the supervision and are licensed as a LCSW by the board. You can be a full-time (minimum of 30 hours per week) or part-time employee (minimum of 20 hours per week)., NOT a 1099 contract employee. Talk with the HR department where you intend to work and tell them that you cannot be a 1099 employee. Any supervision hours will not count if you are a 1099 contract employee.
Your supervisor(s) should complete and mail the supervision experience documentation form (link) so the board can approve and document your hours under supervision.
You or your approved supervisor(s) can mail a termination letter to the board explaining the reason for termination (I’m moving out of state; I am taking a new job; my supervisor of record is changing (quitting, retiring, etc.). All your supervisees must concur with termination and have new contracts with a new supervisor. Termination notice with supervisees must have a 30 day notice.
A new contract needs to be submitted for board approval when you change your 1) clinical practice setting or 2) supervisor of record.
Average time is three weeks once all the required documents have been received. Kentucky law allows the board ninety (90) days. Link to Section 8 (5). but we do our best to get it reviewed and approved as quickly as possible. You can now email them to the Executive Director and there is no fee.
Yes. The minimum is two (2) hours during every two (2) weeks of clinical social work practice, but you can arrange more hours. Keep in mind that a LCSW is two year’s post master’s experience for full time (30 hours), or three years post master’s experience for part-time practice. Also, keep in mind that a CSW must be licensed for two years full time (30 hours), or three years part-time practice before applying to take the LCSW exam.
Supervision must total a minimum of 150 hours, which shall include individual supervision of not less than two (2) hours during every two (2) weeks of clinical social work practice.
Depending upon whether you are working full-time or part-time, at least 60% of your work per week must be directly working with your clients.
Yes. If a CSW is practicing under supervision of a LCSW, the CSW is required to notify in writing each client during the period of the supervision. The board has determined that hanging the notice on the wall of the office meets the requirement. Please find the form on our website: bsw.ky.gov/forms/supervision forms/notice to client.
An approved LCSW supervisor has to be:
1) licensed for two (2) years as a clinical social worker;2) has to take an approved 6 hours LCSW Supervision training course every renewal period and;3) send a paper request to the board or submit it online.4) take a 3 hour renewal course every renewal period.
No.
No. You must remain under supervision from the time you are approved to take the exam until your new license is issued by the Kentucky Board of Social Work. Once you pass the exam, follow the steps in your approval notice or contact the board for your next steps. Note: your supervisor must complete and send in the one page continued supervision after approval of the exam form to the board. It can be found on the forms tab.
Two (2) years plus 150 hours of supervision by an approved licensed clinical social worker (licensed a minimum of two years) - your supervisors will need to complete the Supervised Experience Documentation Form or documents that show you have been licensed in another state at the clinical level or your resume that shows you have been engaged in the active practice of clinical social work for five (5) years. Example: official job description(s) signed by the executive director, human resource director, or agency supervisor where the clinical social work services were provided. We will also accept letters of recommendation documenting the type of services you have provided in the clinical practice, and letters confirming that you are an approved provider for an insurance company or Medicaid.
Apply for Licensure
1. Official Transfer Score Report. If you took the ASWB exam in another state, the required report is called an “Official Transfer Score Report.” You contact ASWB to have them send that directly to us. It must come directly from them. The website is aswb.organd their Customer Service telephone number is 888-579-3926. 2. Official Transcript. Only submit the Official Transcript from your university that confers or awards your degree in Social Work. You will contact your university and have them send it directly to us. It must come directly from your school. 3. Official Verification of License (from each state where you hold a social work license). You can get an Official Verification of License by contacting each state board where you hold a license. These must be sent directly to us from the state board office.
No, Kentucky does not accept the ASWB Advanced Generalist exam category.
Kentucky accepts the ASWB exam categories for Bachelor, Masters and Clinical categories of the exam.
No, not at this time.
Click here to submit an online application.
If you only need a license for a temporary amount of time to ensure transition of your client to a KY social worker; you can apply for a temporary permit to practice for up to 90 days. You will submit it online if you choose this license type instead.
Yes, just ensure you have all required documents for both the application and the temporary permit. Both will be held in pending status until all documents are received.
Temporary Permits
1. You must have an approved application on file with your official transcript showing your degree awarded. Note: the official transcript must be sent directly from your university to the board office 2. All new applicants must submit all temporary permit applications on line on the board website If you need to renew it for some reason you need to contact the board office for further instructions. 3. You must be employed and enter and add the signed job description; and4. You must be in supervision with a licensed social worker (CSW or LCSW) as your supervisor and add the supervisors certificate when you apply
We no longer have a self service portal so you will need to keep track of all your CEUS in a way that works for you and once you submit your renewal you will enter then at that time.
Reinstatement
You will not have to submit any CEUS because you will be applying as a new applicant. Your CEUS will not be due until your first renewal period.
You will go online to the board home page and submit a new license application and follow the directions in the application as you will be considered a new applicant. You will be given a new license number that begins with letters once everything is received and we issue your license.
1. Go to the Online Application and complete the application 2. Licensed at the Master’s level for a minimum of two (2) years of full time post-master’s experience, consisting of at least thirty (30) hours per week, or (3) years of part-time, consisting of at least twenty (20) hours per week. 3. Supervised Experience Documentation form completed by each supervisor that you received supervision from while licensed in the other state(s). If you have been licensed in Kentucky as a CSW then you do not need to submit your Official Transcript conferring your Master’s Degree in Social Work.
Yes, 6 weeks prior to your graduation date. You will need to attach your unofficial transcript to your application. When you pass the exam, you will not receive a license until your official transcript showing your degree awarded arrives in the office directly from your school. Example if you graduate May 1 then you can apply 6 weeks prior to that date.
You will pay a $25 non refundable application fee at the end of your application before you submit it.
Your application will be incomplete, and that will delay processing your application. If you have not received an email from the Board staff within 6 weeks; you can call or email the office to check on the status of your application.
You need to submit your application online via the website home page
License Renewal
Send a cover letter stating explaining the situation along with other items to finish your licensure process. Please note: processing will take longer since we have to take other steps to recover the Official Score Report from ASWB.
The initial licensing process can take four to six weeks. But once all items are received; you will recieve an email requesting the license fee payment and once payment is received the license will be issued in 3 to 5 days.
If you have just passed your ASWB exam, email the board office to let them know and check on your next steps.