This law makes it clear that only those who have been officially licensed can call themselves 'Licensed Clinical Social Workers'. If someone pretends to be licensed when they're not, they're breaking the law. Also, you can't practice clinical social work without a valid license. Finally, licensed clinical social workers are considered health care practitioners, which means they have to follow certain health care rules.

Starting from January 1, 2016, if you want to get a clinical social worker license in California, you need to pass two exams: one on California law and ethics and another that tests clinical skills. Even if you've passed an exam before, you might have to take another written test.

This law section simply states that the rules and regulations are specifically about the testing and licensing of clinical social workers.

This law allows a governing board to suspend or take away the professional license of someone who violates certain standards. If someone's license is being challenged, the process must follow specific rules laid out in another part of the government's regulations, which also gives the board particular powers to handle the situation.

If someone breaks the rules in this chapter, they can be charged with a misdemeanor, which means they might have to spend up to six months in county jail, pay a fine of up to $1,000, or both.

This law says that professionals from other fields, like doctors or psychologists, can do work related to mental and social well-being as long as they follow their profession's standards and ethics. However, they can't call their services 'psychosocial' or claim to be licensed clinical social workers. This applies to various professionals, including physicians, psychologists, lawyers, marriage and family therapists, professional clinical counselors, and clergy members like priests or ministers.

This law clarifies who is not covered by the chapter regarding psychotherapy practices. It doesn’t restrict existing laws in fields like medicine or psychology. It exempts unlicensed or unregistered workers in government, schools, or nonprofit organizations if they work under supervision and provide clients with a specific notice about their unlicensed status and complaint procedures. It also exempts people using hypnosis only for vocational self-improvement or if referred by a medical professional. However, people registered as associates or licensed must still comply fully with this chapter and the board’s jurisdiction.

This law outlines that certain settings are usually exempt from the rules of this chapter and the board's oversight, as mentioned in Section 4996.14. However, there are exceptions: if a person in these settings is licensed or registered under this chapter, they are still under the board's control. Additionally, health care entities licensed or certified by a government agency are not exempt unless they specifically meet the criteria in Section 4996.14.

This section defines key terms related to nonexempt settings for clinical social work in California. A 'nonexempt setting' includes private practices and professional corporations, which are owned by licensed health professionals and offer mental health services like psychotherapy. However, to work in such a setting, one must have an active license or registration, unless they are a social work intern or an associate applicant. Interns can practice in nonexempt settings that are not private practices or corporations while studying for a Master’s in Social Work. Similarly, associate applicants can practice before their registration is issued, provided they meet other specified requirements.

This law section clarifies that employees of educational institutions and similar organizations can engage in activities related to social work if they are part of training graduate students in master's programs. These activities must be supervised, and students should have titles that reflect their training status, like 'social work intern.' However, students cannot do clinical social work in private practices or professional corporations.

This law says that clinical social workers from other states or countries can consult with licensed practitioners in California or be guests at professional events without following California's regulations, as long as they're licensed in their own location. However, they can't set up an office or meet clients in California.

This law allows licensed clinical social workers from other states to temporarily work in California for up to 30 days per year, as long as they meet certain requirements. These include having the highest license level in their state, keeping their license active and unrestricted, and serving existing clients who are in California. They must inform clients of the service timeframe and provide their license details. Before starting work, they must notify the California Board of Behavioral Sciences with specific personal and license information. They are subject to California laws while providing services and the law expires on January 1, 2026.

This law allows the board to grant a clinical social worker license to someone licensed in another U.S. jurisdiction for independent practice, under certain conditions. These conditions include having an active, unrestricted license for at least two years and holding a relevant master's degree. Applicants must meet fingerprint requirements, complete specific coursework in California law and ethics, and receive training in child abuse and suicide risk assessment. They must also pass a California law and ethics exam, though a clinical exam may be waived.

This law outlines how individuals with education and experience from outside California can become licensed here as social workers. If you have gained relevant work experience outside California that matches state requirements, it can count towards your license. You can also use education from an accredited out-of-state school if you have a master's in social work or meet other specific criteria. Applicants must also pass licensing exams and complete certain coursework or training, like child abuse reporting, human sexuality, and California law. Additional requirements ensure that the applicant’s past licenses are in good standing and not involved in ongoing investigations or past misconduct. Special provisions allow applicants from outside California to bypass additional exam requirements if they hold a valid license elsewhere and meet certain conditions.

If you want to become a licensed clinical social worker in California, you first need to register as an associate clinical social worker to gain supervised experience. To register, you must have a master's degree in social work from an accredited school and meet specific coursework requirements in ethics and law. If your degree is pending accreditation, you can still register but not take the final exam until full accreditation is achieved. Foreign-trained applicants must prove their degree is equivalent to a US accredited degree. All applicants need a qualified supervisor and must inform clients they're under supervision until fully licensed.

This law essentially states that licensed clinical social workers' corporations can practice their profession as long as they follow certain rules. Specifically, they must comply with the Moscone-Knox Professional Corporation Act and other related laws and regulations. These regulations ensure that their operations are lawful and professional.

If you're applying for a social work license in California, you need to meet specific requirements. You must be at least 21, have a master's degree from an accredited social work school, and possess two years of supervised experience after your master's. You can't have been convicted of certain crimes like child sexual abuse or be required to register as a sex offender. Since 1986, training in handling alcoholism and chemical dependency is a must. Depending on when you began your graduate training, you need specific hours in spousal abuse and human sexuality courses. Lastly, you also need training in child abuse assessment and reporting.

This section defines what a 'supervisor' is for mental health professionals in training. To be a supervisor, someone must have held a relevant active license for at least two years within the previous five years and must have practiced or supervised psychotherapy during that time. They also need specific training in supervision, must have an active license in good standing, and can't have provided therapy to the trainee, be related to them, or have had an improper personal or professional relationship. Supervision means being responsible for the quality of services provided by the trainee, which includes evaluating their work, providing feedback, ensuring legal compliance, and possibly reviewing records or observing sessions with client consent.

The law allows the board to check up on supervisors to make sure they've finished the needed qualifications. Supervisors must keep proof of meeting these qualifications for seven years after they stop supervising and must show these records if the board asks for them.

If you want to renew your social work license, you need to complete 36 hours of board-approved continuing education every two years, covering areas relevant to social work. For those who started their graduate studies before January 2004, there's an additional requirement to complete a course on dealing with spousal or partner abuse. This course is included in the 36-hour education requirement. Also, everyone must complete three hours of study on California law and ethics each year. The board can audit your records and you need to keep them for two years.

The board may make exceptions for certain circumstances and courses can be taken from accredited social work schools or other approved providers. Providers need to meet board standards and focus on important, recent, or related social work topics. Finally, the courses should align with guidelines from the Department of Consumer Affairs, and the board can implement rules to manage this process.

If you want to become a licensed clinical social worker, you need to complete 3,000 hours of supervised work after getting your master's degree. This work must be done while registered as an associate. You can count hours done before getting this registration if you meet certain conditions like applying within 90 days of your degree and doing Live Scan fingerprinting. Most of your supervised hours must be under a licensed clinical social worker, but some can be under other professionals. You need at least 2,000 hours related to direct clinical work like therapy, and you can only do up to 40 hours a week. All the experience must be completed within six years before applying for your license. Some alternative criteria were available for applications between 2016 and 2020.

This law describes how supervision should be conducted for associates gaining clinical experience, excluding time spent in workshops or seminars. Supervisors need to provide at least one hour of direct supervision each week per work setting or an additional hour if the associate does over 10 hours of clinical counseling.

The direct supervisor contact can be individual, triadic (with two supervisees), or group sessions of up to eight supervisees. Supervision can be in-person or through real-time videoconferencing if deemed appropriate, which is assessed within 60 days of supervision starting.

The supervisor must ensure adherence to health information confidentiality laws and document their assessment for videoconferencing feasibility. At least 52 of the 104 required weeks of supervision must involve individual or triadic supervision, with at least 13 weeks supervised by a licensed clinical social worker.

Alternative supervision can be provided if the primary supervisor is unavailable. Even after meeting required hours, associates must still receive one hour of direct supervision weekly. This regulation will be repealed on January 1, 2026.

This section specifies how and when supervision for gaining clinical experience should be conducted. Each week an associate must have at least one hour of direct supervision, and if they do more than 10 hours of clinical work in a week, they need another hour of supervision. Supervision can be individual, triadic, or group, with certain time requirements for each format. Supervision must be timely, within the same week that hours are counted. Over half of the required 104 weeks of supervision must be individual or triadic, and at least 13 weeks must be supervised by a licensed clinical social worker. There are provisions for alternative supervision if the main supervisor is unavailable. In specific settings, supervision can occur via video conferencing, and after enough hours are gained, further supervision for nonclinical practice is at the supervisor’s discretion. This law becomes effective on January 1, 2026.

If you're training to be a licensed clinical social worker in California, you have to work as an employee or volunteer—not as an independent contractor. You need to keep proof of your work, like W-2s if you're paid, or a verification letter if you're volunteering. Before working in private practice, you must be officially registered. The place where you gain experience must regularly offer social work or mental health services and make sure your work is supervised properly. You can't count experience that involves conflicts of interest, like working with family. If you get paid back for expenses or receive financial aid to encourage diversity in the profession, you're considered an employee. You're not allowed to get paid directly by clients. Additionally, it's encouraged, but not required, to seek counseling during your training, and provide services via telehealth is permitted.

If you're an associate clinical social worker or trying to get licensed, you can only do your work at places your employer allows. If you're working in a private practice, your supervisor must also be employed, contracted, or be an owner of that practice. They must provide therapy services or have an agreement with your employer to access your clinical records, as long as clients approve it. Supervisors can't oversee more than six trainees at once if they're not fully licensed yet. If your supervisor isn't directly employed by your employer, there needs to be a written agreement to ensure everything's above board, including checking the places where you'll be working.

If you're aiming to become a licensed clinical social worker in California and you started your graduate studies after January 1, 2004, you'll need at least 10 hours of coursework on aging and long-term care to get your license. This includes understanding how to assess and report elder and dependent adult abuse and neglect, which became a requirement in 2012. You might be able to count this coursework if you've done it as part of your other study requirements, but it's up to the board to decide. To prove you've completed this requirement, you need a certification from your educational institution. The board won't give you a license until you've fulfilled this requirement.

If you started your graduate studies before January 1, 2004, and hold a relevant license, you must take a three-hour course on aging and long-term care during your first license renewal period after this law took effect. You need to show proof of course completion to the board. The course should cover aging's biological, social, and psychological aspects and must include training on elder abuse and neglect starting January 1, 2012. If you completed similar coursework or have relevant experience before this law, you might get credit for it. The board won't renew your license until you meet these requirements, and this course counts towards the 36 hours of continuing education needed. This rule started on January 1, 2005.

If you're applying to become a licensed clinical social worker on or after January 1, 2021, you must complete at least six hours of suicide risk assessment and intervention training. You can meet this requirement through your graduate program, during supervised work experience, or by taking a continuing education course. Current licensees also need to meet this requirement the first time they renew their license after January 1, 2021. You have to certify that you've completed the training and keep proof, in case the board asks for it.

If you want to become a licensed clinical social worker after July 1, 2023, in California, you need to show that you've completed at least three hours of training in providing mental health services via telehealth. This training must include information on laws and ethics related to telehealth and can be part of your graduate degree or from a continuing education course. Existing licensees must also complete this training before their first license renewal after July 1, 2023. You have to keep proof of this training and certify you've done it honestly, just in case the board asks to see it.

If you're registered as an associate clinical social worker in California, your registration expires in one year. To keep it active, you need to fill out a renewal form, pay a fee, report any legal or disciplinary issues, take a law and ethics test annually, and confirm you've completed required education. Even if it expires, you can renew it by following the same steps. However, you can only renew it five times. After six years, if you want to continue, you'll need a new registration number, pass the ethics exam again, and remember, you can't work privately with this new number.

This law outlines the various fees related to obtaining and maintaining a license for clinical social workers in California. Initial application fees, examination fees, and renewal fees are specified, with some charges having a potential range if regulated upwards. For instance, applying to become an associate clinical social worker costs $150, and license examination fees may reach $250 or more, depending on actual costs incurred by the board. Additionally, there are fees for license issuance and renewal, replacing documents, and getting a certificate of good standing. All fees may be adjusted within set limits to cover board expenses.

If you fail the clinical examination, you have one year from when you find out to retake it anytime it's offered, as long as you pay the exam fee. After that year, you'll need to start over with a new application and meet all the current requirements.

This law states that once someone fulfills the necessary requirements, the board will give them a license to practice clinical social work. As long as they keep paying the renewal fees, they can call themselves a licensed clinical social worker and perform all related duties. The exact design of the license is decided by the director.

This law is about renewing professional licenses under a particular chapter. Licenses expire up to 24 months after they're issued. To renew, you must fill out a renewal form, pay a fee, fulfill continuing education, and report any criminal convictions or disciplinary actions. If a license expires, you can renew it within three years by meeting these requirements and paying a late fee. After three years without renewal, you can't just renew it, but you can apply for a new license by meeting several conditions, like passing exams and paying fees.

If your professional license is suspended, you still need to renew it like normal, but renewing it doesn't mean you can start working again. You have to wait until the suspension is officially lifted before you can go back to doing the job your license covers.

If your professional license is revoked, it can still expire like normal, but you can't renew it. If you want to get it back after it expires, you have to pay a fee similar to the original renewal fee, plus any late fees from when it was first revoked.

When renewing a license every two years, there is an extra $20 fee. This fee is sent to the Mental Health Practitioner Education Fund, starting from July 1, 2018.

If you're licensed to provide clinical services, you need to hang your license somewhere obvious at the main place where you see clients in person.

Before starting psychotherapy services, therapists in California must give their clients a written notice about how to contact the Board of Behavioral Sciences with complaints. This notice must be easy to read and, starting July 1, 2025, must also include the therapist's full name, license number, type of license, and when it expires. It's important to keep a record that this notice was given to the client.

This law defines what clinical social work involves. It describes it as using specialized knowledge about social resources and human behavior to help people make better social adjustments. This includes counseling, nonmedical psychotherapy, providing social services, information, and referrals, and helping communities improve their services. It also involves research and integrating relevant educational experiences. Psychotherapy, in this context, is about using these methods to help individuals, groups, and communities adapt and improve their mental and emotional health.

This section explains how a licensed clinical social worker in California can request to change their license to inactive status and the conditions that apply. If the license is inactive, they can't practice and must pay half the usual renewal fee but do not need to complete continuing education. To reactivate the license, they must pay the rest of the renewal fee and fulfill specific continuing education requirements, depending on when they want to return to active status.

If you're a licensed clinical social worker in California, you can apply for a retired license if your current license is active or inactive but not restricted or suspended. A retired license means you can't practice as a clinical social worker. You don't need to renew this license, but you can apply to reactivate it. If you want to return to active status within three years of getting the retired license, you must not have committed any disqualifying offenses, pay a renewal fee, complete some continuing education, and submit fingerprints. If your retired license is under a year old, you need 18 hours of education; if it's older than a year, you need 36 hours. If the retired license is three or more years old, you must also reapply, pay fees, pass exams, and meet the fingerprint requirements.