Section 31.03 - Establishment of Continuing Education Requirement(1)General Requirement. Beginning with the licensure period commencing October 1, 2004, every social worker, as a condition for renewal of his or her license, shall complete the minimum number of continuing education hours specified below for his or her licensure level during each licensure period, unless he or she is exempt from such requirements pursuant to 258 CMR 31.03(2), or is entitled to pro-rate such requirements pursuant to 258 CMR 31.03(3): (a) Licensed Independent Clinical Social Workers (LICSWs) - 30 continuing education hours;(b) Licensed Certified Social Workers (LCSWs) - 20 continuing education hours;(c) Licensed Social Workers (LSWs) - 15 continuing education hours; and(d) Licensed Social Work Associates (LSWAs) - ten continuing education hours. All such continuing education hours shall be completed in continuing education programs which meet the requirements of 258 CMR 31.04.
(2)Exemption for Licensed State, County or Municipal Social Workers. (a) A social worker who holds a license to practice social work issued by the Board, but who provides social work services exclusively in his or her capacity as an employee of a unit of state, county or municipal government located within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, shall be exempt from the continuing education requirement established by 258 CMR 31.03(1). A social worker shall not be eligible for this exemption if he or she provides social work services or engages in the practice of social work as an independent practitioner or as an employee of a private agency, health care facility or other entity at any time during the licensure period for which exemption is sought.(b) A social worker seeking exemption from the continuing education requirement of 258 CMR 31.03(1) pursuant to 258 CMR 31.03(2)(b) shall file, as part of his or her license renewal application, a sworn affidavit, on forms furnished by the Board for this purpose, attesting to the fact that he or she has not provided social work services or engaged in the practice of social work as an independent practitioner or as an employee of any private agency, health care facility or other private entity at any time during the licensure period, and is therefore eligible for exemption under the provisions of 258 CMR 31.03(2)(b).(3)Proration of Continuing Education Requirements. The number of continuing education hours required for license renewal shall be pro-rated for the licensure period in which a social worker first obtains his or her license from the Board, as follows:(a) A social worker who first receives his or her license during the first quarter of the licensure period shall complete 75% of the continuing education hours normally required for his or her level of licensure;(b) A social worker who first receives his or her license during the second quarter of the licensure period shall complete 50% of the continuing education hours normally required for his or her level of licensure;(c) A social worker who first receives his or her license during the third quarter of the licensure period shall complete 25% of the continuing education hours normally required for his or her level of licensure; and(d) A social worker who first receives his or her license during the last quarter of the licensure period shall not be required to complete any continuing education hours for that licensure period.(4) Pursuant to M.G.L. c. 112, § 264, applicants and licensees shall participate in at least one domestic violence and sexual violence training as a condition for licensure, renewal, revival or reinstatement of licensure. (a) The Board, in consultation with the Department of Public Health, will identify programs or courses of study that meet the standards required by 258 CMR 31.03(4) and provide its licensees with a list of such programs or courses.(b) An applicant for renewal, revival or reinstatement of licensure, who has previously completed a program or course approved by the Board shall not be required to participate in a subsequent program or course of domestic violence and sexual violence training except where the Board, in its discretion, requires completion of such a program or course as a condition of renewal, revival, or reinstatement of licensure.(5)Extension of Time for Completion. The Board may extend the deadline for completion of the continuing education required by 258 CMR 31.03(1) upon a showing by the social worker that completion of such continuing education by the original deadline imposes an undue hardship due to unforeseen circumstances.Amended by Mass Register Issue 1355, eff. 12/29/2017.