N.J. Admin. Code § 13:44G-8.1

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 21, November 4, 2024

Section 13:44G-8.1 - Clinical supervision

(a) An LSW providing clinical services under supervision as set forth in (b) below shall not provide clinical services through a private practice that the LSW owns either wholly or in part. An LSW may be employed by, or volunteer at, a private practice owned by a healthcare professional licensed to provide clinical mental health services.

(b) LSWs engaged in clinical social work practice shall have clinical supervision in accordance with the following standards:

1. Clinical supervision shall consist of contact between a social worker and a supervisor during which at least the following occurs:

i. The social worker apprises the supervisor of the diagnosis and treatment of each client;

ii. The social worker's cases are discussed;

iii. The supervisor provides the social worker with oversight and guidance in diagnosing and treating clients;

iv. The supervisor regularly reviews and evaluates the professional work of the social worker; and

v. The supervisor provides at least one hour of face-to-face individual or group clinical supervision per week or one hour of individual clinical supervision through synchronous video conferencing, which complies with the confidentiality requirements of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), for no more than half of the total supervision hours;

2. Clinical supervision shall be rendered by a clinical social worker licensed by this State.

3. Clinical supervision shall be rendered by an LCSW who:

i. Has been licensed as an LCSW for a minimum of three years; and

ii. Has completed at least 20 continuing education credits of post-graduate course-work related to clinical supervision approved by the Board pursuant to (c) below. A Seminar in Field Instruction (SIFI) course shall not satisfy this requirement either in whole or in part.

4. The supervisor shall retain responsibility for the standards of clinical social work practice with respect to treatment being rendered to the client;

5. The supervisor shall refer the clients to the social worker unless the social worker is employed by an agency and obtains supervision pursuant to (i) below;

6. The supervisor or the supervisor's employer shall receive the fee paid by clients for services performed by the social worker engaged in a supervisory relationship; and

7. The relationship between the supervisor and the social worker shall not violate the conflicts of interest provisions of 13:44G-10.4(b).

(c) An entity that wishes to obtain Board approval of a continuing education course of postgraduate course work related to clinical supervision shall apply to the Board for such approval in writing, indicating that the course:

1. Is taught by an LCSW who is qualified to supervise LSWs pursuant to (b) above;

2. Is taught in person by the LCSW;

3. Meets the requirements of N.J.A.C. 13:44G-6.4; and

4. Contains the following topics:

i. Development models of supervision;

ii. The role of supervision in the practice environment;

iii. Legal and ethical issues in supervision;

iv. Cultural competency and supervision; and

v. Transference and countertransference in clinical practice and supervision.

(d) Board approval granted pursuant to (c) above shall be valid until a continuing education course changes instructor, course sponsor, or content. A course that changes instructor, course sponsor, or content shall reapply to the Board for approval pursuant to (c) above.

(e) Prior to commencement of this supervisory relationship, each social worker shall provide the supervisor with proof of their licensure and each supervisor shall verify licensure of the supervisee.

(f) A supervisor shall oversee a maximum of six social workers pursuing the two years of full-time clinical social work experience as set forth in 13:44G-4.1.

1. A supervisor who provides group supervision shall oversee a maximum of four social workers in any single group.

(g) The social worker shall disclose that he or she is practicing under supervision, and shall identify the supervisor for the client.

(h) The supervisor shall provide written progress reports concerning the social worker to the social worker and the employer on at least a quarterly basis.

1. The progress report shall contain an assessment of at least the following information concerning the social worker:

i. Ability to establish a professional relationship;

ii. Ability to assess client's needs and to plan appropriate interventions;

iii. Ability to make interventions appropriate to client needs;

iv. Ability to be flexible in choosing and changing interventions as appropriate;

v. Ability to assess prudently the supervisee's own capacities and skills in a professional situation;

vi. Ability to work effectively in a one-to-one relationship;

vii. Ability to work effectively in a group situation;

viii. Ability to work effectively where systems level interventions are required; and

ix. A detailed description of any areas of concern which the supervisor perceives in the social worker's performance.

(i) Upon written consent of the employer, the social worker shall arrange for off-premises supervision, where no supervision is available onsite.

1. In the case of such supervision, the social worker shall obtain the client's written consent to share records or other documents with the supervisor.

N.J. Admin. Code § 13:44G-8.1

Amended by 50 N.J.R. 2017(a), effective 9/17/2018

Administrative Change, 51 N.J.R. 897(a).