Section 17-7004. NATIONAL EXAMINATION

 

7004.1 Except as otherwise provided in this subtitle, an applicant shall receive a passing score on the required level of the examination sponsored by the Association of Social Work Boards (the “national examination”) or on another examination determined by the Board to be equivalent.

 

7004.2 Beginning January 1, 2013, an applicant seeking to take the Advanced Clinical (Independent clinical social worker) level of the national examination clinical examination shall have completed twelve (12) academic credits of clinical course work from a Council on Social Work Education accredited program with a minimum of six (6) of the twelve (12) academic credits having been obtained in a Master's of Social Work program.

 

7004.3Notwithstanding Subsection 7004.2, effective from the date of publication of this regulation until January 1, 2015, an applicant that does not meet the requirements set forth in Subsection 7004.2, may apply to take the Advanced Clinical (Independent clinical social worker) level of the national examination clinical examination if the applicant:

 

(a) Has completed six (6) or more academic credits of clinical course work from a Council on Social Work Education accredited program;

 

(b) Has completed a Board-approved post-graduate clinical training program; and

 

(c) Has completed an additional five hundred (500) hours of supervised practice hours in a clinical setting beyond the required three thousand (3000) hours of post-master’s or postdoctoral experience.  For purposes of this section only, the additional five hundred (500) hours may have been obtained over a period of more than four (4) consecutive years but shall not exceed five (5) consecutive years.

 

7004.4Notwithstanding Subsection 7004.2, effective from the date of publication of this regulation until January 1, 2015, an applicant that has completed less than six (6) academic credits of clinical course work from a Council on Social Work Education accredited program, may apply to take the Advanced Clinical (Independent clinical social worker) level of the national examination clinical examination if the applicant:

 

(a)Has completed a Board-approved post-graduate clinical training program; and

 

(b)Has completed an additional one thousand (1000) hours of supervised practice hours in a clinical setting beyond the required three thousand (3000) hours of post-master’s or postdoctoral experience.  For purposes of this section only, the additional one thousand (1000) hours may have been obtained over a period of more than four (4) consecutive years but shall not exceed six (6) consecutive years.

 

7004.5An applicant who has passed the examination required under § 7004.1 more than five (5) years prior to the application date, shall be required to retake the examination unless the applicant demonstrates to the satisfaction of the Board that the applicant has been continuously licensed and practicing as a social worker in the United States since the date the applicant passed the examination.

 

7004.6 The passing score on the Associate (social work associate) level of the national examination shall be seventy-five (75).

 

7004.7 The passing score on the Basic (graduate social worker) level of the national examination shall be seventy-five (75).

 

7004.8 The passing score on the Advanced Generalist (Independent social worker) level of the national examination shall be seventy-five (75).

 

7004.9 The passing score on the Advanced Clinical (Independent clinical social worker) level of the national examination shall be seventy-five (75).

 

7004.10 An applicant shall submit the applicant’s examination results, which have been certified or validated by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB), to the Board with the completed application.

 

7004.11The Board may require an applicant who fails to pass the examination after two (2) consecutive attempts to complete a review course approved by the Board or any remediation as determined by the Board to be appropriate, prior to retaking the examination.

 

7004.12 The Board may require an applicant who fails to pass the examination after four (4) consecutive attempts to complete a Board approved review course prior to being approved to retake the examination.

7004.13The Board may require an applicant who fails to pass the examination after six (6) consecutive attempts to complete an additional one (1) year of supervised practice under the supervision of a licensed independent social worker or licensed independent clinical social worker, as appropriate, prior to being approved to retake the examination.

 

7004.14The Board shall not accept any review courses or supervised practice hours completed prior to the date of the last failed examination in satisfaction of the requirements set forth in § 7004.11 and 7004.12.

 

 

authority

Section 302(14) of the District of Columbia Health Occupation Revision Act of 1985 (Act), effective March 25, 1986 (D.C. Law 6-99; D.C. Official Code § 3-1203.02(14) (2007 Repl.)), and Mayor’s Order 98-140, dated August 20, 1998.

source

Final Rulemaking published at 35 DCR 1059, 1062 (February 19, 1988); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 37 DCR 2747, 2754 (May 4, 1990); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 52 DCR 10686 (December 9, 2005); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 59 DCR 4209, 4210 (May 4, 2012); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 60 DCR 8489 (June 7, 2013); as corrected by Errata Notice published at 60 DCR 9722 (June 28, 2013).