258 CMR 20.01
Unethical or Unprofessional Conduct Generally
A social worker shall not engage in unethical or unprofessional conduct. "Unethical or
unprofessional conduct" includes, but is not limited to, the following:
(1) Violating any provision of M.G.L. c. 112, ยงยง 130 through 137, or any regulation of the Board
promulgated thereunder;
(2) Engaging in, authorizing or aiding or abetting fraud, deceit, misrepresentation of material facts, the
provision of false or forged evidence, or briberyinconnectionwithanyapplicationfor the issuance or
renewal of a social work license;
(3) Engaging in, authorizing, or aiding or abetting fraud, deceit, misrepresentation of material facts, the
provision of false or forged evidence, or bribery in the course of his or her professional practice;
(4) Using, or attempting to use, a license which has been revoked or suspended, whichhas expired,
or which belongs to another person;
(5) Authorizing or permitting a person to perform functions or services which constitute the practice
of social work, as defined in M.G.L. c. 112, ยง 130, when one knows or has reason to know that said
person is not licensed by the Board and that a license is required for the performance of those functions
or services;
(6) Authorizing or permittinga licensed socialworker to performa particular social work function or
service, when one knows or has reason to know that the performance of that function or service
exceeds the legally permissible scope of practice for that level of licensure, or when one knows or has
reason to know that the individualinquestion does not possess the knowledge or skills necessary for
proper performance of that function or service;
(7) Offering, giving, soliciting, receiving or agreeing to receive any fee or other consideration to or
from a social worker or other health care professional for the referral of a client;
(8) Engaging in any other conduct whichviolates federalor state lawand which reasonably calls into
question his or her fitness to practice social work;
(9) Engaging in any conduct which violates the civil or legal rights of a client; or
(10) Engaging in any course of conduct which is expressly prohibited by, or which constitutes a failure
to conform to:
20.01: continued
(a) any provisions of the Code of Ethics of the National Association of Social Workers, as
adopted by the 1979 NASW Delegate Assembly and amended from time to time hereafter, to the
extent that said provision is not inconsistent with federal or state law; or
(b) any other generally accepted standard(s) of professional conduct.