Continuing Education

PURPOSE: This rule sets continuing education requirements for renewal of licenses to practice as a licensed social worker and establishes the basic continuing education standards. The goal of continuing education is to ensure quality social work services to clients. The requirements for continuing education are grounded in the ethical principle to develop and enhance professional expertise and increase competence in service and delivery. (1) As a condition for renewing a license to practice, all licensed social workers shall be required to have completed thirty (30) clock hours of acceptable continuing professional education courses prior to the renewal of the license. (2) As part of the thirty (30) continuing education (CE) hours required for each renewal cycle, each applicant for renewal or reinstatement of a license shall complete— (A) Three (3) clock hours of ethics presented by a social worker who has graduated from an accredited school of social work or by a professional who has knowledge of ethics as it relates to the practice of social work; and (B) Two (2) hours of suicide assessment, referral, treatment, and management training. (3) The committee shall have authority to make exceptions to the continuing professional education requirement for reasons of health, military service, foreign residency, or other good cause. (4) The overriding consideration in determining whether a specific activity is acceptable is that it shall be a formal curriculum of learning which contributes directly to the advancement, extension, and enhancement of professional skills and scientific knowledge of a licensed individual. (5) A licensee who becomes licensed during a renewal cycle shall be required to obtain continuing education at the rate computed by the following: (A) AND INSURANCE (6) The required continuing education hours may be satisfied through any combination of the following activities: (A) University or college courses that the licensee successfully completes for credit. Each semester hour credit shall equal fifteen (15) hours of continuing education and each quarterhour credit shall equal ten (10) hours. Non-credit hours shall be measured in classroom hours; (B) Completion of self-study programs (i.e., audio or video recordings, electronic, computer, or interactive materials or programs). If audited, a course completion certificate or proof of passing an exam must be submitted to receive credit; (C) Three (3) hours for the publication of an article in a nonpeer-reviewed publication; (D) Five (5) hours for publication of an article in a peerreviewed professional publication; (E) Five (5) hours for the publication of one (1) chapter in a social work related professional book; (F) Ten (10) hours for the publication of an entire book related to the practice of social work; (G) A maximum of five (5) hours for the initial one- (1-) time preparation and presentation of a social work course, seminar, or workshop during a renewal period. Credit for preparation and presentation shall not be granted for repetitious presentations; (H) A maximum of three (3) hours during a renewal period for supervision performed for any of the following: social work applicants, impaired licensees, licensees under disciplinary sanction, or peer review of another licensee’s therapy skills which includes consultation, conference, and critique; undergraduate and graduate practicum students; or specialty applicants; or (I) Attending workshops or seminars, including live interac tive webinars, approved by or sponsored by the following: 1. National Association of Social Workers (NASW); 2. Social service agency, community mental health center, and/or organizational staff development unit (i.e., hospitals, nursing homes, residential treatment facility, etc.); 3. Professional associations in the human services includ ing but not limited to the— A. American Psychological Association (APA); B. Missouri Psychological Association (MOPA); C. American Association for Marriage and Family Ther apy (AAMFT); D. Missouri Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (MAMFT); E. American Counseling Association of Missouri (ACAM); F. American Counselors Association (ACA); G. American Mental Health Counseling Association (AMHCA); H. Missouri Mental Health Counseling Association (MMHCA); and I. Missouri Society for Clinical Social Workers (MSCSW); 4. Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) or its successor—Approved Continuing Education (ACE); 5. Accredited college or university; or 6. Continuing education hours used to satisfy the continu ing education requirements of another state may be submitted to fulfill the requirements of this state if the other state’s con tinuing education requirements are substantially equal to or greater than the requirements of this state. (7) Up to ten (10) continuing education hours may be carried over into the next reporting period. Continuing education hours shall not be awarded for regular work activities, administrative staff meetings, case staffing or reporting, membership in or holding office in, or participation on boards or committees, business meetings of professional organizations, or training specifically related to policies and procedures of an agency. (8) Continuing education activities shall— (A) Be presented by a qualified individual who is an instructor, consultant, or trainer whose documented background, training, education, or experience is appropriate for leading a discussion on the subject matter; (B) Specify the level of knowledge participants should have upon entering (basic, intermediate, advanced) and the educational objectives obtained upon completing the activity; and (C) Provide a mechanism for evaluation by the participants. The evaluation may be completed on-site immediately following the activity or an evaluation questionnaire may be distributed to participants to be completed and returned by mail. (9) With the exception of any of the previously mentioned organizations in section (6), any other organized group that wants to sponsor a workshop or seminar shall submit an application for approval at least thirty (30) days prior to the date of the program. Applications shall be submitted on forms provided by the committee. The committee shall notify the sponsor in writing of approval or denial. The committee will not consider requests for approval of any program submitted after it has already been presented. (10) Once an application for approval of a course has been granted by the committee, reapproval shall not be required for each subsequent presentation of the course so long as it has not changed. If any portion of the course has significantly changed, reapplication must be made. REQUIRED CEs* ISSUE MONTH CE HOURS NEEDED October 29 November 28 December 26 January 25 February 24 March 23 April 21 May 20 June 19 July 18 August 16 September 15 *This chart pertains to new licensees only. Formula: Months licensed divided by the number of months in reporting cycle multiplied by total CE hours required for renewal. Total rounded up or down to the nearest whole number: four (4) or less round down; five (5) or more round up. Example: licensed on January 1 of an odd year, reporting cycle is 24 months, 30 hours of CE required. 20 months ÷ 24 months x 30 = 24.9 which rounds up to 25. Licensee must have 25 CE hours to renew. (11) A licensee shall be responsible for maintaining records of continuing education activities. Each licensee shall retain documentation of the continuing education verified on the renewal form for four (4) years following license renewal. The committee may conduct audits of licensees to verify compliance with the continuing education requirements. (12) Upon request of the committee, the licensee shall provide all documentation of completion of continuing education activities. Failure to provide the committee with the proof of compliance with the continuing education requirement when requested will be considered a violation of the practice act and shall be cause for discipline. Documentation of continuing education may consist of— (A) Certificates or affidavits provided by the program/sponsor; (B) Receipts for fees paid to the sponsor; (C) Educational transcripts; (D) Written verification from the university practicum in structor that the licensee provided supervision of undergradu ate or graduate students; (E) Copy of publication and letter from editor/publisher; and (F) A written announcement of a presentation schedule and/or brochure specifically identifying the licensee as the presenter of a course/seminar/program. (13) Continuing education required by the committee as part of discipline imposed on a licensee shall not count toward compliance with the continuing education requirement of this rule. AUTHORITY: section 337.627, RSMo Supp. 2025.* This rule originally filed as 4 CSR 263-2.082. Original rule filed June 25, 2004, effective Dec. 30, 2004. Rescinded and readopted: Filed Jan. 17, 2006, effective July 30, 2006. Moved to 20 CSR 2263-2.082, effective Aug. 28, 2006. Amended: Filed Aug. 27, 2009, effective April 30, 2010. Amended: Filed Sept. 27, 2017, effective March 30, 2018. Amended: Filed Aug. 30, 2019, effective Feb. 29, 2020. Amended: Filed Jan. 20, 2021, effective July 30, 2021. Amended: Filed June 29, 2023, effective Dec. 30, 2023. Amended: Filed May 27, 2025, effective Nov. 30, 2025. Amended: Filed Jan. 22, 2026, effective July 30, 2026. *Original authority: 337.627, RSMo 1989, amended 1993, 1995, 1997, 2007, 2018, 2025.