Continuing Education

(1) Social Work Continuing Education is considered to be continuing education oriented toward enhancing an individual’s social work knowledge base and service delivery skills in the applicable areas of social work planning, administration, education, research, and direct service with individuals, couples, families, and groups. (2) Social Work Ethics Continuing Education is considered to be continuing education oriented toward awareness of professional ethics and the statutes and rules governing the practice of social work in Tennessee. GENERAL RULES AND REGULATIONS CHAPTER 1365-01 (3) Basic Requirements – Each social worker licensed by the Board is required to complete continuing education as set out in this rule every two (2) calendar years preceding the year of renewal of the license. (a) For licensed baccalaureate social worker applicants and licensed master’s social worker applicants who apply for licensure in the calendar year in which they took the exam, successful completion of the exam shall be considered sufficient preparatory education to be substituted for one-half (1/2) of the required hours of continuing education for the first renewal period. (b) Those persons who hold active social worker licenses in more than one (1) category (L.B.S.W., L.M.S.W., L.A.P.S.W. and/or L.C.S.W.) must separately satisfy the continuing education requirements for each license they wish to renew with no duplication between the four categories. (c) A licensee may count completed ethics and rules and regulations continuing education hours for all categories of licensure, but the total required hours for each category of licensure must be met. (d) Suicide Prevention Training required under the “Kenneth and Madge Tullis, MD, Suicide Prevention Training Act.” 1. Current Licensees – Beginning January 1, 2020, all persons who hold an active L.B.S.W., L.M.S.W., L.A.P.S.W., or L.C.S.W must complete a minimum two (2) hour Board approved training program relative to suicide prevention at least once every four (4) years. 2. New Licensees – An applicant applying for initial licensure on or after January 1, 2020, is not required to complete a training program on suicide prevention for two (2) years after the date of initial licensure, if the applicant can demonstrate successful completion of a two (2) hour academic training program that meets criteria established by the Board and that was completed no more than two (2) years prior to the application for initial licensure. 3. Hours Earned – The continuing education hours earned through the training program under Part 1. and Part 2. of this subparagraph count toward meeting the continuing education requirements listed in subparagraphs (4)(a), (5)(a), and (6)(a) of this rule. (e) Clock Hour – A clock hour represents actual time in continuing education activity. Providers who measure continuing education activities in “continuing education units” shall define one (1) CEU as one (1) clock hour. (4) Requirements for licensed baccalaureate social worker. (a) Each licensee shall obtain eighteen (18) continuing education clock hours relative to social work practice every two (2) calendar years preceding the year of renewal. (b) At least six (6) of the eighteen (18) hours shall be in social work ethics. (c) One (1) of the eighteen (18) hours shall be specific to Tennessee Code Annotated §§ 63-23-101, et seq., and the Rules and Regulations of the Tennessee Board of Social Worker Licensure. (5) Requirements for licensed master’s social worker. GENERAL RULES AND REGULATIONS CHAPTER 1365-01 (a) Each licensee shall obtain twenty-four (24) continuing education clock hours relative to social work practice every two (2) calendar years preceding the year of renewal. (b) At least six (6) of the twenty-four (24) hours shall be in social work ethics. (c) One (1) of the twenty-four (24) hours shall be specific to Tennessee Code Annotated §§ 63-23-101, et seq., and the Rules and Regulations of the Tennessee Board of Social Worker Licensure. (6) Requirements for licensed advanced practice social worker and licensed clinical social worker. (a) Each licensee shall obtain thirty (30) continuing education clock hours relative to social work practice every two (2) calendar years preceding the year of renewal. (b) At least six (6) of the thirty (30) hours shall be in social work ethics. (c) One (1) of the thirty (30) hours shall be specific to Tennessee Code Annotated §§ 63- 23-101, et seq., and the Rules and Regulations of the Tennessee Board of Social Worker Licensure. (7) Acceptable Social Work Continuing Education. (a) In-person attendance at seminars, workshops, or mini-courses oriented to the awareness of professional ethics and to the enhancement of social work practice, values, skills, and knowledge for the purpose of accomplishing specific written learning objectives is acceptable continuing education. 1. Cross-disciplinary offerings from medicine, law, administration, education and the behavioral sciences are acceptable, if they are clearly related to the awareness of professional ethics and to the enhancement of social work practices, values, skills, and knowledge. 2. In-service continuing education training focused on professional development can be provided by the employer using presenters from the staff or from outside agencies. 3. Attendance at educational events sponsored by national, state, regional, or local professional associations in the field or events related to the practice of the profession for which a nationally or regionally accredited institution of higher education grants CEUs is acceptable. Providers who measure continuing education activities in “continuing education units” (CEUs) shall define “CEU” as equal to one (1) clock hour. (b) Master or doctoral level social work courses or social work related courses such as mental health, administration, health and social research, psychology, sociology, human growth and development, child and family development, counseling and guidance taken for credit or audited from a nationally or regionally accredited institution of higher education are acceptable. Baccalaureate level social work courses or social work related courses such as mental health, administration, health and social research, psychology, sociology, human growth and development, child and family development, counseling and guidance taken for credit or audited from a nationally or regionally accredited institution of higher education are acceptable for licensed baccalaureate social workers. GENERAL RULES AND REGULATIONS CHAPTER 1365-01 1. One (1) academic credit hour is equivalent to fifteen (15) clock hours of continuing education. Credit for auditing will be for the actual clock hours in attendance, not to exceed the academic credit hours. 2. A maximum of fifteen (15) clock hours for academic coursework may be earned per two (2) year continuing education period. (c) Presentation/teaching for the first time of an academic social work course at the baccalaureate, master or doctoral level, in-service training workshop or seminar, or other professional seminar is acceptable. 1. One (1) clock hour of preparation time will be allowed for each clock hour of first- time presentation time. For example, if the workshop or seminar is awarding three (3) continuing education clock hours, the presenter may receive credit for up to six (6) hours, including preparation. 2. A maximum of seventy-five (75) percent of a licensee’s total required clock hours of continuing education will be allowed for preparation and first-time presentation/teaching per two (2) year continuing education period. (d) Preparation for the first time of a professional social work paper submitted for publication in a recognized professional journal or given for the first time at a regional, statewide, or national professional meeting is acceptable. 1. Hours may be claimed during the calendar year in which the publication was submitted for consideration or presented at the professional meeting. 2. A maximum of five (5) clock hours will be allowed for preparation of a publication/first-time presentation. (e) Remote attendance of or completion of multi-media courses that have specific written learning objectives oriented toward the awareness of professional ethics and to the enhancement of social work practice, values, skills, and knowledge is acceptable. These courses must be presented by a qualified presenter, have a method to verify completion of the learning experience and include the issuance of verification of the completion of the continuing education. 1. Multi-Media courses may include, but not be limited to, courses utilizing: (i) The internet; (ii) Closed-circuit television; (iii) Satellite broadcasts; (iv) Correspondence courses; (v) Videotapes; (vi) CD-ROM; (vii) DVD; (viii) Teleconferencing; (ix) Prerecorded videoconferencing; and/or GENERAL RULES AND REGULATIONS CHAPTER 1365-01 (x) Distance learning. 2. A maximum of two-thirds (⅔) of a licensee’s credit hours may be earned for multi-media courses per two (2) year continuing education period. (8) Documentation (a) Each licensee registered with the Board must retain proof of attendance and completion of all continuing education requirements. This documentation must be retained for a period of four (4) years from the end of the calendar year in which the continuing education was acquired. This documentation must be produced for inspection and verification if requested in writing by the Board during its verification process. The Board will not maintain continuing education files. (b) The Board will conduct a random audit of selected individual records to assure that the continuing education requirements have been met. An individual’s records may be audited during consecutive renewal periods. (c) If audited, the individual must, within fifteen (15) working days of a request from the Board, provide evidence that is satisfactory to the Board of compliance with this rule. Such evidence may include, but not be limited to, one (1) or more of the following: 1. Certificates verifying the individual’s attendance at continuing education programs described in these rules; 2. An individual submitting a program as evidence of attendance at a continuing education event will also be required to submit two (2) or more of the following for each program submitted: original registration receipt, signed program canceled check (front and back), hotel bill, name badge, or an original letter on official stationary signed by a professional associate who attended; 3. An original letter on official institution stationery from the instructor of the academic course verifying that the course was completed and listing the number of credit hours of attendance completed by the individual; 4. Official transcript verifying credit hours earned; 5. Written documentation of training that is kept by the social worker’s employer. When submitting evidence of continuing education, the documentation must include employer’s name, address and phone number along with the individual’s name as registered with the Board, certificate/license number and social security number, course name and clock hours of attendance. The licensee must sign the form, as well as the supervisor or employer, certifying that the program was monitored and the social worker was in attendance at all of the sessions listed; 6. A copy of the course syllabus and verification that the course, workshop or seminar was presented may be used as documentation; and 7. Verification from the editor or editorial review board of the submission of a professional paper for publishing consideration. (d) If a person submits documentation for training that is not clearly identifiable as appropriate continuing education, the Board will request a written description of the training and how it applies to the individual’s practice as a social worker. If the Board determines that the training cannot be considered appropriate continuing education, GENERAL RULES AND REGULATIONS CHAPTER 1365-01 the individual will be given sixty (60) days to replace the hours not allowed. Those hours will be considered replacement hours and cannot be counted during the next renewal period. (e) Continuing education credit will not be allowed for the following: 1. The licensee’s regular work activities, administrative staff meetings, case staffing/reporting, et cetera; 2. Membership, holding office in, or participation on boards or committees, business meetings of professional organizations, or banquet speeches; 3. Independent unstructured or self-structured learning; 4. Training specifically related to policies and procedures of an agency may not be counted; and 5. Non-social work content courses. (9) The Board does not pre-approve continuing education programs. It is the licensee’s responsibility, using professional judgment and the guidelines provided within these rules, to determine whether or not the programs are applicable and appropriate to the licensee’s professional development and meet the standards specified in these rules. (10) Continuing Education for Reactivation or Reinstatement of Retired, Revoked, or Expired License. (a) Reactivation of a retired license. 1. An individual whose license has been retired for one (1) year or less will be required to fulfill continuing education requirements as outlined in this rule as a prerequisite to reactivation. Those hours will be considered replacement hours and cannot be counted during the next renewal period. 2. Any individual requesting reactivation of a license which has been retired more than one (1) year must submit along with the reactivation request, verification which indicates the attendance and completion of nine (9) hours of continuing education if the individual is an L.B.S.W.; twelve (12) hours of continuing education if the individual is an L.M.S.W.; and fifteen (15) hours of continuing education if the individual is an L.C.S.W. or L.A.P.S.W., which must have been begun and successfully completed within twelve (12) months immediately preceding the date of requested reactivation. The continuing education hours completed to reactivate a retired license shall not be credited toward the continuing education hours required to be completed by the end of the renewal cycle following reactivation. 3. The Board, upon receipt of a written request and explanation, may waive the continuing education for reactivation of a retired license in extraordinary circumstances, as determined by the Board. (b) Reinstatement of a Revoked License – No person whose license has been revoked for failure to comply with continuing education requirements may be reinstated without complying with these requirements. Continuing education requirements will accumulate at the same rate as for those licenses which are active. A license which has been revoked for non-compliance with continuing education requirements shall also be subject to the late renewal fee pursuant to rule 1365-01-.05. GENERAL RULES AND REGULATIONS CHAPTER 1365-01 (c) Reinstatement of an Expired License – No person whose license has expired may be reinstated without submitting evidence of compliance with continuing education requirements. The continuing education hours documented at the time of reinstatement must equal the hours required, had the license remained in an active status. (d) Continuing education hours obtained as a prerequisite for reactivating or reinstating a license may not be counted toward the continuing education hours required to be completed by the end of the renewal cycle in which reactivation or reinstatement is requested. (11) Waiver of Continuing Education. (a) The Board may grant a waiver to any licensee of the need to certify attendance and completion of the required hours of continuing education, if it can be shown to the Board that the failure to comply was not attributable to or was beyond the physical capabilities of the individual, i.e., disability, residence abroad, military service, or other reasonable cause. Such requests for waiver must be accompanied by written documentation acceptable to the Board. (b) Waivers will be considered only on an individual basis and may be requested by submitting the following items to the Board administrative office: 1. A written request for a waiver which specifies what requirement is sought to be waived and includes a written, signed explanation of the reasons for the request; and 2. Any documentation which supports the reason for the waiver requested or which may be subsequently requested by the Board. (c) A waiver approved by the Board is effective for only the period for which the waiver of the continuing education requirement is sought, unless otherwise specified in writing by the Board. (12) Violations. (a) Any licensee who falsely certifies attendance and completion of the required hours of continuing education requirements, or who does not or cannot adequately substantiate completed continuing education hours with the required documentation, may be subject to disciplinary action. (b) Prior to the institution of any disciplinary proceedings, a letter shall be issued to the last known address of the individual stating the facts or conduct which warrants the intended action. (c) The licensee has thirty (30) days from the date of notification to show compliance with all lawful requirements for the retention of the license. (d) Any licensee who fails to show compliance with the required continuing education hours in response to the notice contemplated by subparagraph (12)(b) above may be subject to disciplinary action. (e) Continuing education hours obtained as a result of compliance with the terms of a Board Order in any disciplinary action shall not be credited toward the continuing education hours required to be obtained in any two (2) calendar year period preceding the year of renewal. GENERAL RULES AND REGULATIONS CHAPTER 1365-01