SOCIAL WORK LICENSING IN
ILLINOIS
As a service to our members, the Illinois Chapter is pleased
to provide this licensure information. Please be aware that in Illinois, social work
licensure is administered by the Illinois Department of Financial & Professional Regulation (IDFPR).
All specific questions concerning licensure or a
particular application for licensure
need to be
properly directed to IDFPR.
Illinois statute requires that any person
engaged as a social worker (except in some cases if employed by the U. S. government or in some cases by
the State of Illinois-and only if verified by IDFPR) must be licensed. No person may represent her/himself as a licensed
social worker or licensed clinical social worker without obtaining the
proper license.
For more information on a particular aspect
of licensing, click on any of the links below
to be taken to that section.
Qualifications
There are two levels of licensure in Illinois: Licensed Social Worker (LSW) and
Licensed Clinical
Social Worker (LCSW).
LSWs
LSWs are authorized to practice social work which includes social services to
individuals,
groups or communities in any one or more of the fields of social casework,
social group
work, community organization for social welfare, social work research, social
welfare
administration or social work education. LSWs may engage in clinical social work
practice,
as long as it is not conducted in an independent practice as defined by law.
Persons wishing to obtain a license as an LSW must:
-
have a degree from a graduate program of social work approved by IDFPR
or
-
have a degree in social work from an undergraduate program approved by the
CSWE and
have successfully completed at least 3 years of supervised professional
experience as established by rule, and
-
apply for licensure to IDFPR in writing on the prescribed form,
-
pass the authorized examination for the practice of social work as a
licensed social worker, and
-
be of good moral character.
LCSWs
LCSWs are authorized to independently practice clinical social work in Illinois
under
the auspices of an employer or in private practice.
Persons wishing to obtain a license as an LCSW must:
-
successfully complete at least 3,000 hours of satisfactory, supervised
clinical professional experience after receiving a master’s degree in social
work from a graduate program
approved by the CSWE and
-
apply for licensure to IDFPR in writing on the prescribed form
-
pass the authorized examination for the practice of social work as a
licensed clinical social worker, and
-
be of good moral character.
or
-
successfully complete at least 2,000 hours of satisfactory, supervised
clinical professional experience after receiving a doctor’s degree in social
work from a graduate program
approved by the CSWE, and
-
apply for licensure to IDFPR in writing on the prescribed form
-
pass the authorized examination for the practice of social work as a
licensed clinical social worker, and
-
be of good moral character.
What are approved
programs of social work?
- Programs accredited by the Council on Social Work Education
(CSWE), or by CSWE’s
Foreign Equivalency Determination Service.
- Programs accredited by the Canadian Association of Schools
of Social Work.
Supervision toward the LCSW
license:
- After January 1, 1995, must be provided by a licensed LCSW
(Please note: experience
obtained before that date and provided by another qualified
person as determined by IDFPR
is eligible to count toward licensure-please
contact IDFPR if you believe you qualify for this).
- May be provided by an LCSW working for your employer, or
independently contracted.
RECIPROCITY
Social workers from other states wishing
to become licensed in Illinois should contact IDFPR.
Illinois social workers wishing to obtain
licensure in another state should contact the licensing
body in that state. For referral
to the appropriate entity, call the Association of Social Work
Boards (ASWB): (800)
225-6880.
TESTING
The State of Illinois uses examinations developed by the Association of Social
Work Boards (ASWB): the Masters examination for LSWs and the Clinical
examination for LCSWs. Tests are administered at sites throughout the state
utilizing a computer touch screen. Each examination is graded immediately
following completion and the participant informed of the results on-site.
As of December 1, 2009 applying for the examination in writing to IDFPR is the
first step in obtaining licensure as an LSW or LCSW (application can be
downloaded on the IDFPR website). Individuals who plan to sit for their LSW
immediately after graduating with their MSW must be sure to apply for the
examination through IDFPR after they have officially graduated from their
program. Once a letter of approval is received from IDFPR, register for an
examination and/or receive a testing handbook by contacting the ASWB Candidate
Registration Center toll-free at 888-5SW-EXAM (888-579-3926).
NASW IL offers license review courses throughout the year, for an updated list
click here.
FEES (as of Jan. 1st 2010)
IDFPR Application Fee |
$ 50.00 |
| Testing Service Administration Fee |
$230.00 Masters Examination
$260.00 Clinical Examination
|
License Renewal (every 2
years) |
$ 60.00 |
| License Reinstatement |
$ 20.00 |
INFORMATION
ON OTHER CREDENTIALS
National NASW Credentials
(ACSW, QCSW, DCSW,
School Social Work Specialist) |
800-638-8799,
ext. 424 |
Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor
(CADC) IAODAPCA |
800-272-2632 |
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT)
Illinois Association for Marriage & Family Therapy |
630-260-9010 |
Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor
(LCPC)
Illinois Mental Health Counselors Association |
800-493-4424 |
School Social Worker/Type 73 Certificate
Illinois State Board of Education |
800-845-8749 (in-state) or 217-782-2805 |
SOCIAL WORK
CONTINUING EDUCATION
For more information on continuing
education courses available in Illinois, see the
Continuing
Education section of the NASW-IL website at http://www.swacademy.org
Illinois social workers must complete 30
hours of continuing education (CE) during every
two-year licensing period (December 1 of
each odd-numbered year through November 30 of the
next odd-numbered year). 3 of your 30 hours must be in Ethics. One CE hour
equals one clock hour of instruction. CE credit may be
earned by:
- attendance at courses offered or co-sponsored by
IDFPR-approved social work continuing education sponsors
completion of an IDFPR-approved
home-study course
- post-graduate training programs or completion of social
work related courses that are part
of the curriculum of an approved college, university or
graduate school of social work
- teaching in a college, university or graduate school of
social work and/or as an instructor of continuing education programs given by approved
sponsors
- authoring papers, publications or books and for preparing
presentations and exhibits.
When considering attendance at a CE event,
social workers should confirm that the event is
sponsored or co-sponsored by an entity
licensed by
IDFPR
to provide social work
continuing
education prior to the event.
Credits earned outside of Illinois may
apply toward licensure. Social workers wishing to
participate in such continuing education
courses for Illinois credit may apply to do so by
submitting an individual program
approval request form and a $25.00 processing fee to
IDFPR at least 90 days prior to the
current licensure renewal deadline.
In 2005, the IDFPR made an amendment to the Practice Act under section 1470.95
(CE).
The amendment now states that IDFPR will recognize CEUs from NASW and all of its
its affiliates.
Click here to view this amendment to the Practice Act.
Each social worker is responsible for
maintaining on file her/his certificates of completion for
each approved continuing
education course. IDFPR may require evidence of attendance in the
course of its random
audit of continuing education credit.
Social workers may request a waiver of
compliance with the CE requirement because of:
- full-time military service during a substantial part of the
prerenewal period
- incapacitating illness
- physical inability to travel to sites of approved CE
programs
- other similar extenuating circumstances.
RENEWAL
All social work licenses expire in
November of each odd-numbered year. All currently-licensed
social workers will receive a
renewal form from IDFPR prior to the renewal date. The form
must be completed and returned
to IDFPR no later than November 30, along with the required
renewal fee. If you do not
receive a form by the end of October, contact IDFPR to obtain one.
Not
renewing your license, regardless of reason, will result in termination of your
license.
CONTACTING
IDFPR
Illinois Department of Financial & Professional
Regulation
320 W. Washington, 3rd Floor Springfield, Illinois 62786
Web Site:
www.idfpr.com
Technical Assistance Unit
217-782-8556 |
For inquiries regarding
applications for licensure or testing. |
Licensure Maintenance Unit
217-782-0458 |
For inquiries regarding status of
current licenses, continuing education, reciprocity between other states and foreign
countries. |
Health-Related Investigations
Unit
312-814-1631 |
For public inquiries concerning the
status of a social worker’s license; for information on filing a complaint against a
licensed social worker or licensed clinical social worker. |
Complaint Intake Unit
312-814-6910 |
To file a complaint against a
licensed social worker or licensed clinical social worker. |
|
