2025 Session Last amended: 2012 session

§ 148E.115 — Licensed Independent Clinical Social Workers; Supervised Practice

Plain-Language Summary

This section describes what must be completed before becoming a licensed independent clinical social worker (LICSW). A person must have completed at least 200 hours of clinical supervision over 4,000 to 8,000 hours of post-graduate clinical practice, with at least 1,800 hours of direct clinical client contact. Once licensed as an LICSW, no further supervision is required.

Before becoming licensed as a licensed independent clinical social worker, a person must have obtained at least 200 hours of supervision at the rate of a minimum of four and a maximum of eight hours of supervision for every 160 hours of practice, in not less than 4,000 hours and not more than 8,000 hours of postgraduate clinical practice required by law, including at least 1,800 hours of direct clinical client contact, according to the requirements of section 148E.106. §

Subd. 1a.Supervised practice obtained prior to August 1, 2011.

(a) Notwithstanding subdivisions 1 and 2, applicants and licensees who have completed hours of supervised practice prior to August 1, 2011, which comply with Minnesota Statutes 2010, sections 148D.100 to 148D.125, may have that supervised practice applied to the licensing requirement.

(b) Any additional hours of supervised practice obtained on or after August 1, 2011, must comply with the increased requirements in this section.

(c) Notwithstanding subdivision 1, in order to qualify for the licensed independent clinical social work license, direct clinical client contact hours are:

(1) not required prior to August 1, 2011; and

(2) not required of either a licensed graduate social worker or a licensed independent social worker engaged in clinical practice with a license issued prior to August 1, 2011. §

Subd. 2.No supervision required after licensure.

After licensure, a licensed independent clinical social worker is not required to be supervised.

History:

2007 c 123 s 86,138; 2009 c 157 art 3 s 39,40,49; 2012 c 187 art 3 s 9

History: History: 2007 c 123 s 86,138; 2009 c 157 art 3 s 39,40,49; 2012 c 187 art 3 s 9

Practical Notes

The LICSW is the highest social work license level and the only one that allows independent clinical practice, including psychotherapy and mental health diagnosis. After obtaining an LICSW, the social worker works fully independently with no supervision requirement. The LICSW credential is often required by insurance companies to qualify for provider reimbursement.

Source: Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes