USEFUL LINKS

▣ Florida Application for Registered Clinical Intern

FAQ’s – Harvey Norris

Why should I seek licensure?

Licensure is a vehicle to allow you to practice independently and allows the profession of social work to develop standards of practice and intervention. It is necessary during all phases of your social work career to be accountable for your actions, behaviors and work. Licensure provides this level of accountability, professionalism and cohesiveness.

What is individual Supervision?

The Board defines this as supervision occurring with 1 or 2 people at the same, specific time.

What is Group Supervision?

The board defines this as supervision occurring with up to 8 people at the same, specific time. Currently the Board allows only one-half (50 hours) of your required 100 hours of supervision to be delivered in group format. The other 50 hours must be individual supervision.

Is there a cost for Supervision?

Yes. Generally supervision is provided at a cost. If you are lucky enough to find a job working with an LSCW and the company is willing to require them to supervise you for free, you are extremely lucky. You should get this assurance in writing.

What do you charge for supervision?

I generally work on a sliding scale depending on the type of job, and individual needs of the social worker. All contracts are negotiated independently. Please contact me for more information and include “Interested in LCSW Supervision” in the subject line of the email.

EMAIL ME

State of Florida –LCSW- Frequently asked Questions

Registered Interns

Q. How do I know if my supervisor is qualified?
A. Check the website (click on license verification) for a listing of licensees. If the licensee is a "qualified supervisor", the individual's computer screen will indicate this. If you need names of qualified supervisors in your profession listed by county, contact the board office (850-245-4474).

Q. What does the board mean when they say the supervision has to be face-to-face?
A. The board defines face-to-face supervision as the supervisor and supervisee physically being together in the same room at the time of the supervision.

Q. I’ve just put my application for intern registration in the mail. Can I begin counting my hours now?
A. No. Chapter 491.0045, F.S. requires that you register as an intern (you will actually receive a license number as such) prior to commencing and counting the hours towards the post-master’s experience.

Q. Can I sit for the national examination before I finish my post-masters supervised experience?
A. Yes. If you have completed the education and practicum requirements and are a registered intern you may be approved to sit for the examination. Call the board office (850-245-4474) for further information.

Q. I have changed supervisors and have sent the board office my “update supervisor form”. Do I have to wait until I receive a response from the board office to begin supervision with my new supervisor?
A. No, but you will want to confirm that the supervisor you've chosen has the designation of a "qualified supervisor" prior to beginning your supervision. This information can be found on this website by clicking on "license verification" and inputting the name of the supervisor. If they are "qualified" the licensure screen will indicate as such.

Q. Do I have to be finished with my supervised experience to take the laws/rules course and/or prevention of medical errors course?
A. No. You may take these courses at any time. You must submit the original certificate of completion for the laws and rules course to the Board office. You may submit a copy of the certificate of completion for the prevention of medical errors course to the Board office.

Q. As a registered intern, am I required to obtain continuing education?
A. No, there is no requirement that a registered intern obtain continuing education. However, you may choose to complete the HIV/AIDS requirement for licensure while you are a registered intern.

Q. I am a registered intern and have completed my two year’s post-master’s supervised experience. I still need to pass the exam. Do I still need to continue with supervision?
A. Yes. Rule 64B4-3.008, F.A.C. states in part, an applicant who practices clinical social work, marriage and family therapy and/or mental health counseling must continue in "supervision" as defined in Rule 64B4-2.002, F.A.C.

Licensure Applicants and Licensees

Q. Where can I find study materials for the national exams?
A. Web search using the search term "exam prep" or "test review" for each profession. Contact the ASWB testing service at www.aswb.org 1-800-225-6880 for sample test booklet, online practice exam, and outline of clinical level exam content. Contact NBCC testing service at www.nbcc.org or (336) 547-0607 for sample test booklet and online practice exam. Contact AMFTRB (719) 388-1615 for national MFT exam information and online practice exam at www.amftrb.org.

Q. How do I get ADA accommodations for a national exam?
A. SW: contact the ASWB testing service directly. (800-225-6880, ext. 3003).
NCMHCE & MFT: go to www.doh.state.fl.us/mqa/exam/spectest.htm to get instructions and submit a DOH application for ADA accommodations.

Q. Where can I find test schedules and sites?
A. Go to exam service web sites www.aswb.org or www.nbcc.org or www.amftrb.org.

Q. How long does it take to receive my national exam score report at the board?
A. National Clinical SW exam: about two weeks from date of exam.
NCMHCE: about 3-4 weeks from the end of the monthly exam week.
National MFT exam: about 4 weeks from the last day of the testing window.

Q.   I have just passed the national exam. When will I become licensed?
A.    If the board office has received your "application for licensure by exam/endorsement" (for an application packet; click on "applications and forms" on this website) and you have received a letter from the board office indicating your licensure application is accepted, completed the two hour prevention of medical errors course and eight hour laws and rules course and provided the certificates of completion to the board office documenting this, you will be licensed within a week of the board office receiving the official score report. If you have not completed the courses, you will not be licensed until you provide the certificates of completion to the board office documenting this.

Q.   Where do I send my HIV/AIDS certificate after licensing?
A.    Keep the certificate for at least 4 years in your personal records; it doesn't have to be sent to the board. If your file is audited, it will be requested at that time.

Q. I have been licensed in another state for several years and will be moving to Florida. Does Florida have reciprocity with other states?
A. No. You must complete the "application for licensure by exam/endorsement" found on this website under Applications and Forms and meet all Florida licensure requirements. If you have questions after reviewing the application, click on "contact information", click on "staff and responsibilities" and click on the staff person related to your profession or call the board office at (850)245-4474.

Q. I have been licensed in another state for many years. At the time I was licensed no exam was available. Do I still need to pass an exam to be licensed in Florida?
A. Yes, everyone licensed in Florida must pass the national exam required by their profession.

Q. How do I become a qualified supervisor?
A. Besides completing the supervised training requirement, a licensee must complete a "Qualified Supervisor Affirmation Statement" (found on this website under Applications and Forms), return the completed form to the board office with the supervisory training documentation and receive a letter from the office stating they have been approved as a "qualified supervisor". For qualified supervisor requirements, read the following rules:

Clinical Social Work -- Rule 64B4-11.007(3), F.A.C.
Marriage & Family Therapy – Rule 64B4-21.007(3), F.A.C.
Mental Health Counseling – Rule 64B4-31.007(3), F.A.C.

Q. I am a LCSW/LMFT/LMHC in Florida. What are my continuing education requirements?
A. A licensee is not required to complete continuing education hours for the first renewal of licensure. (This would be anyone licensed for the first time on 11/1/08 or after). If this is not your first renewal, you are to obtain 30 hours of continuing education from board-approved providers for the biennium ending 3/31/11. These hours must be obtained between 4/1/09 and 3/31/11. Five of the hours must be as follows: 2 hours in the prevention of medical errors (must be obtained from Continuing Education providers approved specifically by the board for the prevention of medical errors course) and 3 hours in ethics and boundary issues. Every third renewal, you must complete a two hour continuing education course on domestic violence. (The domestic violence requirement should be completed for the biennium ending either 3/31/2011 or 3/31/2013). Rule 64B4-6.001, F.A.C., provides renewal information and Rule 64B4-6.002, F.A.C., provides further information about approved courses for continuing education.

Q. Where can I find information regarding a practitioner’s disclosure of confidential information relating to an AIDS patient?
A. See section 456.061, Florida Statutes that states there is immunity from civil or criminal liability if your HIV positive patient discloses the identity of a sexual or needle sharing partner.

Q. Where can I find the law waiving confidential communications?
A. See Section 491.0147, Florida Statutes. When you are a defendant to a civil, criminal or disciplinary action arising from a complaint filed by the patient; when the patient agrees to the waiver, when there is clear and immediate probability of physical harm and this communication is only to the victim, family member, or law enforcement.

Q. I am going to be moving to another state and they require that I provide their office with Florida licensure verification/certification. How do I go about doing this?
A. Go to www.doh.state.fl.us/mqa. Under “current license holder”, click on “license certification”. You will see how to obtain the license verification/certification under “request certification”.

Q. How long must I keep client records?
A. Rule 64B4-9.001, F.A.C. states, “A full record of services shall be maintained for 7 years after the date of the last contact with the client or user”.

Q. I am going to be terminating or relocating my practice and will no longer be available to my clients. Am I obligated to let my clients know?
A. The clients or users are to be notified by the licensee publishing in the newspaper of greatest general circulation a notice which shall contain the date of termination or relocation and an address where the records are available. Further information can be found in Rule 64B4-9.001, F.A.C.