Section 338.2908h. Master's social worker license by examination; requirements; graduates of schools in compliance with board standards; limited master's social worker license.

h. (1) An  applicant   for  a  master's  social   worker  license by examination shall submit a completed application on a form provided by the department, together with the requisite fee. In addition to meeting the requirements of the code and administrative rules promulgated under the code, an applicant for a master's social worker license  by  examination shall be issued a license with a designation indicating the practice area in which the applicant earned his or her qualifying experience, such as macro social work, clinical social work practice, or both.

(2)     An applicant for the license with  a  macro   or  administrative designation shall meet all of the following requirements:

(a)      Graduation from a master's or doctoral degree program from an accredited school of social work that complies with the standards in  R 338.2906.   The experience shall be earned after completion of all the requirements for graduation as verified by the program. The license shall not be issued until graduation from the program is confirmed.

(b)   Successful completion of the advanced generalist examination in R 338.2908i. This subdivision takes effect July 1, 2006.

(c)      Completion of at least 4,000 hours of post-degree social work experience accrued over not less than 2 years, as required in   section    18509 of   the    act and

described in    subrules   (2)(d)    and   (5)    of   this   rule. Effective    September 1, 2005, experience in this state may be earned only in the  limited  license status.

(d)  Qualifying experience for the macro designation shall be completed in at least 1 or both of the following areas:

(i)          Administration,  management,  and  supervision    of   human service organizations, including the translating of laws and administrative rulings into organizational policy and procedures; collaboration, coordination, mediation, and consultation between and among organizations, disciplines and communities; community organizing and development; research and evaluation; the seeking of social justice through the legislative process or the social action and advocacy processes; the improvement of social conditions through social planning and policy formulations;   and, social  work  education  and training.

(ii)   The advanced application of macro social work processes and systems to improve the social or health services of communities, groups, or organizations through planned interventions. Macro social work services include, but are not limited to, those services specified in R 338.2901(1)(m).

(3)   An applicant for licensure with  a  clinical  practice  designation shall meet all of the following requirements:

(a)      Graduation from a master's or doctoral degree program from an accredited school of social work that complies with the standards in R 338.2906.

(b)   Successful completion of the clinical examination.

(c)      Completion of at least 4,000 hours of post-degree social work experience accrued over not less than 2 years, as required in section 18509 of the act and described in subrules (2)(d) and (5) of this rule.

(d)      Completion   of   qualifying    experience   for    the   clinical practice designation shall  include   1   or   more  of   the    activities specified in  R 338.2901(1)(i).

(4)   An applicant for licensure or a licensee may add the second master's level social work specialty designation by completing an additional 2,000 hours of post-degree social work experience, accrued over not less than 1 year, in the second specialty designated area with  at  least 50 hours of supervisory review.

(5)   The experience for a master's social worker license shall meet all of the following requirements:

(a)      The experience shall be completed under the supervision of a Michigan- licensed master's social worker or a person who holds the equivalent license, certificate, or registration from the state in which the experience was obtained. The supervisor shall hold his or her license, certificate, or registration in good standing during the period of supervision.

(b)   The applicant shall meet individually and in person with his  or  her supervisor, or in a group modality that provides for 50% of the supervision to include individual contact during which active work functions and records of the applicant are reviewed. In cases of extreme hardship where an approved supervisor is not available, an alternative supervision arrangement by a related health practitioner may be approved by the board.  Before use of an alternate supervisor, the applicant shall submit a request with a proposed plan and documented willingness by the alternate supervisor. The board shall approve the alternative supervision arrangement before the arrangement is implemented.

(c)   Supervisory review shall be conducted for at  least  4  hours   per month with at least 1 hour being conducted between the applicant and the supervisor on an individual basis.

(d)     Not more than 2,000 hours of  acceptable   experience  shall   be accumulated in any 1 calendar year.

(e)   The experience shall be accumulated at not less than 16 hours per week but not more than 40 hours per week.

(f)   The applicant shall function as  a   master's  social  worker  using generally accepted applications of social work knowledge and techniques acquired during the applicant's education and training.

History: 2005 AACS.