21 NCAC 63 .0210             ASSOCIATE LICENSES

(a)  Applicants for licensure as a LCSWA shall provide an application to the Board, as set forth in 21 NCAC 63 .0202(b), and shall comply with the requirements of this Rule.

(b)  Prior to practicing clinical social work, associates must demonstrate in writing through an emergency crisis plan that, in the event of a clinical emergency, they have immediate access to at least one licensed mental health professional who has agreed to provide to them emergency clinical consultation to assure that compliance with the North Carolina statutes and rules governing clinical social work practice are maintained. For purposes of this Rule, "immediate" shall mean within one hour. The emergency crisis plan shall be submitted on a form prescribed by the Board that is available on the Board's website. The emergency crisis plan outline must be submitted for each location where the associate practices and shall provide the following:

(1)           the name, address, and contact information for the LCSWA practice;

(2)           a description of the practice setting that provides whether the practice is in a home, an office setting, and whether the LCSWA practices with other practitioners;

(3)           a hierarchy of initial contact persons, if more than one contact person is identified; where each person is located; and his or her estimated response time;

(4)           a plan for follow-up consultations with the LCSWA's clinical supervisor if an alternate emergency contact was consulted at the time of need; and

(5)           signatures and license numbers of the LCSWA, the LCSW supervisor, and the emergency consultant back-up provider.

Each licensed clinical social worker associate shall notify the Board in writing within seven days of any change in such access by resubmission of an emergency crisis plan outline form.

(c)  Prior to practicing clinical social work, associates shall provide to the Board an Employment Verification for LCSWA form that contains the following:

(1)           the associate's name, address, contact information, license number, and license issuance and expiration dates;

(2)           the name and address of the agency for which the associate intends to work;

(3)           the associate's current position title and a copy of the job description;

(4)           whether the associate is authorized by the employer to provide clinical services;

(5)           the name of the associate's LCSW clinical supervisor and whether the supervisor is located on-site or off-site;

(6)           whether the associate is being paid a fee or salary;

(7)           dates during which the associate is working full-time, part-time, or as needed; and

(8)           the name and signature of the person completing the form on behalf of the employer.

(d)  Each associate licensee must be supervised as set forth in G.S. 90B-7(f) and receive on-going appropriate supervision as defined in Rule .0211(a)(2) of this Chapter until the qualifying examination has been passed and the Licensed Clinical Social Worker license is issued.

(e)  All associate licensees shall submit reports of their clinical social work experience and supervision on a form prescribed by the Board and made available on the Board's website every six months for review and evaluation by the Board. This six-month review form shall contain the following:

(1)           the associate's name, LCSWA license number, and contact information for the associate;

(2)           the associate's place of employment and an employment verification form, as prescribed in 21 NCAC 63 .0202(f), if not previously provided to the Board;

(3)           the associate's signature and date submitted;

(4)           an acknowledgment from the associate's LCSW supervisor as to whether:

(A)          a position statement on clinical supervision, available on the Board's website at https://www.ncswboard.org, has been signed and submitted to the Board;

(B)          an emergency crisis plan, as set forth in Paragraph (b) of this Rule, has been submitted to the Board;

(C)          a supervisory log has been maintained and is available upon request to verify documented supervision; and

(D)          a case narrative summarizing one case treated during this review period has been prepared, reviewed, and is on file and available for Board review, if needed;

(5)           a rating of the associate by the associate's LCSW supervisor in all the following categories:

(A)          ethical standards of social work practice;

(B)          effective use of supervision;

(C)          competence in social work practice;

(D)          professional growth and development;

(E)           consistency of performance effort;

(F)           knowledge of social work principles and practices;

(G)          ability to formulate a treatment plan appropriate to the clients' needs;

(H)          ability to implement interventions consistent with the treatment plan;

(I)            supervisee's ability to assess his or her own capacities and skills;

(J)            ability to correctly diagnose mental and emotional disorders in accordance with professional judgment and training; and

(K)          ability to plan treatment and carry out clinical interventions related to mental and emotional disorders;

(6)           a narrative summary regarding the associate's growth as a clinical practitioner and participation in clinical supervision;

(7)           the period during which the associate received supervision from the LCSW supervisor;

(8)           the number of in-person hours of individual supervision that the associate received;

(9)           the number of in-person hours of group supervision that the associate received;

(10)         the number of hours provided through technology that the associate received in a group setting;

(11)         the number of hours provided through technology that the associate received in an individual setting;

(12)         the number of clinical practice hours that the associate attained during the review period; and

(13)         the name, phone number, signature, and license number with expiration date of the associate's LCSW supervisor.

(f)  To prevent a lapse in licensure, associate licensees who desire to become Licensed Clinical Social Workers shall renew the LCSWA or complete the application process for the Licensed Clinical Social Worker classification and submit the application fee as set in Rule .0208 of this Chapter at least 30 days prior to the expiration of the associate's license.

History Note:        Authority G.S. 90B-6; 90B-7;

Eff. August 1, 1993;

Temporary Amendment Eff. October 1, 1999;

Amended Eff. October 1, 2012; August 1, 2012; September 1, 2005; April 1, 2001;

Pursuant to G.S. 150B-21.3A, rule is necessary without substantive public interest Eff. September 19, 2015;

Amended Eff. October 1, 2021.