How to Become a Clinical Social Worker — Fast
As a social worker, you know how to advocate for clients of all ages and socioeconomic backgrounds. You help them navigate life’s many challenges by leveraging community resources and public services to find the best solutions.
It might interest you to know that those with advanced degrees and additional credentials can become clinical social workers who diagnose and treat mental, behavioral, and emotional health issues. This specialty has become even more valuable with the increasing demand for mental health services in the United States.
Mental Health America (MHA) reports that 1 in 5 adults — nearly 60 million Americans — lived with a mental health issue last year. Tragically, there is only one mental health provider for every 340 people in the country.
If you’d like to become part of the solution to our country’s mental health crisis, and you’re looking to quickly advance your career to become a licensed clinical social worker, this blog lays out the fastest path to get you there.
What is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker?
Licensed clinical social workers (LCSWs) diagnose and therapeutically treat individuals and families to support mental health, behavioral issues, and emotional disorders that may arise from conflict, divorce, medical conditions, and more. Often in conjunction with a larger care team, LCSWs develop plans, provide therapy, and monitor their clients’ progress.
While the fundamental qualities of empathy and emotional intelligence are essential for effective social work, clinical social workers have a specific area of focus that requires licensure. After earning a master’s degree and two years of full-time supervised practice, clinical social workers must pass the clinical exam to become licensed.
What Do They Do?
Licensed clinical social workers collaborate with allied healthcare professionals to coordinate services for mental and behavioral health issues and respond in crises. Their primary responsibilities include:
- Evaluating clients to determine the need and support options
- Creating individualized and family care plans
- Providing individual and group therapy
- Referring clients to community resources
- Case management
- Maintaining records of treatment and services
Where Do They Work?
Licensed clinical social workers typically diagnose and treat clients in hospitals, healthcare centers, behavioral health clinics, schools, government agencies, or private practice. According to Indeed, clinical social workers earn an average annual salary of $92,354.
How to Become a Clinical Social Worker
Advanced Degree - MSW
To become a licensed clinical social worker, you’ll need an advanced degree. Earning a master’s in social work (MSW) from an accredited institution is the first step, which includes both academic study and clinical fieldwork hours. Aspiring LCSWs can earn a clinical master’s in social work online or through an on-campus program.
The Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) determines the minimum field placement hours for accredited programs. MSW candidates must complete at least 900 fieldwork hours before graduation. You will also need to meet your state’s clinical experience requirements for licensure, which vary by state, and you must pass the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) exam after completing two years of post-MSW supervised practice.
Licensure
Clinical social workers are required to be licensed by state agencies in all 50 states. These requirements ensure that practitioners follow legal, ethical, and professional best practices.
In New York, the state’s Office of the Professions issues licenses for Licensed Master Social Workers (LMSWs) and LCSWs. LMSW applicants need to:
- Present proof of their completed MSW
- Complete the Association of Social Work Boards exam
- Pay permit and registration fees
- Complete state-approved training on child abuse identification and reporting
The LCSW license requires additional years of post-graduate supervised experience and a clinical exam in addition to the LMSW license. Social workers licensed in other states must undergo a separate licensing process in New York, which involves verifying their professional experience and credentials.
Supervised Clinical Experience
The ASWB requires LCSW candidates to participate in supervised clinical experiences. Most states require a minimum of two years or 2,000 hours of post-master’s degree experience in a supervised clinical setting.
Board Examination
All MSW graduates who want to practice clinical social work must pass the ASWB clinical exam.
How Long Does it Take to Complete a Clinical MSW Program?
There are several pathways to becoming a clinical social worker. If your bachelor’s degree is not in social work, you can earn what universities typically refer to as a traditional track MSW through an online or on-campus program.
Traditional track MSW programs can be completed part-time or full-time, depending on the program’s offerings. These programs typically take between two and three years to complete, depending on whether they are part-time or full-time.
If you have a bachelor’s in social work (BSW), an advanced standing MSW is a quick way to advance your career and open the door to a broader range of opportunities in social work.
Because the general studies requirements and some field work hours have already been met with the BSW, an accelerated MSW typically takes one to two years to complete.
Become a Clinical Social Worker at Keuka College
Keuka College’s Online Master of Social Work builds the necessary skills for you to become a clinical social work provider to manage our country’s increasing mental health demands. This fully online, innovative program offers multiple degree paths that are clinically focused and based on your educational background. You can advance your career quickly by completing the Traditional or Advanced Track.
Traditional Track
The Traditional Track is designed for students transitioning into social work from another field of study. Your non-social work undergraduate degree provides the groundwork for this path, which includes all the foundational courses required for a master’s-level social work degree. The Traditional Track at Keuka College requires 60 credit hours and 900 hours of field placement, and can be completed in under three years.
Advanced Track
BSW holders use the Advanced Track for a quicker path to a master’s degree. Due to your existing BSW credential, in the Advanced Track, you will complete 33 credit hours and 500 hours of field placement before graduation. This fast track can be completed in under two years.
Keuka College is ranked among Regional Universities North by U.S. News & World Report, and is known for its exceptional support of students, both online and on campus. Both in-state and out-of-state social work students receive dedicated assistance and field placement support throughout their enrollment at Keuka College.
Find out more about Keuka College’s CSWE-accredited and clinically-focused Online Master of Social Work by downloading the program guide and speaking to an admissions advisor.