(a) No person shall (1) use the title “licensed master social worker” or any initials associated with such title, or (2) advertise services under the description of a licensed master social worker, as defined in section 20-195m, unless such person is licensed as a master social worker pursuant to this chapter.
(b) No person shall (1) use the title “licensed clinical social worker” or any initials associated with such title, or (2) advertise services under the description of a licensed clinical social worker, as defined in section 20-195m, unless such person is licensed as a clinical social worker pursuant to this chapter.
(c) No person shall (1) use the title “social worker” or any initials associated with such title, or (2) advertise services under the description of “social worker”, unless such person has earned a baccalaureate or master's degree in social work from a social work program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education, a doctoral degree in social work or, if educated outside of the United States or its territories, has completed an educational program deemed equivalent by said council.
(d) Nothing in this chapter shall prohibit: (1) A student enrolled in a doctoral or master's degree program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education from performing such work as is incidental to his course of study, provided such person is designated by a title which clearly indicates his status as a student; (2) a person licensed or certified in this state in a field other than clinical social work from practicing within the scope of such license or certification; (3) a person enrolled in an educational program or fulfilling other state requirements leading to licensure or certification in a field other than social work from engaging in work in such other field; (4) a person who is employed or retained as a social work designee, social worker, or social work consultant by a nursing home or rest home licensed under section 19a-490 and who meets the qualifications prescribed by the department in its regulations from performing the duties required of them in accordance with state and federal laws governing those duties; (5) a social worker from practicing community organization, policy and planning, research or administration that does not include engaging in clinical social work or supervising a social worker engaged in clinical treatment with clients; (6) individuals with a baccalaureate degree in social work from a Council on Social Work Education accredited program from performing nonclinical social work functions; (7) a person who holds a professional educator certificate issued by the State Board of Education pursuant to section 10-145b, with a school social worker endorsement, from using the title of school social worker to describe such person's activities while working in a public or nonpublic school in the state; (8) any person employed by a municipality prior to July 1, 2019, under the title social worker from using such title to describe or perform duties in the course of such employment with the municipality; and (9) a state employee with the title social worker from using such title to describe or perform duties in the course of such employment with the state. On and after October 1, 2019, the state shall specify on any job posting for a title in the social work series of classified service, in which a license pursuant to this chapter is not required, that a preferred qualification for employment in such title is completion of a baccalaureate or master's degree in social work from a social work program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education or a doctoral degree in social work.
(P.A. 85-531, S. 5; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 92-11, S. 3, 70; P.A. 95-116, S. 5; P.A. 98-247, S. 13; P.A. 10-38, S. 5; P.A. 16-66, S. 13; P.A. 18-168, S. 10; P.A. 19-164, S. 1.)
History: May Sp. Sess. P.A. 92-11 amended Subsec. (b) to correct a statutory reference by replacing Sec. 17a-635 with Sec. 17-635; P.A. 95-116 changed references from certification to licensure, deleted prior Subsec. (b), which exempted social workers at educational, governmental and community institutions and added new Subsec. (b) re exemption for certain students, trainees and those in other fields; P.A. 98-247 added Subsec. (b)(5) re social work in nursing homes; P.A. 10-38 added new Subsec. (a) re use of title licensed master social worker, redesignated existing Subsec. (a) as Subsec. (b) and made conforming and technical changes therein, redesignated existing Subsec. (b) as Subsec. (c) and added Subdivs. (6) to (8) therein re additional work activities that are not prohibited; P.A. 16-66 amended Subsec. (c) by deleting former Subdiv. (2) re gaining social work experience under professional supervision and redesignating existing Subdivs. (3) to (8) as Subdivs. (2) to (7); P.A. 18-168 amended Subsec. (c) by replacing “section” with “chapter” and adding Subdiv. (8) re person who holds professional educator certificate with a school social worker endorsement; P.A. 19-164 added new Subsec. (c) re use of social worker title, redesignated existing Subsec. (c) as Subsec. (d) and amended same by deleting former Subdiv. (5) re independent practice of master social worker, redesignating existing Subdivs. (6) to (8) as new Subdivs. (5) to (7), adding new Subdiv. (8) re use of title by municipal employee, adding Subdiv. (9) re use of title by state employee, and adding provision re state job posting.