Delaware Social Work CE Requirement Statutes

This information below has been obtained directly from the Delaware Board of Social Work Website and is current as of August 2024. Please visit Delaware Board of Social Work for full information and details.

Delaware Administrative Code for Social Work Examiners: Section 7.0 Continuing Education

7.1 Required Continuing Education Hours:

• 7.1.1 Requirements for LBSWs:

• 7.1.1.1 For each renewal period, 20 hours are required.

• 7.1.1.2 At least 6 of the hours shall be in the area of professional ethics.

• 7.1.1.3 At least 1 of the hours shall be in the area of mandatory reporting.

• 7.1.1.4 Proration. License renewal periods last 2 complete calendar years, beginning February 1 and ending January 31 of odd-numbered years, for example, beginning February 1, 2007 and ending January 31, 2009. At the time of the initial license renewal, some individuals will have been licensed for less than 2 years. Therefore, for these individuals only, the continuing education hours will be prorated as follows:

• 7.1.1.4.1 If the license was granted prior to July 1 of an odd-numbered year, the licensee must complete 18 hours of CE during the initial licensing period.

• 7.1.1.4.2 If the license was granted between July 1 of an odd-numbered year and January 31 of an even-numbered year, the licensee must complete 12 hours of CE during the initial licensing period.

• 7.1.1.4.3 If the license was granted between February 1 of an even-numbered year and June 30 of that year, the licensee must complete 6 hours of CE during the initial licensing period.

• 7.1.1.4.4 If the license was granted between July 1 of an even-numbered year and January 31 of an odd-numbered year, the licensee is not required to complete CE.

• 7.1.1.5 For licensees falling within the pro-ration schedule, at least 6 hours must be completed in the area of ethics.

• 7.1.2 Requirements for LMSWs:

• 7.1.2.1 For each renewal period, 30 hours are required.

• 7.1.2.2 At least 6 of the hours shall be in the area of professional ethics.

• 7.1.2.3 At least 1 of the hours shall be in the area of mandatory reporting.

• 7.1.2.4 Proration. License renewal periods last 2 complete calendar years, beginning February 1 and ending January 31 of odd-numbered years, for example, beginning February 1, 2007 and ending January 31, 2009. At the time of the initial license renewal, some individuals will have been licensed for less than 2 years. Therefore, for these individuals only, the continuing education hours will be prorated as follows:

• 7.1.2.4.1 If the license was granted prior to July 1 of an odd-numbered year, the licensee must complete 24 hours of CE during the initial licensing period.

• 7.1.2.4.2 If the license was granted between July 1 of an odd-numbered year and January 31 of an even-numbered year, the licensee must complete 18 hours of CE during the initial licensing period.

• 7.1.2.4.3 If the license was granted between February 1 of an even-numbered year and June 30 of that year, the licensee must complete 12 hours of CE during the initial licensing period.

• 7.1.2.4.4 If the license was granted between July 1 of an even-numbered year and January 31 of an odd-numbered year, the licensee is not required to complete CE.

• 7.1.2.5 For licensees falling within the pro-ration schedule, at least 6 hours must be completed in the area of ethics.

• 7.1.3 Requirements for LCSWs:

• 7.1.3.1 For each renewal period, 40 hours are required.

• 7.1.3.2 At least 6 of the hours shall be in the area of professional ethics.

• 7.1.3.3 At least 1 of the hours shall be in the area of mandatory reporting.

• 7.1.3.4 Proration. License renewal periods last 2 complete calendar years, beginning February 1 and ending January 31 of odd-numbered years, for example, beginning February 1, 2007 and ending January 31, 2009. At the time of the initial license renewal, some individuals will have been licensed for less than 2 years. Therefore, for these individuals only, the continuing education hours will be prorated as follows:

• 7.1.3.4.1 If the license was granted prior to July 1 of an odd-numbered year, the licensee must complete 36 hours of CE during the initial licensing period.

• 7.1.3.4.2 If the license was granted between July 1 of an odd-numbered year and January 31 of an even-numbered year, the licensee must complete 30 hours of CE during the initial licensing period.

• 7.1.3.4.3 If the license was granted between February 1 of an even-numbered year and June 30 of that year, the licensee must complete 24 hours of CE during the initial licensing period.

• 7.1.3.4.4 If the license was granted between July 1 of an even-numbered year and January 31 of an odd-numbered year, the licensee is not required to complete CE.

• 7.1.3.5 For licensees falling within the pro-ration schedule, at least 6 hours must be completed in the area of ethics.

• 7.1.4 No licensee shall earn more than 10 hours of continuing education credit from self-directed activity. The maximum number of hours granted for a particular type of self-directed activity is set forth below in subsection 7.2.6.4.

• 7.1.5 Any course or activity submitted for continuing education credit must have been attended during the biennial licensing period for which it is submitted. Excess credits may not be carried over to the next licensing period.

• 7.1.6 An “hour” for purposes of continuing education shall mean 50 minutes of instruction or participation in an appropriate course or program. Meals and breaks shall be excluded from credit.

• 7.1.7 Hardship. A candidate for license renewal may be granted an extension of time in which to complete continuing education hours upon a showing of good cause. “Good Cause” may include, but is not limited to, disability, illness, extended absence from the jurisdiction and exceptional family responsibilities. Requests for hardship consideration must be submitted to the Board in writing prior to the end of the licensing period, along with payment of the appropriate renewal fee. No extension shall be granted for more than 120 days after the end of the licensing period. If the Board does not have sufficient time to consider and approve a request for hardship extension prior to the expiration of the license, the license will lapse upon the expiration date and be reinstated upon completion of continuing education pursuant to the hardship exception.

• 7.2 Definition and Scope of Continuing Education:

• 7.2.1 Continuing Education is defined to mean acceptable courses offered by colleges and universities, televised and internet courses, independent study courses which have a final exam or paper, workshops, seminars, conferences and lectures oriented toward the enhancement of clinical social work practice, values, skills and knowledge, as well as acceptable self-directed activities as described herein.

• 7.2.2 The following types of courses are NOT acceptable for credit: business, computer, financial, administrative or practice development courses or portions of courses.

• 7.2.3 The Board will not “pre-approve” courses or activities for continuing education credit, except as provided in subsection 7.2.6 with respect to self-directed activities.

• 7.2.4 Approved Courses. The Board will accept for continuing education credit all courses designated for clinical social workers which are offered by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB), the National Association of Social Work (NASW), the Clinical Social Work Association (CSWA) and the American Psychological Association (APA) approved providers.

• 7.2.5 Other Courses.

• 7.2.5.1 The Board will also accept courses which:

• 7.2.5.1.1 Increase the licensee’s knowledge about skill in diagnosing and assessing, skill in treating, and/or skill in preventing mental and emotional disorders, developmental disabilities and substance abuse; AND

• 7.2.5.1.2 Are instructed or presented by persons who have received specialized graduate-level training in the subject, or who have no less than 2 years of practical application or research experience pertaining to the subject.

• 7.2.5.2 For purposes of this subsection, “Mental and emotional disorders,” “developmental disabilities” and “substance abuse” are those disorders enumerated and described in the most current Diagnostic and Statistical Manual including, but not limited to, the V Codes and the Criteria Sets and Axes provided for further study.

• 7.2.6 Self-Directed Activities.

• 7.2.6.1 The Board will accept a maximum of 10 continuing education credits for Self-Directed Activities. The maximum number of credits that will be granted for any particular self-directed activity is indicated in subsection 7.2.6.4 below.

• 7.2.6.2 To obtain credit for self-directed activity upon renewal of licensure, licensees shall retain documentation of each activity as noted in subsection 7.2.6.4 below.

• 7.2.6.3 Pre-approval for self-directed activity.

• 7.2.6.3.1 Licensees may, but are not required to, seek approval of continuing education credit for self-directed activity PRIOR to undertaking the activity IF they submit the following information to the Board by at least 2 business days prior to a Board meeting preceding the activity. A written proposal outlining the scope of the activity, the number of continuing education hours requested, the anticipated completion date(s), the role of the licensee in the case of multiple participants (e.g. research) and whether any part of the self-directed activity has ever been previously approved or submitted for credit by the same licensee.

• 7.2.6.4 Self-Directed Activity shall include teaching, research, preparation and/or presentation of professional papers and articles, and other activities specifically approved by the Board, which may include 1 or more of the following:

• 7.2.6.4.1 Publication of a professional clinical social work-related book, or initial preparation/presentation of a clinical social work-related college or university course (maximum of 10 hours).Required documentation shall be proof of publication, or syllabus of course and verification that the course was presented.

• 7.2.6.4.2 Publication of a professional clinical social work-related article or chapter of a book (maximum of 5 hours). Required documentation shall be a reprint of the publication(s).

• 7.2.6.4.3 Initial preparation/presentation of a professional clinical social work-related continuing education course/program (maximum of 2 hours, in addition to number of hours actually attended at the course/program) (Will only be accepted 1 time for any specific program). Required documentation shall be an outline, syllabus, agenda and objectives for the course, and verification that the course was presented

• 7.2.6.4.4 One year of field instruction of graduate students in a Council on Social Work Education-accredited school program, in a clinical setting (maximum of 2 hours). Required documentation shall be a letter of verification from the school for social work.

• 7.2.6.4.5 Participation in formal clinical staffing at federal, state or local social service agencies, public school systems or licensed health facilities and licensed hospitals (maximum of 5 hours). Required documentation shall be a signed statement from the agency, school system, facility or hospital, from a supervisor other than the licensee, including date and length of staffing.

• 7.3 Continuing Education Reporting and Documentation

• 7.3.1 Continuing Education Reporting Periods. Licenses are valid for 2 year periods ending January 31 of odd numbered years (e.g. January 31, 2005, 2007). Continuing education (CE) reporting periods run concurrently with the biennial licensing period. The Board shall continue to have the discretion, however, to grant extensions of time in which to complete continuing education in cases of hardship, pursuant to 24 Del.C. §3912 and subsection 7.1.7.

• 7.3.2 Proof of continuing education is satisfied with an attestation by the licensee that the licensee has satisfied the requirements of Section 7.0.

• 7.3.2.1 Attestation shall be completed electronically.

• 7.3.2.2 Licensees selected for random audit will be required to supplement the attestation with attendance verification pursuant to subsection 7.3.3.3.

• 7.3.3 Random audits will be performed by the Board to ensure compliance with the CEU requirements.

• 7.3.3.1 The Board will notify licensees within 60 days after January 31 that they have been selected for audit.

• 7.3.3.2 Licensees selected for random audit shall be required to submit verification within 10 days of receipt of notification of selection for audit.

• 7.3.3.3 Verification shall include such information necessary for the Board to assess whether the course or other activity meets the CE requirements in Section 7.0, which may include, but is not limited to, the following information:

• 7.3.3.3.1 Proof of attendance;

• 7.3.3.3.2 Date of CE course;

• 7.3.3.3.3 Title of CE course;

• 7.3.3.3.4 Course agenda, brochure, outline or syllabus;

• 7.3.3.3.5 Instructor of CE course;

• 7.3.3.3.6 Sponsor of CE course;

• 7.3.3.3.7 Proof of clinical content; and

• 7.3.3.3.8 Number of hours of CE course.

• 7.3.4 The Board shall review all documentation submitted by licensees pursuant to the CE audit. If the Board determines that the licensee has met the CE requirements, the license shall remain in effect. If the Board determines that the licensee has not met the CE requirements, the licensee shall be notified and a hearing may be held pursuant to the Administrative Procedures Act. The hearing will be conducted to determine if there are any extenuating circumstances justifying the noncompliance with the CE requirements. Unjustified noncompliance with the CE requirements set forth in these rules and regulations shall constitute a violation of 24 Del.C. §3915(a)(5) and the licensee may be subject to 1 or more of the disciplinary sanctions set forth in 24 Del.C. §3916.

• 7.3.5 Failure to notify the Board of a change in mailing address will not absolve the licensee from audit requirements, including possible sanctions for non-compliance.