N.J. Admin. Code § 13:44G-6.2

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 21, November 4, 2024

Section 13:44G-6.2 - Credit-hour requirements

(a) An applicant for a biennial license or certification renewal shall complete the applicable continuing education credits as follows:

1. An LCSW shall complete a minimum of 40 credits of continuing education, of which at least 20 of the 40 credits shall be in courses or programs directly related to clinical practice; of the remaining 20 credits, five credits shall be related to ethics, and three credits shall be in the subject area of social and cultural competence. If the LCSW earns more than 40 credits during a biennial period, the LCSW may carry a maximum of eight surplus credits into a succeeding biennial period;

2. An LSW shall complete a minimum of 30 credits of continuing education, five of which must be related to ethics and three of which shall be in the subject area of social and cultural competence. If the LSW earns more than 30 credits during a biennial period, the LSW may carry a maximum of six surplus credits into a succeeding biennial period; and

3. A CSW shall complete a minimum of 20 credits of continuing education, five of which must be related to ethics and three of which shall be in the subject area of social and cultural competence. If the CSW earns more than 20 credits during a biennial period, the CSW may carry a maximum of four surplus credits into a succeeding biennial period.

(b) If an applicant initially obtains a license or certificate within the second year of a biennial license period, the applicant shall complete not fewer than one-half of the minimum required credits of continuing education. A CSW or LSW shall complete three credits in ethics-related courses and two credits in the subject area of social and cultural competence. An LCSW shall complete a least 10 of the 20 credits in programs which directly relate to clinical practice and, of the remaining 10 credits, three shall be in ethics-related courses and two shall be in the subject area of social and cultural competence.

(c) A licensee shall complete at least three of the prescribed contact hours of continuing education as required by (a) above in the subject area of social and cultural competence. For the purposes of this subsection, social and cultural competence includes, but is not limited to, an understanding of the cultural context of relationships; issues and trends in a diverse society related to such factors as culture, ethnicity, nationality, age, gender, sexual orientation, mental and physical characteristics, education, family values, religious and spiritual values, socioeconomic status; and unique characteristics of individuals, couples, families, ethnic groups and communities including any of the following:

1. Multicultural and pluralistic trends, including characteristics and concerns between and within diverse groups nationally and internationally;

2. Attitudes, beliefs, understandings, and acculturative experiences, including specific experiential learning activities;

3. Individual, couple, family, group, and community strategies for working with diverse populations and ethnic groups;

4. Counselors' roles in social justice, advocacy and conflict resolution, cultural self-awareness, the nature of biases, prejudices, process of intentional and unintentional oppression and discrimination, and other culturally supported behaviors that are detrimental to the growth of the human spirit, mind, or body;

5. Theories of multicultural counseling, theories of identity development and multicultural competencies; and

6. Ethical and legal considerations relating to issues of diversity.

(d) Continuing education credits that could be allocated to general social work, clinical practice, ethics, or social and cultural competence shall only be counted once and shall not be allocated for more than one category. For instance, a course that could be allocated towards clinical practice or ethics shall count towards either clinical practice or ethics, but not both.

(e) Commencing with the biennial renewal period beginning on September 1, 2018, a licensee shall complete at least one of the prescribed contact hours of continuing education as required by (a) above in topics concerning prescription opioid drugs, including the risks and signs of opioid abuse, addiction, and diversion.

N.J. Admin. Code § 13:44G-6.2

Amended by 50 N.J.R. 2017(a), effective 9/17/2018

Amended by 52 N.J.R. 479(a), effective 3/2/2020