W. Va. Code R. § 25-5-4

Current through Register Vol. XLI, No. 50, December 13, 2024

Section 25-5-4 - Continuing Social Work Education Requirements for Providers

4.1. Providers of continuing social work education are classified either as certified providers or individually approved providers. An individually approved provider is a qualified individual, agency, or organization that has applied to the Board and received approval for a single program of continuing social work education. A certified provider is a qualified individual, agency, organization, or accredited social work program that has applied to and received approval from the Board to provide continuing social work programs under its own auspices and is issued a unique provider number by the Board. A certified provider maintains this status by complying with the re-certification provision of Subdivision 4.4.3. of this of this Section.

4.1.1. An organization or individual shall apply, remit a fee, and receive approval from the Board or its designee to become a certified or individually approved provider.

4.1.2. An organization or individual may not provide a program of continuing social work education without becoming a certified or individually approved provider.

4.1.3. A certified or individually approved provider shall make its program records available to the Board upon request.

4.1.4. A certified or individually approved provider shall inform the Board within thirty (30) days of a change of name, address or phone number for the provider or a licensed social worker who is responsible for assuring a program's professional relevancy on behalf of the provider.

4.2. In an application to become a certified provider, an organization shall document to the satisfaction of the Board:

4.2.1. The name, address, phone number and license number of the licensed social worker with a degree in social work from a college or university accredited by the Council on Social Work Education who shall substantially participate in the coordination and planning of any program developed by the organization to assure the program's professional relevancy and adherence to social work values, knowledge, practice or ethical considerations;

4.2.2. A system of maintaining program records for at least five (5) years, including attendance rosters, participant evaluations, written handouts and publicity materials;

4.2.3. Methods to assure the selection of qualified instructors, teachers or presenters;

4.2.4. Methods to evaluate program content, instructor performance and participant satisfaction;

4.2.5. Methods to assure that programs will be made available to license holders who work outside the bounds of the provider organization;

4.2.6. Policies to assure program delivery adheres to provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act; and,

4.2.7. Copies of successful applications made by the organization as an individually approved provider that document the provision of at least thirty (30) hours of programs within the previous two years.

4.3. In an application to become an individually approved provider, an organization or individual shall document to the satisfaction of the Board:

4.3.1. That a licensed social worker with a degree in social work from a college or university accredited by the Council on Social Work Education has substantially participated in the coordination and planning of the program to assure its professional relevancy and adherence to social work values, knowledge, practice and/or ethical considerations;

4.3.2. The relevancy of the program to social work practice, values, skills, knowledge, or ethical considerations;

4.3.3. The learning objectives of the program and the relationship between the program's content, delivery methods and objectives;

4.3.4. The license level for which the program is optimally designed;

4.3.5. Any prerequisites a participant must meet to enter or successfully complete the program;

4.3.6. A system of maintaining program records for at least two (2) years, including attendance rosters, participant evaluations, written handouts and publicity materials;

4.3.7. The method used to assure the selection of qualified instructors, teachers or presenters;

4.3.8. The method used to evaluate program content, instructor performance and participant satisfaction;

4.3.9. The method used to assure that the majority of programs will be made available to license holders who work outside the bounds of the provider organization;

4.3.10. The program agenda, clearly listing the time and date of the program, including starting and ending times and refreshment and meal breaks;

4.3.11. The calculated number of contact hours offered; and,

4.3.12. That facilities selected as program site are accessible under the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act;

4.4. A certified provider receives a unique provider number issued by the Board and may initiate a program of continuing social work educational without the prior written consent of the Board.

4.4.1. An organization may apply to become a certified provider only after providing at least thirty (30) hours of formally organized learning events as an individually approved provider.

4.4.2. A certified provider shall offer at least fifteen (15) hours of formally organized learning events per year to maintain certified provider status. Any education conducted via electronic means that allows true interaction between presenter and audience shall be documented on the activity report to the Board.

4.4.3. Certified providers shall pay the fee set forth in the Board's rule, Fee Schedule, 25CSR3 and provide documentation of satisfactory performance as a certified provider every two (2) years to maintain certification excepting accredited schools of social work, who shall renew every ten (10) years.

4.5. An individually approved provider shall apply to and receive written approval from the Board for each program of continuing social work educational offered.

4.5.1. An organization or individual shall apply for approval as an individually approved provider at least three (3) months prior to the first scheduled program.

4.5.2 An individually approved provider may offer an approved program only up to three times prior to reapplying to the Board for approval.

4.5.3. An organization or individual shall reapply to the Board when a previously approved program undergoes substantive changes, including a change in the instructor or to one or more learning modules or components of the program.

4.6. A certified or individually approved provider shall offer formally organized learning events in a formal, structured learning environment involving face-to-face instructional methods or educational technologies that promote true interaction between the participant and the instructional modality provided.

4.6.1. A professional meeting is recognized as a formally organized learning event when offered by a certified provider in the form of a facilitated discussion or similar focused learning activity related to topics and issues that stimulate, promote, increase, or impart professional knowledge, experiences and/or opinions in the practice of social work, or that concern social work values, skills, knowledge, or ethical considerations.

4.6.2. An individually approved provider may not offer a professional meeting that is not an integral part of a larger, approved formally organized learning event.

4.7. A certified or individually approved provider that offers a program on social work ethics shall arrange for the program to be taught by a licensed social worker who has a degree in social work from a program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education. The program shall incorporate the Code of Ethics of the National Association of Social Workers as a substantial part of the program.

4.8. The Board may refuse to approve the application or rescind the certified or individually approved provider status of a provider that does not adhere to the continuing social work education provider requirements of this rule.

4.9. The Board may monitor and evaluate the records of providers or license holders to determine compliance with this rule.

4.10. The chair of the Board may appoint a continuing education committee to coordinate continuing social work education activities and make recommendations to the Board concerning policies, applications and re-certification.

W. Va. Code R. § 25-5-4