Welcome back to my blog series!
We’re talking about license types!
Today, we’re going to be looking at Licensed Independent Clinical Social Workers or LICSWs.
Social work has been around for a long time, since about the 1800s. It started with women in their communities, reaching out to neighbors, and asking how they could help.
For those who are licensed as Social Workers, they have at least a Master’s Degree in Social Work from an accredited program and require a minimum of 3,500 hours of post-LCSW clinical experience over a minimum of two years.
Social workers look to connect the individual with resources in the community as well as counseling, with a foundation built on understanding community systems, advocacy, and case management.
LICSWs can assess, diagnose, and treat mental health conditions. They can practice independently and may work in a variety of settings including private practice, hospitals, or community mental health.
According to Kurt Morris, an LICSW, “someone with an LICSW degree also understands how community supports and resources can come into play and how they can help.”
M Joyce-Anderson, an LICSW in Massachusetts, noted that a large misconception around social work is that social workers only do case management or work for DCF (Department of Children and Families). This is not the case and in fact LICSWs have extensive training in clinical work.
Both Kurt and M explained that LICSWs can work in a variety of jobs and that their license allows them to be flexible in working with individuals, couples, and families, as well as in larger systems.
Kurt noted that, “people may not realize that social workers can be therapists or that some social workers are elected officials. You'll find social workers everywhere, from policy think tanks to kidney dialysis clinics to offering traditional one-on-one therapy.”
M also explained that LICSWs may have a more robust knowledge around how systems impact people and the importance of bringing this into therapeutic work. Having a greater understanding of advocacy, legislature, and creating a radical relational aspect to therapy can be immensely helpful in having a greater understanding of an individual’s personal experience.
Like all licenses, LICSWs are required to maintain continuing education as long as they hold an active license.
This means there is constant learning occurring and a maintenance of care standards around whatever the individual social worker specializes in, amongst other requirements.
LICSWs CANNOT prescribe medication.
LICSWs can accept insurance.
If you’d like to learn more about Kurt Morris, LICSW, you can find him at his practice, Therapy With Kurt.
If you’d like to learn more about M Joyce-Anderson, LICSW and their practice, you can find them at their practice, Prism Therapy Collective.
