I learned the difference between NASW credentialing and state social work board licensing. I have wondered for sometime about the variety of credentialing differences listed after one’s name. I didn’t realize there were two different credentialing bodies. It seems redundant to have two similar accrediting bodies, not to mention the cost associated with getting licensed. I look forward to learning more about how to licensure distinctions that will assist with making me a more effective, versatile, and marketable social worker.
I learned after reviewing the State of California’s licensing body website that the state’s accrediting body will suspend or deny a Social Worker’s licensure in the event the applicant has outstanding state tax obligations. I find this to be troubling. I think that if licensing is so important to career advancement and opportunity then the punitive suspension of licensure or denial of it limits one’s ability to secure gainful employment and enable them to pay off their tax obligations. This policy reminds me of the Friend of the Court policy than jails deadbeat dads for failure to pay child support, effectively ensuring that the dad will not pay any child support. I hope this policy doesn’t find its way into Michigan or any other state for that matter. However, I would be interested in applying this standard to politicians and other publicly paid officials. J
I am familiar with the licensing process as I currently possess an LLBSW. I am up for my license renewal next month. I had planned on letting my license lapse due to seeking an MSW, but I would prefer to going from an existing LLBSW to a LLMSW following my expected graduation next year. The costs associated with securing one’s license as well as other work related expenses can be used to reduce one’s tax liability.
It appears from reviewing Michigan’s licensing guidelines that the two social work licensing distinctions: clinical and macro have respective licensing exams. I know several people including my mentor as well as my department director at work that have dual or both clinical and macro licensing designations. I think I may pursue this dual designation as I desire to be clinically competent as well as macro trained. As mentioned in my 10-minute reflection following Dr. Smith’s economic development lecture, I am struggling to form a vision of how to accomplish both. Knowing people who have done both is encouraging as I think this may be the route I wish to take as well.
I was not familiar with Social Work Examination Services (SWES) prior to this assignment. I have friends who are taking licensing exams in related fields like psychology and from what I can tell it can be a stressful time for people as many positions require licensure for billing purposes, grant requirements, etc. It is good to know that study helps and related resources are available to assist graduates with preparing for licensure exams. SWES offers a home-study program for all post-masters exam. This is of interest to me as it appears to include not just clinical preparations, but macro as well. I think I would benefit from this resource particularly the macro materials because I am pursuing clinical practice at Wayne and will likely receive little education or training with macro related concepts and skills.
The above mentioned learning gains will assist me with securing my licensing renewal as well as front end preparation for the social work licensing exam required for full licensure. Moreover, I learned that tax delinquency can impact one’s ability to be licensed in California which will most likely negatively impact one’s employment prospects. I do not wish to seek employment in California. This assignment has helped me to think through what licensing designations I would like to secure and is a helpful reminder of why it is important. This assignment has also served as a vehicle to brainstorm how to accomplish my clinical licensure as well as seeking a macro licensure designation. It is possible, others have done it! The educational and study resources available to social worker planning to take a licensing exam will certainly help me to prepare for the exam and supplement my undergraduate and graduate learning process.
I used the www.socialworkexam.com website for a sample/practice licensure exam. I decided to take the advanced generalist (macro) exam to get an idea of what kind of material and learning can be expected for a macro level social worker. My interest in development work is a recent development despite pursuing an interpersonal practice specialization. I found the exam to be mostly clinical related questions. I did not find them to be related to macro related concepts of social developmental concepts. I received a 56% or 17 out of 30 questions correct. This is not a passing score, although, I imagine that the actual licensure exam is much more than 30 questions. It appears that when selecting the flag button, your selections are not actually registered. I flagged several questions not realizing that they would not register to answer choice I had selected. As a result, I think I have an artificially lower score. I will take the exam another time to re-assess my performance although; I agree I am a bit rusty on many of the theory based questions. I think these practice exercises are critical to testing and refreshing one’s memory about social work concepts and practice situations.
In conclusion, one of the practice test questions asked about when a helping professional experiences emotional transference of similar emotional conflict during professional practice. The correct answer is: You are ethically obligated to refer the client to someone who can best assist her and is not emotionally compromised. I found that during my undergraduate studies this point was discussed, but during a student-university controversy related to the student making a referral during ethical dilemma during field placement, the importance and primacy of referral making to protect the client and practitioner from harm was significantly compromised leading to confusion about making referrals due to ethical dilemmas and the professional lacking competence in a particular area.
I learned after reviewing the State of California’s licensing body website that the state’s accrediting body will suspend or deny a Social Worker’s licensure in the event the applicant has outstanding state tax obligations. I find this to be troubling. I think that if licensing is so important to career advancement and opportunity then the punitive suspension of licensure or denial of it limits one’s ability to secure gainful employment and enable them to pay off their tax obligations. This policy reminds me of the Friend of the Court policy than jails deadbeat dads for failure to pay child support, effectively ensuring that the dad will not pay any child support. I hope this policy doesn’t find its way into Michigan or any other state for that matter. However, I would be interested in applying this standard to politicians and other publicly paid officials. J
I am familiar with the licensing process as I currently possess an LLBSW. I am up for my license renewal next month. I had planned on letting my license lapse due to seeking an MSW, but I would prefer to going from an existing LLBSW to a LLMSW following my expected graduation next year. The costs associated with securing one’s license as well as other work related expenses can be used to reduce one’s tax liability.
It appears from reviewing Michigan’s licensing guidelines that the two social work licensing distinctions: clinical and macro have respective licensing exams. I know several people including my mentor as well as my department director at work that have dual or both clinical and macro licensing designations. I think I may pursue this dual designation as I desire to be clinically competent as well as macro trained. As mentioned in my 10-minute reflection following Dr. Smith’s economic development lecture, I am struggling to form a vision of how to accomplish both. Knowing people who have done both is encouraging as I think this may be the route I wish to take as well.
I was not familiar with Social Work Examination Services (SWES) prior to this assignment. I have friends who are taking licensing exams in related fields like psychology and from what I can tell it can be a stressful time for people as many positions require licensure for billing purposes, grant requirements, etc. It is good to know that study helps and related resources are available to assist graduates with preparing for licensure exams. SWES offers a home-study program for all post-masters exam. This is of interest to me as it appears to include not just clinical preparations, but macro as well. I think I would benefit from this resource particularly the macro materials because I am pursuing clinical practice at Wayne and will likely receive little education or training with macro related concepts and skills.
The above mentioned learning gains will assist me with securing my licensing renewal as well as front end preparation for the social work licensing exam required for full licensure. Moreover, I learned that tax delinquency can impact one’s ability to be licensed in California which will most likely negatively impact one’s employment prospects. I do not wish to seek employment in California. This assignment has helped me to think through what licensing designations I would like to secure and is a helpful reminder of why it is important. This assignment has also served as a vehicle to brainstorm how to accomplish my clinical licensure as well as seeking a macro licensure designation. It is possible, others have done it! The educational and study resources available to social worker planning to take a licensing exam will certainly help me to prepare for the exam and supplement my undergraduate and graduate learning process.
I used the www.socialworkexam.com website for a sample/practice licensure exam. I decided to take the advanced generalist (macro) exam to get an idea of what kind of material and learning can be expected for a macro level social worker. My interest in development work is a recent development despite pursuing an interpersonal practice specialization. I found the exam to be mostly clinical related questions. I did not find them to be related to macro related concepts of social developmental concepts. I received a 56% or 17 out of 30 questions correct. This is not a passing score, although, I imagine that the actual licensure exam is much more than 30 questions. It appears that when selecting the flag button, your selections are not actually registered. I flagged several questions not realizing that they would not register to answer choice I had selected. As a result, I think I have an artificially lower score. I will take the exam another time to re-assess my performance although; I agree I am a bit rusty on many of the theory based questions. I think these practice exercises are critical to testing and refreshing one’s memory about social work concepts and practice situations.
In conclusion, one of the practice test questions asked about when a helping professional experiences emotional transference of similar emotional conflict during professional practice. The correct answer is: You are ethically obligated to refer the client to someone who can best assist her and is not emotionally compromised. I found that during my undergraduate studies this point was discussed, but during a student-university controversy related to the student making a referral during ethical dilemma during field placement, the importance and primacy of referral making to protect the client and practitioner from harm was significantly compromised leading to confusion about making referrals due to ethical dilemmas and the professional lacking competence in a particular area.
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