§7053. Qualifications
To be eligible for a license to practice social work at any level, an applicant must be at least 18 years of age, must demonstrate trustworthiness and competence to engage in the practice of social work in such a manner as to safeguard the interests of the public and must have demonstrated to the satisfaction of the board adherence to the ethics of the social work profession. Applications for licensure must be submitted to the board together with the fee as set under section 7056.
[PL 2025, c. 584, §4 (AMD).]
The following shall be considered as minimum evidence satisfactory to the board that an applicant is qualified for licensure under this chapter.
[PL 1985, c. 736, §11 (AMD).]
1.
Licensed clinical social worker.
To be qualified as a licensed clinical social worker, an applicant shall have demonstrated to the satisfaction of the board adherence to the ethics of the social work profession; shall have successfully completed the examination prescribed by the board; and shall have received either:
A.
A master's or doctoral degree in social work or social welfare from an accredited educational institution in a clinical concentration and:
(1)
Shall have subsequently completed 2 years of social work experience with 96 hours of consultation in a clinical setting; or
(2)
Shall have demonstrated 2 years of full-time clinical social work experience or its equivalent and have completed the graduate degree prior to January 1, 1987 and have completed 2 years of subsequent social work experience with 96 hours of consultation in a private setting; or
[PL 2013, c. 262, §3 (AMD).]
B.
A master's or doctoral degree in social work in a nonclinical concentration from an accredited educational institution and:
(1)
Shall have subsequently completed 4 years of social work experience with 192 hours of consultation in a clinical setting; or
(2)
Shall have demonstrated 2 years of full-time clinical social work experience or its equivalent and have completed the graduate degree prior to January 1, 1987 and have completed 4 years of subsequent social work experience with 192 hours of consultation in a private setting.
[PL 2013, c. 262, §3 (AMD).]
The board may waive up to one year of the post-master of social work, clinical experience requirement pursuant to this subsection for those candidates who demonstrate to the satisfaction of the board equivalent clinical experience prior to receiving the master's degree in social work.
The board shall issue rules in accordance with Title 5, chapter 375 defining the clinical experience required for this level of licensure.
For purposes of meeting the requirements of this subsection, an applicant is not required to be licensed as a licensed master social worker - conditional clinical under this chapter in order to qualify as a licensed clinical social worker. The board shall consider consultation and social work experience previously obtained in this State or another jurisdiction as long as that experience is substantially equivalent to the requirements of this chapter.
[PL 2025, c. 584, §§5, 6 (AMD).]
2.
Licensed master social worker.
[PL 2003, c. 211, §1 (AMD); MRSA T. 32 §7053, sub-§2 (RP).]
2-A.
Licensed master social worker.
To be qualified as a licensed master social worker, an applicant must have received either a master's or doctoral degree in social work or social welfare from an accredited educational institution and must have successfully completed the examination prescribed by the board.
[PL 2025, c. 584, §7 (AMD).]
2-B.
Licensed master social worker - conditional clinical.
To be qualified as a licensed master social worker - conditional clinical, an applicant must have received either a master's or doctoral degree in social work or social welfare from an accredited educational institution, must have successfully completed the examination prescribed by the board and must attest to obtaining the consultation and the social work experience requirements of this chapter. The consultation arrangement must be with a licensed clinical social worker, certified social worker - independent practice, licensed clinical professional counselor, licensed marriage and family therapist, licensed psychologist, licensed psychiatrist or other qualified consultant as determined by the board.
[PL 2025, c. 584, §8 (NEW).]
3.
Licensed social worker.
To be qualified as a licensed social worker, an applicant must attest to obtaining the consultation and social work experience requirements of this chapter and meet one of the following requirements:
A.
The applicant must have received a bachelor's degree or higher in social work or social welfare from an accredited educational institution and successfully completed the examination prescribed by the board; or
[PL 2025, c. 584, §9 (AMD).]
B.
The applicant must have completed the requirements for consultation and social work experience while licensed as a licensed social worker - conditional under this chapter, must have completed contact hours in accordance with subsection 3‑D and must have successfully completed the examination prescribed by the board. For purposes of meeting the requirements of this subsection, an applicant is not required to be actively licensed as a licensed social worker - conditional under this chapter in order to qualify as a licensed social worker.
[PL 2025, c. 584, §9 (AMD).]
[PL 2025, c. 584, §9 (AMD).]
3-A.
Requirements for licensed social worker after September 30, 2003.
[PL 2003, c. 429, §3 (RP); PL 2003, c. 429, §7 (AFF).]
3-B.
Licensed social worker - conditional.
To be qualified as a licensed social worker - conditional, an applicant must provide:
A.
Documented proof of a bachelor's degree or higher in a field that is sufficiently related to social work or social welfare and attestation to obtaining the consultation and social work experience requirements of this chapter. For purposes of this paragraph, "field that is sufficiently related to social work or social welfare" includes, but is not limited to, behavioral science, social and behavioral sciences, childhood development, counseling, criminal justice, education, human development, mental health and human services, nursing, psychology, educational psychology, rehabilitation services, sociology and other sufficiently related fields as determined by the board.
[PL 2025, c. 584, §10 (AMD).]
B.
[PL 2025, c. 584, §10 (RP).]
A licensed social worker - conditional license may be held for no more than 6 years.
[PL 2025, c. 584, §10 (AMD).]
3-C.
Consultation requirements for licensed social workers and licensed social workers - conditional.
A licensed social worker or licensed social worker - conditional must complete the following requirements for consultation.
A.
A licensed social worker and a licensed social worker - conditional must complete a minimum of 96 hours of consultation. This consultation must be concurrent with the first 3,200 hours of social work employment occurring in a period of not less than 2 years but not more than 6 years from initial licensure. The consultation arrangement must be with a consultant who is a licensed social worker licensed under this chapter who has at least 2 years of work experience as a licensed social worker. A licensed social worker - conditional is not eligible to be a consultant under this chapter.
[PL 2025, c. 584, §11 (AMD).]
B.
A licensed social worker who practiced social work and obtained social work consultation hours in a long-term care setting and who held a valid license as of September 13, 2003 may count consultation hours that were obtained prior to August 3, 2004, regardless of whether the consultation hours were obtained in individual or group settings, if the consultation was provided by a licensed social worker, regardless of the group size and the eligibility requirements of the consulting licensed social worker.
[PL 2025, c. 584, §11 (AMD).]
[PL 2025, c. 584, §11 (AMD).]
3-D.
Contact hours for conditionally licensed social workers.
A person who receives a conditional license as a licensed social worker on or after January 1, 2004 must complete, within the first 2 years of licensure, contact hours, as that term is defined by the board, in an amount set by the board. Of these contact hours required by the board, 6 hours must be on the subject of social work ethics and 6 hours must be on the subject of psychosocial assessment.
[PL 2003, c. 429, §4 (NEW); PL 2003, c. 429, §7 (AFF).]
4.
Associate social worker.
[PL 1985, c. 736, §11 (RP).]
Any person having the necessary qualifications prescribed in this chapter to entitle that person to licensure as a licensed clinical, licensed master or licensed social worker is eligible for that license though that person may not be practicing that person's profession at the time of making the application.
[RR 2013, c. 2, §39 (COR).]
SECTION HISTORY
PL 1977, c. 673, §3 (NEW). PL 1983, c. 413, §226 (AMD). PL 1983, c. 805, §10 (RPR). PL 1985, c. 736, §11 (AMD). PL 1987, c. 395, §B14 (AMD). PL 1987, c. 735, §69 (AMD). PL 1989, c. 682 (AMD). RR 2001, c. 1, §41 (COR). PL 2001, c. 316, §§2,3 (AMD). PL 2001, c. 542, §§1,2 (AMD). PL 2003, c. 211, §§1,2 (AMD). PL 2003, c. 429, §§2-4 (AMD). PL 2003, c. 429, §7 (AFF). PL 2003, c. 689, §B6 (REV). PL 2005, c. 173, §1 (AMD). PL 2007, c. 402, Pt. V, §7 (AMD). PL 2009, c. 112, Pt. A, §§13, 14 (AMD). PL 2013, c. 217, Pt. J, §4 (AMD). PL 2013, c. 262, §3 (AMD). RR 2013, c. 2, §39 (COR). PL 2025, c. 584, §§4-11 (AMD).