5. Licensure - Mass. Board of Registration of Social Workers

Including standards of professional practice and conduct, confidentiality of client communications and records.

• FAQs
• Online Application - now administered by DPH
• Note (2/23): They no longer mail paper copies of your license. You may print it from the portal. Go to the Health Professions Licensing Portal  and create an account, or log into your existing account. If this is your first time using this new portal, please visit Health Professions Licensing System User Guide.
• Rules and Regulations Governing Social Workers
  • Standards of Professional Practice and Conduct (258 CMR 20.00)
  • Confidentiality of Client Communications and Records (258 CMR 22.00)
  • Continuing Education Requirements (Or see the regs: 258 CMR 31.00)
    • Policy Regarding Clarification of Continuing Education Requirements (Policy #06-04)- Identifies which non-social work professional organizations' programs can count towards social work CEUs.
    • Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault REQUIRED training
      • One-time, required training (began with the 2020/2021 renewal)
      • DPH Online course - currently the only approved course
      • CEUs- approved for 2 CEs by MA Board of Registration of Social Workers. Print certificate will not indicate CEs, but it will count as such.
      • Reminder: Beginning on October 1, 2020, social workers renew on their birthday.  You will receive renewal information in the mail approximately 60 days before your license expiration date explaining how to renew online
        • The expiration date of your license is on your license card.  You must complete your CEs by your expiration date.
    • Proration of Continuing Education Requirements. The number of continuing education hours required for license renewal shall be pro-rated for the licensure period in which a social worker first obtains his or her license from the Board, as follows:
      (a) A social worker who first receives his or her license during the first quarter of the licensure period shall complete 75% of the continuing education hours normally required for his or her level of licensure (LICSW=22.5   LCSW=15   LSW= 11.25   LSWA= 7.5)
      (b) A social worker who first receives his or her license during the second quarter of the licensure period shall complete 50% of the continuing education hours normally required for his or her level of licensure (LICSW=15    LCSW=10   LSW=7.5   LSWA= 5);
      (c) A social worker who first receives his or her license during the third quarter of the licensure period shall complete 25% of the continuing education hours normally required for his or her level of licensure (LICSW=7.5   LCSW=5   LSW=3.75  LSWA=2.5); and
      (d) A social worker who first receives his or her license during the last quarter of the licensure period shall not be required to complete any continuing education hours for that licensure period.
    • Per email correspondence with the board 8/31/18: "If you hold an LICSW, you no longer hold the LCSW and, therefore, are not responsible for CEs for that license." So you are only responsible for the hours listed above based on your new license.
  • Licensing Provisions Mass General Laws Chapt 112, see Sections 134 -137

 

6. MassHealth LICSW MassHealth Registration Requirement

"Non-Billing Providers" (Also known as ordering, referring and prescribing or "ORP" providers

• First Time Registration
• Note: these instructions are for LICSW staff who only work here; if you work elsewhere and bill MassHealth (e.g., a private practice) it might be more appropriate for you to register as a billing provider, and instructions will differ.
• Instructions (rev 5/23)
  • Tips
    • MGH Service Location MassHealth Provider ID: 110001958F.
    • Answer "No" to this question: “Is this service location a community health center, hospital outpatient clinic, hospital licensed health center, or Indian Health Service AND contracted with MassHealth as a PCC Plan site?”
• Download the application and contract
• Sample Form - follow example only if no private practice/no other employment
• Didn't receive a confirmation letter? To check your status: email request to check status to PEC@maximus.com; include your name and your NPI, Application Tracking Number (ATN) OR SSN.
• Revalidation
• Note: these instructions are for LICSW staff who only work here; if you work elsewhere and bill MassHealth (e.g., a private practice) it might be more appropriate for you to register as a billing provider, and instructions will differ.
• MassHealth Registration needs to be revalidated after 5 years or you will be unable to renew your license at the subsequent renewal date (you'd need to reregister).
  • We had originally been told this would be a one-time registration.
• You will receive an email prompting you to revalidate. The email you will receive is from Revalidation@mahealth.net (as of 6/23) . They are sending these emails on a rolling basis - no discernable pattern as to when to expect the email.
• Revalidation must be completed online.
• The process has 2 steps:
  • Step 1: Complete the revalidation questionnaire/opt in to remain a non-billing provider - the link is in the email you will receive (your link will be specific to you). Please note there is a one-week deadline for this step.  
    1. You will need your NPI- it is in the email you'll receive. 
    2. Provider type: 92 - Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker
    3. Check "It is my intent to revalidate this provider's ORP enrollment with MassHealth"
    4. Then you'll be prompted to include your contact info. 
  • Step 2: Within 1 business day of submitting the above questionnaire you should receive an email that contains a link to the “Revalidation Attestation and Disclosures Form”
    • Initial deadline is 30 days after receipt. You should get reminders on day 5, 10, 15, 20 25 and 30. Failure to complete within 30 days will result in a sanction notice. If you fail to complete it after an additional grace period you will be disenrolled as an ORP provider. You’d then need to reenroll before you can renew your LICSW license.
    • Completing the form:
      • Your password will be your NPI and the last 4 digits of your SSN. Your NPI is in all communications related to this process, but it is also public record- you can Google it.
      • Verify/update all information including pre-populated fields
      • Required fields will have an asterisk and be highlighted
      • If given a Yes or No option – be sure to select one, do NOT leave blank.
      • DEA number- initially appears as a required field, but just below this field is an option to check "Check box if you do not have a DEA number in your practice state". Once you check that, the DEA number field above will no longer be required.
      • Practitioner’s Information Section – should be your personal information, NOT your service location
      • Primary Service Location – this is where you put your service location info (MGH)
        • The MGH Service Location MassHealth provider ID: 110001958F
        • "Is this service location a community health center, hospital outpatient clinic, hospital licensed health center, or Indian Health Service AND contracted with MassHealth as a PCC Plan site?" Select NO 
      • There then are questions about business interests and attestations about sanctions, criminal history etc - should look familiar from your original registration.
• You should receive a confirmation email from Revalidation@mahealth.net within a few weeks of submitting.

 

9.  TRAINING- ANNUAL MANDATED/REQUIRED  - See HealthStream