Tennessee Social Work License Requirements

Social Work Licensure Resource, Tennessee

Table of Contents

LBSW LMSW LAPSW LCSW

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A part of the state’s Department of Health, the Tennessee Board of Social Worker Licensure (TBSWL) issues the following four types of licenses:

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Steps Towards Social Work Licensure in Tennessee

To qualify for licensure from the Tennessee Board of Social Worker Licensure (TBSWL) at any level you’ll need:

To earn a degree in Social Work from a program that’s accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), or a doctoral degree in Social Work; have your school send official transcripts to the TBSWL
To pass an exam sponsored by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB); you must receive a score of at least 75
To submit an application to the TBSWL, which you can do for all licenses online, or via mail by printing off the forms below
A Declaration of Citizenship and passport-style photograph; include these with your application
A Mandatory Practitioner Profile Questionnaire; include this with your application
A fingerprint criminal background check; complete this after you’ve passed the ASWB exam

You can apply for a temporary license at a reduced fee if you’ve graduated from a school whose CSWE accreditation is pending but not yet approved.

Licensed Baccalaureate Social Worker (LBSW)

Requirements

Earn a bachelor’s degree in Social Work.
Submit an application for the LBSW license to the TBSWL, including a $110 fee. Once the TBSWL approves your application it will notify the ASWB that you’re cleared to test.
Register with the ASWB for its Bachelors exam. Once you pass it the TBSWL will issue your LBSW license.

Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW)

Requirements

Earn at least a master’s degree in Social Work.
Submit an application for the LMSW license to the TBSWL, including a $160 fee. Once the TBSWL approves your application it will notify the ASWB that you’re cleared to test.
Register with the ASWB for its Masters exam. Once you pass it the TBSWL will issue your LMSW license.
As an LMSW you can accrue supervised experience hours to fulfill the supervised experience requirements for the LAPSW and LCSW licenses. For your supervision to count it must be performed by a TBSWL-qualifying supervisor. Make sure to keep a log (LAPSW log | LCSW log) of your supervised experience throughout its duration.

Licensed Advanced Practice Social Worker (LAPSW)

Requirements

Earn at least a master’s degree in Social Work.
Fulfill the LAPSW supervised experience requirement, which is at least two years of supervised work experience as an LMSW under the supervision of an LAPSW or LCSW. This must include at least 3,000 hours of non-clinical experience, and of those 100 hours of face-to-face supervision. To verify this include the following with your application:

A copy of your current LMSW renewal card

A professional reference

Verification of supervision

Verification that your supervisor is qualified Logs detailing your supervision

Submit an application for the LAPSW license with the TBSWL, including a $235 fee. Once the TBSWL approves your application it will notify the ASWB that you’re cleared to test.
Register with the ASWB for its Advanced Generalist exam. Once you pass it the TBSWL will issue your LAPSW license.
Note – As an LAPSW you can also elect become an LCSW by fulfilling that license’s supervised experience and ASWB exam requirements.

Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)

Requirements

Earn at least a master’s degree in Social Work.
Fulfill the LCSW supervised experience requirement, which is at least two years of supervised work experience as an LMSW under the supervision of an LCSW. This must include at least 3,000 hours of clinical client-therapist contact experience, and of those 100 hours of face-to-face supervision. To verify this include the following with your application:

A copy of your current LMSW renewal card

A professional reference

Verification of supervision

Verification that your supervisor is qualified

Submit an application for the LCSW license with the TBSWL, including a $235 fee. Once the TBSWL approves your application it will notify the ASWB that you’re cleared to test.
Register with the ASWB for its Clinical exam. Once you pass it the TBSWL will issue your LCSW license.

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Renewing Your Social Work License in Tennessee

All TBSWL social work licenses expire two years after they’re issued, and every two years thereafter. You can renew online and the renewal fee is $95. To maintain your license you need to complete continuing education requirements at the following yearly rates:

LBSW – Nine hours
LMSW – 12 hours
LAPSW – 15 hours
LCSW – 15 hours

How Long Does it Take to Become a Social Worker in Tennessee?

Once you graduate from high school it typically takes around four years to earn a BSW degree, which will qualify you for the LBSW license. Studying at least two years beyond that can net you an MSW degree, and thereby qualify you for the LMSW license. With at least two final years of additional supervised experience on top –for eight years in total– you can qualify for the LAPSW or LCSW licenses.

Social Work Degrees in Tennessee

The fastest way to meet the education requirements for licensure in Tennessee is to earn a degree from a social work program that’s accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). Right now there are 24 such programs in Tennessee, including two that are offered online and two that are offered as hybrid on-campus/online programs. The only other way to qualify for licensure in Tennessee is to earn a doctoral degree in Social Work.

Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work (BSW)

Earning a BSW from a CSWE-accredited program is the only way to qualify for the LBSW license. Luckily Tennessee is home to 17 such programs, including one that is offered online and one that is offered as a hybrid. BSW programs total at least 120 semester credits, and being CSWE-accredited means they also include a community education experience that’s at least 400 hours.

Master’s Degree in Social Work (MSW)

If you’re qualifying for licensure with an MSW then it must be accredited by the CSWE. There are seven such programs in Tennessee, including one that’s offered online and one that’s offered as a hybrid. Part of being CSWE accredited means your MSW program will include a field education segment that’s at least 900 hours. Earning a CSWE-accredited MSW fulfills the education requirement for the LMSW, LAPSW, and LCSW.

Doctoral Degree in Social Work

Even though the CSWE doesn’t accredit programs at the doctoral level, you can still qualify for the LMSW, LAPSW, and LCSW licenses with a doctoral degree in Social Work. These come in two forms: a PhD and a Doctor of Social Work (DSW). Both include specialized study in this field and represent the highest education possible within the discipline.

Reciprocity

If you’re licensed at a similar level in another state, and your state’s requirements for licensure were similar to Tennessee’s, you can apply for licensure via reciprocity in Tennessee. Follow the procedure outlined above for your desired license level, and when you submit an application:

Include a photocopy of your out-of-state license showing your license number
Include a photocopy of a renewal certificate showing that you’ve renewed your out-of-state license
Have the ASWB forward your exam scores to the TBSWL
Have your out-of-state board of social work send verification of your license to the TBSWL
Include a copy of your state’s laws and rules for licensure, if available
When applying out-of-state supervised experience to fulfill Tennessee’s requirements, the out-of-state requirements must have been at least as stringent as Tennessee’s

Social Work Salaries in Tennessee

In 2020 the US Department of Labor reported the following average annual salaries for social work career categories, specifically for Tennessee:

Social and Community Service Manager – $69,140
Healthcare Social Worker – $48,280
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker – $39,980
Child, Family, and School Social Worker – $42,760
Social Work Teachers, Post-secondary – $73,710
Social Worker, All Other – $53,000

Social Work Organizations and Resources in Tennessee

Tennessee Chapter of the National Association of Social Work – The local branch of the largest social work organization in the country, the Tennessee Chapter of the NASW provides resources about job opportunities, networking events, legislative developments, and ways to earn continuing education.

Tennessee Conference on Social Welfare – A statewide non-profit private agency, TCSW’s roots stretch back to 1912 at a conference convened to address issues like child labor, prison reform, and improving social conditions. Today it’s celebrating its 107th annual conference and continues to make an important impact throughout the state.

Tennessee Association of School Social Workers – Founded in 1978, TASSW is made up of enthusiastic school social workers and their allies. It hosts an annual conference, has its own scholarship, provides continuing education opportunities, and is a great networking resource.

Career Opportunities in Tennessee

Tennessee Department of Human Services – This state-level agency strives to connect every state resident to the employment, education, and support services they need. It runs its own programs and partners with local organizations across Tennessee. It focuses on issues relating to children, families, adults, and people with disabilities.

Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services – This state-level department plays a vital role in the resources it provides to some of the state’s most vulnerable populations. Mental health services are offered for children, youths, and adults. Substance abuse services are provided by partners that include everyone from faith-based services to resources within the criminal justice system.

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