Board Notices
Content needed for Continuing Education in Clinical Social Work and for Supervisors
11/3/2016
Continuing Education in Clinical Social Work
Continuing education of Clinical social work teaches the enhancement and maintenance of psychosocial functioning of individuals, families, and small groups. Continuing education in Clinical social work practice can also teach the professional application of social work theory and methods for the treatment and prevention of psychosocial dysfunction, disability, or impairment, including emotional and mental disorders. It uses knowledge of one or more theories of human development within a psychosocial context. The perspective of person-in-situation is central to clinical social work practice.
Continuing education of Clinical social work services consists of assessment; diagnostic impression; treatment, including psychotherapy and counseling; client-centered advocacy; and evaluation. It includes direct client intervention, client centered supervision and client centered consultation. It involves the scientific, artful, ethical application of social work theories and methods of assessment, opinions, diagnostic impression, prevention and treatment. Assessment of interpersonal relationships, mental health status, family dynamics, environmental stresses and supports, social systems and the impact of physical, emotional and mental illness and disability on the
clients functioning.
Continuing education of Clinical social work also includes crisis intervention, case management and client centered advocacy. Education to help the social worker to design treatment methods to provide the client opportunity to express himself or herself, and fostering an atmosphere of candid self-observation, expectations of change and amenability to facilitate such change.
Clinical Social Work focus on the needs, interests and welfare of the client. The goal of clinical social work practice is to relieve a client's psychosocial distress; to help the client to modify barriers preventing them from realizing their potentials.
Continuing Educational for Supervisors
Continuing education in supervision focuses on professional concerns and relates to specific cases. It helps the supervisor to provide the supervisees a better understand social work philosophy, to become more self-aware, and refine their knowledge and skills. Continuing education in supervision focuses on staff development and the training needs of a social worker to a particular caseload. It includes activities in which the supervisor leans how to guide the supervisee through understanding of assessment, treatment and intervention, identification and resolution of ethical issues, and evaluation and to understand when it’s best to terminate services.
Mandatory CE Requirements
The Board passed the mandatory continuing education requirements for all licensees to complete.
1) The 3 hours of ethics required: All licensees are required to show proof of completing 3 hours of ethics on each renewal for licensure (PIP is not a license)
beginning with renewals due January 2017 and there after.
2) All licensees are required to show proof of completing 3 hours of clinical CEU’s and 3 hours of supervision CEU’s if you currently have an approved contract to supervise a licensee. Effective October 1, 2018.
Immigration Compliance Requirement
Legislation requires ALL Professional Licensed People to provide proof of legal presences
in the U.S. to maintian this license. This legislation is best known as the Beason-Hammon Act.
AlabamaMentalHealth.Org - A New On-Line Resource for Mental Health Services in Alabama
There is a new website for people seeking information about mental health resources, and mental health treatment options around Alabama! The first of its kind for the state, the directory provides information for a variety of mental health professionals and agencies.
In an effort to improve access to mental health treatment and care for all citizens, the Crisis Center of Birmingham and the Mental Health Goal Group of the Health Action Partnership in Jefferson County have partnered to develop this online Mental Health Resource Directory. With the help of a searchable directory, individuals can locate mental health care options around Alabama, with a current focus on central Alabama. As additional resources are acquired, the directory will include resource information throughout all of Alabama. National resource information will also be available.
Practitioners and agencies are included in the directory at no charge and can enter their own information through the “Join” page. Participating resource listings include: mental health-related organizations, individual or group practices, non-profit organizations as well as private practitioners, groups and individuals who provide mental health services, treatment, support and referral services, or information. Practitioners and agencies who are interested in being a part of the directory are asked to visit the website and enter their information.
Designed to be easy to use, individuals can enter the word or words that best describes the kind of mental health resource or treatment they are seeking. The request will be answered with a list of resources that best fits the search criteria. Resources are organized by county, type of resource, population served and other relevant categories.
The Mental Health Resource Directory for Alabama can be found at www.alabamamentalhealth.org.