Colorado § 12-245-404 - Qualifications - examination - licensure and registration - rules.

§ 12-245-404. Qualifications - examination - licensure and registration - rules.

(1) The board shall license as a licensed social worker a person who files an application in a form and manner required by the board, submits the fee required by the board pursuant to section 12-245-205, and submits evidence satisfactory to the board that the applicant:

(a) Is at least twenty-one years of age;

(b) Has completed a master's degree from a graduate school of social work; and

(c) Demonstrates legal and ethical competence by satisfactorily passing a jurisprudence examination administered by the division.

(2) The board shall license as a licensed clinical social worker a person who files an application, in a form and manner required by the board, submits the fee required by the board pursuant to section 12-245-205, and submits evidence satisfactory to the board that the applicant:

(a) Is at least twenty-one years of age;

(b) Has completed a master's or doctoral degree from a graduate school of social work;

(c) Has practiced social work for at least two years under the virtual or in-person supervision of a licensed clinical social worker or other person with equivalent experience as determined by the board, which practice includes training and work experience in the area of clinical social work practice and includes at least three thousand hours of practice; and

(d) Demonstrates professional competence by satisfactorily passing an examination in social work as prescribed by the board and a jurisprudence examination administered by the division.

(3) (a) The board or its designated representative shall give the examination described in subsection (2)(d) of this section at least twice per year at a time and place and under the supervision determined by the board.

(b) The board or its designated representatives shall administer and determine the pass or fail status of the examination and take any actions necessary to ensure impartiality. The board shall determine the passing score for the examination based upon a level of minimum competency to engage in social work practice.

(4) (a) The board shall register as a clinical social worker candidate a person who files an application for registration, accompanied by the fee required by section 12-245-205, who is not in violation of any provision of this article 245 or any rules promulgated by the board, and who:

(I) Submits evidence satisfactory to the board that the person has met the requirements of subsections (2)(a) and (2)(b) of this section; and

(II) Repealed.

(III) Has passed a jurisprudence examination administered by the division.

(b) A clinical social worker candidate registered pursuant to this subsection (4) is under the jurisdiction of the board. If the requirements of subsections (2)(c) and (2)(d) of this section are not met within three years after the date of registration as a candidate, the registration of the clinical social worker candidate expires. A person whose clinical social worker candidate registration expires is subject to the renewal, reinstatement, and delinquency fee provisions specified in section 12-20-202. Prior to a second or subsequent renewal of a clinical social worker candidate registration, the registered clinical social worker candidate shall complete continuing professional development and educational hours to maintain the candidate's registration as a registered clinical social worker candidate.

(c) On or before December 31, 2024, the board shall begin the rule-making process to promulgate rules that bring the rules pertaining to social workers into alignment with this part 4, including:

(I) A requirement to take and pass the Colorado jurisprudence examination to obtain a clinical social worker candidate registration;

(II) The renewal, reinstatement, and delinquency fee provisions specified in section 12-20-202; and

(III) The continuing professional development and educational hours specified in subsection (4)(b) of this section.

Source: L. 2019: Entire title R&RE with relocations, (HB 19-1172), ch. 136, p. 1270, § 1, effective October 1. L. 2020: (2)(c) and (4) amended, (HB 20-1206), ch. 304, pp. 1532, 1548, §§ 18, 56, effective July 14. L. 2024: (1)(c), (3)(a), and (4)(b) amended, (4)(a)(II) repealed, and (4)(a)(III) and (4)(c) added, (SB 24-115), ch. 217, p. 1347, § 4, effective August 7; (4)(b) amended, (HB 24-1450), ch. 490, p. 3431, § 100, effective August 7. L. 2026: (2)(c) amended, (HB 26-1002), ch. 72, p. 287, § 3, effective August 12.

Editor's note: (1) This section is similar to former § 12-43-404 as it existed prior to 2019.

(2) Subsection (4) was amended in section 56 of HB 20-1206. Those amendments were superseded by the amendment of subsection (4) in section 18 of HB 20-1206.

ANNOTATION

Law reviews. For article, "Court-ordered Counseling by Social Workers in Colorado", see 15 Colo. Law. 47 (1985).