| AMERICAN BOARD OF EXAMINERS
Standard for Continuing Education
Board Certified Diplomate (BCD) clinicians are
expected to improve constantly in skills, knowledge, and awareness
of innovations in theory and methodology. ABE requires that the
BCD clinician amass a minimum of twenty (20) clock-hours of continuing
education annually in order to retain the BCD. If you hold
a specialty credential, it is required that at least twenty-five
percent (25%) of your Continuing Education be applicable to your
specialty credential practice.
Valid Continuing Education Activities
ABE does not pre-approve specific continuing education activities
but does require that they directly address the professional
practice of clinical social work and meet the guidelines listed
below.
Formal Activities
These consist of verifiable courses, practice-oriented seminars,
work-shops, staff-development activities, "home-study"
or "distance learning," accredited or offered by
state licensing boards, professional societies and associations,
and graduate schools.
Informal Activities
These consist of clinical learning at structured social work
meetings and discussions, including the following:
- staff meetings focused
on clinical social work methods or theory but not on specific
administrative matters;
- speaker presentations
(at professional society meetings) addressing clinical social
work methods, theories, or issues;
- peer-group meetings, panel discussions,
and study groups, in which practitioners discuss
clinical social work methods, theories, or issues.
Teaching. ABE extends time-and-a-half
credit to BCD clinicians who, in the past two years, taught/teach
a college-level clinical social work course or an advanced
clinical social work workshop for the first time (verifiable
by the sponsoring organization). |
Documenting Your Continuing Education
A certain percentage of BCD-holders, annually, are asked
to furnish documentation of continuing education activities. You
will be notified separately if you are in that group.
To receive credit for publicly advertised workshops,
seminars, and courses, please forward documentation like the following.
For formal activities, ABE
requires photocopies of a certificate or a letter from the event's
sponsor or instructor (including your name, date, hours of continuing
education attained, and, if needed, the course syllabus or conference
brochure), or a written description of the activity (with participants,
date, topics, and duration) signed by the coordinator or group
leader.
For informal activities, provide
a document that summarizes the activity and its clinical social
work content, with date, duration, name/title of leader/coordinator,
mention of participants (e.g. clinical staff of Acme Hospital),
indication of your attendance, and signature of person responsible.
Do not submit documentation
of continuing education to ABE unless requested.
The 20-Hour Annual Requirement
ABE requires that BCD clinicians complete twenty (20) clock hours
of clinical continuing education annually. The continuing education
hour is one (1) clock hour of face-to-face contact with an instructor
or in an activity.
Extensions and Waivers
BCD clinicians may be granted an extension of time in which to complete
the continuing education requirement. Write to ABE, stating the
unusual circumstances that cause the request. ABE permits BCD clinicians
to make up the deficiency within six months of the date of their
having been found to be not in compliance. Hours made up in this
manner cannot be applied toward the following year’s requirement
of 20 hours.
American Board of Examiners in Clinical Social Work ◊ 1-800-694-5285
|
