BCD Benefits

The BCD certification, issued by the American Board of Examiners in Clinical Social Work (ABE) to clinical social workers in advanced generalist practice, confers the following benefits:

Professional Prestige: The BCD embodies the highest national certification standards for advanced clinical social workers. It is widely recognized as a benchmark for advanced practice, and raises the regard in which the entire discipline of clinical social work is held.

Professional Liability Insurance: BCD clinicians qualify for liability insurance at a preferred rate (a 10% discount applies for full-time practice) that includes highly desirable occurrence coverage, in a program offered by Healthcare Providers Service Organization (HPSO).

National Scope: The BCD is a national certification whose standards cut across all state boundaries with a uniform set of advanced criteria, exceeding state-licensing standards. Licensure is intended to protect the public from fraudulent practice; the BCD distinguishes clinicians for high levels of practice competence alongside Specialty Credentials for recognition of proficiency in specialty areas of practice. The BCD, combined with the OnLine BCD Directory, is particularly useful to insurance companies and employers with regional or national operations.

Referrals Directory: BCD practitioners are readily identified through ABE's national OnLine BCD Directory. It permits high-speed searches of the BCD database by a broad range of characteristics. Results may be downloaded to offer referral and contracting opportunities to BCD clinicians from fellow professionals and from, insurers and payors. ABE's directory services are offered gratis to user/payor systems nationwide and to the public.

ABE Services & Support: ABE sets and safeguards national clinical social work standards, and awards and promotes the BCD certification and specialty credentials. ABE conducts a vigorous marketing program and publishes newsletters, the BCD NewsFlash and The Diplomate, and position statements on clinical topics. This website houses ABE’s Continuing Education and Job Center sites and a Partners section offering special programs. ABE intervenes with payor systems, advocates in government settings, files legal briefs, and sponsors a cash awards program for second-year master's-level students.

Client Confidence: The public identifies BCD clinicians as competent, experienced, and current in advanced practice, state licensure, and continuing clinical education.

Marketplace Visibility and Recognition: Employers, hospitals, public and private agencies, insurance companies, managed care organizations, EAPs, the military and others use ABE's standards and the BCD Directory to identify clinicians as reimbursable providers, consultants, and potential employees. Many managed care organizations recognize the BCD as a preferred verifiable designation for clinical social workers. It also confers distinction in court and university settings.

Reimbursement: Clients and delivery systems seeking a higher level of quality and risk-assurance tend to seek out BCD clinicians. The unique annual recertification requirement (attestation of 300 hours of practice, 20 hours of continuing education, licensure in good standing, and adherence to ABE's Code of Ethics) gives payors and employers good reason to extend preference to BCD clinicians.