An Act To Allow Volunteer Social Work To Count towards Licensure
Maine Legislature, Session 121, LD 1146
Committee: Business, Research and Economic Development
Sponsors: LAVERRIERE-BOUCHER
Amends: 32 MRSA §7053

Legislative Document 
No. 1146 
H.P.849 
House of Representatives, March 4, 2003 
An Act To Allow Volunteer Social Work To Count towards 
Licensure 
Reference to the Committee on Business, Research and Economic Development suggested 
and ordered printed. 
17/~/J7.~ 
MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Presented by Representative LAVERRIERE-BOUCHER of Biddeford. 
Printed on recycled paper 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. 32 MRSA §7053, sub-§ 1, as amended by PL 1987, c. 735, 
§69, is further amended to read: 
1. 
Licensed clinical social worker. To be qualified as a 
licensed clinical social worker, 
an applicant sha±± must have 
demonstrated to the satisfaction of the board adherence to the 
ethics of the social work profession; 
sha±± have successfully 
completed the examination prescribed by the board; and sha±± have 
received either: 
A. 
A masters 
welfare from 
or doctoral degree in social work or 
an accredited educational institution, 
social 
in a 
clinical concentration and: 
(1) 
Shall-have Have subsequently completed 2 years of 
social work experience with 96 hours of consultation in 
a clinical setting; or 
(2) 
Shall-have Have demonstrated 2 years of full-time 
clinical social work experience or its equivalent and 
have completed the graduate degree prior to January 1. 
1987, and have completed 2 years of subsequent social 
work experience with 
hours of consultation in a 
private setting; or 
B. 
A masters 
or 
doctoral 
degree 
nonclinical 
concentration 
from 
an 
institution and: 
in social 
accredited 
work 
in 
a 
educational 
(1) 
Shall-have Have subsequently completed 4 years of 
social work experience with 192 hours of consultation 
in a clinical setting; or 
(2) 
Shall-have Have demonstrated 2 years of full-time 
clinical social work experience or its equivalent and 
have completed the graduate degree prior to January 1. 
1987, and have completed 4 years of subsequent social 
work experience with 192 hours of consultation in a 
private setting. 
The board may waive up to one year of the post-master of social 
work, clinical experience requirement pursuant to this subsection 
for those candidates who demonstrate to the satisfaction of the 
board 
equivalent clinical 
experience 
prior 
to 
receiving 
the 
masters degree in social work. 
Volunteer hours performed by the applicant may 
count towards 
licensure under this subsection if adequate supervision has been 
provided and 
the applicant 
agrees 
in writing to 
follow the 
volunteer agency's rules of practice. 
The provisions of this 
paragraph do not apply to a student who has not yet obtained a 
master's or doctoral degree in social work or social welfare. 
The 
board 
shall 
issue 
rules, 
in accordance 
with 
the 
Maine 
Administrative Procedure Act, Title 5, chapter 375, defining the 
clinical experience required for this level of licensure. 
Sec. 2. Unaccredited program. 
The State Board of Social Work 
Licensure shall license a graduate of an unaccredited social work 
or social welfare 
program administered by the University of 
Southern Maine 
as 
long as 
the program is in the process of 
receiving accreditation. 
SUMMARY 
This bill allows volunteer hours to count towards fulfilling 
the licensing requirements of a licensed clinical social worker 
if the hours are performed under the appropriate supervision and 
the applicant agrees in writing to follow the volunteer agency's 
rules 
of practice. 
This 
bill also 
allows 
graduates 
of 
an 
unaccredited social work or social welfare program administered 
by the University of Southern Maine to be licensed as long as the 
program is in the process of receiving accreditation.