reglab/statecodes huggingface dataset:
2023 California Code › Business and Professions Code - BPC › DIVISION 2 - HEALING ARTS › CHAPTER 14 - Social Workers › ARTICLE 2 - Application of Chapter › Section 4992.4.

4992.4. The proceedings for the suspension or revocation of licenses under this chapter shall be conducted in accordance with Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 11500) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, and the board shall have all the powers granted therein.
(Added by Stats. 1985, Ch. 820, Sec. 1.)
2023 California Code › Business and Professions Code - BPC › DIVISION 2 - HEALING ARTS › CHAPTER 14 - Social Workers › ARTICLE 2 - Application of Chapter › Section 4992.5.

4992.5. Examinations may be held at those times and places as the board may determine. However, one examination shall be held during each calendar year.
The board may make arrangements with organizations furnishing examination materials as it may deem desirable.
(Amended by Stats. 1987, Ch. 826, Sec. 4.)
2023 California Code › Business and Professions Code - BPC › DIVISION 2 - HEALING ARTS › CHAPTER 14 - Social Workers › ARTICLE 2 - Application of Chapter › Section 4992.7.

4992.7. Every person who willfully makes any false statement or who impersonates any other person or permits or aids any other person to impersonate him or her in connection with any application or examination is guilty of a misdemeanor.
(Added by Stats. 1985, Ch. 820, Sec. 1.)
2023 California Code › Business and Professions Code - BPC › DIVISION 2 - HEALING ARTS › CHAPTER 14 - Social Workers › ARTICLE 2 - Application of Chapter › Section 4992.8.

4992.8. A licensee or registrant shall give written notice to the board of a name change, giving both the old and new names. The written notice shall be submitted to the board within 30 days of the issuance of a new government-issued photographic identification. The licensee or registrant shall certify the information is correct by signing a statement under penalty of perjury. A copy of both of the following documents evidencing the change shall be submitted with the notice:
(a) A current government-issued photographic identification.
(b) The legal document authorizing the name change, such as a court order or a marriage certificate.
(Amended by Stats. 2017, Ch. 573, Sec. 11. (SB 800) Effective January 1, 2018.)
2023 California Code › Business and Professions Code - BPC › DIVISION 2 - HEALING ARTS › CHAPTER 14 - Social Workers › ARTICLE 2 - Application of Chapter › Section 4992.10.

4992.10. A licensed clinical social worker who owns a business using a fictitious business name shall not use a name that is false, misleading, or deceptive, and shall inform the patient, prior to the commencement of treatment, of the name and license designation of the owner or owners of the practice.
(Amended by Stats. 2021, Ch. 747, Sec. 9. (AB 690) Effective January 1, 2022.)
2023 California Code › Business and Professions Code - BPC › DIVISION 2 - HEALING ARTS › CHAPTER 14 - Social Workers › ARTICLE 2 - Application of Chapter › Section 4993.

4993. (a) A licensed clinical social worker shall retain a client’s or patient’s health service records for a minimum of seven years from the date therapy is terminated. If the client or patient is a minor, the client’s or patient’s health service records shall be retained for a minimum of seven years from the date the client or patient reaches 18 years of age. Health service records may be retained in either a written or an electronic format.
(b) This section shall apply only to the records of a client or patient whose therapy is terminated on or after January 1, 2015.
(Added by Stats. 2014, Ch. 312, Sec. 3. (SB 578) Effective January 1, 2015.)
2023 California Code › Business and Professions Code - BPC › DIVISION 2 - HEALING ARTS › CHAPTER 14 - Social Workers › ARTICLE 4 - Licensure › Section 4996.

4996. (a) Only individuals who have received a license under this article may style themselves as “Licensed Clinical Social Workers.” Every individual who styles himself or herself or who holds himself or herself out to be a licensed clinical social worker, or who uses any words or symbols indicating or tending to indicate that he or she is a licensed clinical social worker, without holding his or her license in good standing under this article, is guilty of a misdemeanor.
(b) It is unlawful for any person to engage in the practice of clinical social work unless at the time of so doing such person holds a valid, unexpired, and unrevoked license under this article.
(c) A clinical social worker licensed under this chapter is a licentiate for purposes of paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) of Section 805, and thus is a health care practitioner subject to the provisions of Section 2290.5 pursuant to subdivision (b) of that section.
(Amended by Stats. 2003, Ch. 20, Sec. 5. Effective January 1, 2004.)
2023 California Code › Business and Professions Code - BPC › DIVISION 2 - HEALING ARTS › CHAPTER 14 - Social Workers › ARTICLE 4 - Licensure › Section 4996.1.

4996.1. (a) Effective January 1, 2016, the board shall issue a clinical social worker license to each applicant who qualifies pursuant to this article and who successfully passes a California law and ethics examination and a clinical examination. An applicant who has successfully passed a previously administered written examination may be subsequently required to take and pass another written examination.
(b) This section shall become operative on January 1, 2016.
(Amended (as amended by Stats. 2012, Ch. 799, Sec. 53) by Stats. 2013, Ch. 473, Sec. 43. (SB 821) Effective January 1, 2014. Section operative January 1, 2016, by its own provisions.)
2023 California Code › Business and Professions Code - BPC › DIVISION 2 - HEALING ARTS › CHAPTER 14 - Social Workers › ARTICLE 4 - Licensure › Section 4996.2.

4996.2. Each applicant for a license shall furnish evidence satisfactory to the board that the applicant complies with all of the following requirements:
(a) Is at least 21 years of age.
(b) Has received a master’s degree from an accredited school of social work.
(c) Has had two years of supervised post-master’s degree experience, as specified in Section 4996.23.
(d) Not be subject to denial of licensure pursuant to Section 480. The board shall not issue a registration or license to any person who has been convicted of any crime in this or another state or in a territory of the United States that involves sexual abuse of children or who is required to register pursuant to Section 290 of the Penal Code or the equivalent in another state or territory, in accordance with Section 480.
(e) Has completed adequate instruction and training in the subject of alcoholism and other chemical substance dependency. This requirement applies only to applicants who matriculate on or after January 1, 1986.
(f) Has completed instruction and training in spousal or partner abuse assessment, detection, and intervention. This requirement applies to an applicant who began graduate training during the period commencing on January 1, 1995, and ending on December 31, 2003. An applicant who began graduate training on or after January 1, 2004, shall complete a minimum of 15 contact hours of coursework in spousal or partner abuse assessment, detection, and intervention strategies, including knowledge of community resources, cultural factors, and same gender abuse dynamics. Coursework required under this subdivision may be satisfactory if taken either in fulfillment of other educational requirements for licensure or in a separate course.
(g) Has completed a minimum of 10 contact hours of training or coursework in human sexuality as specified in Section 1807 of Title 16 of the California Code of Regulations. This training or coursework may be satisfactory if taken either in fulfillment of other educational requirements for licensure or in a separate course.
(h) Has completed a minimum of seven contact hours of training or coursework in child abuse assessment and reporting as specified in Section 1807.2 of Title 16 of the California Code of Regulations. This training or coursework may be satisfactory if taken either in fulfillment of other educational requirements for licensure or in a separate course.
(Amended by Stats. 2021, Ch. 647, Sec. 49. (SB 801) Effective January 1, 2022.)
2023 California Code › Business and Professions Code - BPC › DIVISION 2 - HEALING ARTS › CHAPTER 14 - Social Workers › ARTICLE 4 - Licensure › Section 4996.3.

4996.3. (a) The board shall assess the following fees relating to the licensure of clinical social workers:
(1) The application fee for registration as an associate clinical social worker shall be one hundred fifty dollars ($150). The board may adopt regulations to set the fee at a higher amount, up to a maximum of three hundred dollars ($300).
(2) The fee for annual renewal of an associate clinical social worker registration shall be one hundred fifty dollars ($150). The board may adopt regulations to set the fee at a higher amount, up to a maximum of three hundred dollars ($300).
(3) The fee for application for licensure shall be two hundred fifty dollars ($250). The board may adopt regulations to set the fee at a higher amount, up to a maximum of five hundred dollars ($500).
(4) (A) (i) The fee for the board-administered clinical examination, if the board chooses to adopt this examination in regulations, shall be two hundred fifty dollars ($250). The board may adopt regulations to set the fee at a higher amount, up to a maximum of five hundred dollars ($500).
(ii) The fee for the California law and ethics examination shall be one hundred fifty dollars ($150). The board may adopt regulations to set the fee at a higher amount, up to a maximum of three hundred dollars ($300).
(B) An applicant who fails to appear for an examination, after having been scheduled to take the examination, shall forfeit the examination fees.
(C) The amount of the examination fees shall be based on the actual cost to the board of developing, purchasing, and grading each examination and the actual cost to the board of administering each examination. The written examination fees shall be adjusted periodically by regulation to reflect the actual costs incurred by the board.
(5) The fee for rescoring an examination shall be twenty dollars ($20).
(6) The fee for issuance of an initial license shall be two hundred dollars ($200). The board may adopt regulations to set the fee at a higher amount, up to a maximum of four hundred dollars ($400).
(7) The fee for the two-year license renewal shall be two hundred dollars ($200). The board may adopt regulations to set the fee at a higher amount, up to a maximum of four hundred dollars ($400).
(8) The renewal delinquency fee shall be one-half of the fee for license renewal. A person who permits their license to expire shall be subject to the delinquency fee.
(9) The fee for issuance of a replacement registration, license, or certificate shall be twenty dollars ($20).
(10) The fee for issuance of a certificate or letter of good standing shall be twenty-five dollars ($25).
(11) The fee for issuance of a retired license shall be forty dollars ($40).
(b) This section shall become operative on January 1, 2021.
(Amended by Stats. 2021, Ch. 647, Sec. 50. (SB 801) Effective January 1, 2022.)
2023 California Code › Business and Professions Code - BPC › DIVISION 2 - HEALING ARTS › CHAPTER 14 - Social Workers › ARTICLE 4 - Licensure › Section 4996.4.

4996.4. (a) Effective January 1, 2016, an applicant who fails the clinical examination may, within one year from the notification date of failure, retake that examination as regularly scheduled, without further application, upon payment of the required examination fees. Thereafter, the applicant shall not be eligible for further examination until he or she files a new application, meets all current requirements, and pays all required fees.
(b) This section shall become operative on January 1, 2016.
(Amended (as amended by Stats. 2012, Ch. 799, Sec. 57) by Stats. 2013, Ch. 473, Sec. 47. (SB 821) Effective January 1, 2014. Section operative January 1, 2016, by its own provisions.)
2023 California Code › Business and Professions Code - BPC › DIVISION 2 - HEALING ARTS › CHAPTER 14 - Social Workers › ARTICLE 4 - Licensure › Section 4996.5.

4996.5. The board shall issue a license to each applicant meeting the requirements of this article, which license, so long as the renewal fees have been paid, licenses the holder to engage in the practice of clinical social work as defined in Section 4996.9, entitles the holder to use the title of licensed clinical social worker, and authorizes the holder to hold himself or herself out as qualified to perform any of the functions delineated by this chapter. The form and content of the license shall be determined by the director in accordance with Section 164.
(Amended by Stats. 2009, Ch. 307, Sec. 62. (SB 821) Effective January 1, 2010.)
2023 California Code › Business and Professions Code - BPC › DIVISION 2 - HEALING ARTS › CHAPTER 14 - Social Workers › ARTICLE 4 - Licensure › Section 4996.6.

4996.6. (a) Licenses issued under this chapter shall expire no more than 24 months after the issue date. The expiration date of the original license shall be set by the board.
(b) To renew an unexpired license, the licensee shall, on or before the expiration date of the license, complete the following actions:
(1) Apply for a renewal on a form prescribed by the board.
(2) Pay a two-year renewal fee prescribed by the board.
(3) Certify compliance with the continuing education requirements set forth in Section 4996.22.
(4) Notify the board whether he or she has been convicted, as defined in Section 490, of a misdemeanor or felony, or whether any disciplinary action has been taken by any regulatory or licensing board in this or any other state, subsequent to the licensee’s last renewal.
(c) To renew an expired license within three years of its expiration, the licensee shall, as a condition precedent to renewal, complete all of the actions described in subdivision (b) and pay a delinquency fee.
(d) A license that is not renewed within three years after its expiration may not be renewed, restored, reinstated, or reissued thereafter; however, the former licensee may apply for and obtain a new license if he or she satisfies all of the following requirements:
(1) No fact, circumstance, or condition exists that, if the license were issued, would justify its revocation or suspension.
(2) He or she submits an application for licensure.
(3) He or she takes and passes the current licensing examinations.
(4) He or she submits the licensure application fees and the fee for initial license issuance.
(5) He or she complies with the fingerprint requirements established by board regulation.
(Amended by Stats. 2017, Ch. 573, Sec. 13. (SB 800) Effective January 1, 2018.)
2023 California Code › Business and Professions Code - BPC › DIVISION 2 - HEALING ARTS › CHAPTER 14 - Social Workers › ARTICLE 4 - Licensure › Section 4996.61.

4996.61. A suspended license is subject to expiration and shall be renewed as provided in this article, but such renewal does not entitle the licensee, while the license remains suspended and until it is reinstated, to engage in the activity to which the license relates, or in any other activity or conduct in violation of the order or judgment by which it was suspended.
(Added by Stats. 2021, Ch. 647, Sec. 55. (SB 801) Effective January 1, 2022.)
2023 California Code › Business and Professions Code - BPC › DIVISION 2 - HEALING ARTS › CHAPTER 14 - Social Workers › ARTICLE 4 - Licensure › Section 4996.62.

4996.62. A revoked license is subject to expiration as provided in this article, but it may not be renewed. If it is reinstated after its expiration, the licensee shall, as a condition precedent to its reinstatement, pay a reinstatement fee in an amount equal to the renewal fee in effect on the last regular renewal date before the date on which it is reinstated, plus the delinquency fee, if any, accrued at the time of its revocation.
(Added by Stats. 2021, Ch. 647, Sec. 56. (SB 801) Effective January 1, 2022.)
2023 California Code › Business and Professions Code - BPC › DIVISION 2 - HEALING ARTS › CHAPTER 14 - Social Workers › ARTICLE 4 - Licensure › Section 4996.65.

4996.65. (a) In addition to the fees charged pursuant to Section 4996.3 for the biennial renewal of a license pursuant to Section 4996.6, the board shall collect an additional fee of twenty dollars ($20) at the time of renewal. The board shall transfer this amount to the Controller who shall deposit the funds in the Mental Health Practitioner Education Fund.
(b) This section shall become operative on July 1, 2018.
(Repealed (in Sec. 5) and added by Stats. 2017, Ch. 557, Sec. 6. (AB 1188) Effective October 7, 2017. Section operative July 1, 2018, by its own provisions.)
2023 California Code › Business and Professions Code - BPC › DIVISION 2 - HEALING ARTS › CHAPTER 14 - Social Workers › ARTICLE 4 - Licensure › Section 4996.7.

4996.7. A licensee shall display his or her license in a conspicuous place in the licensee’s primary place of practice.
(Amended by Stats. 1998, Ch. 879, Sec. 20. Effective January 1, 1999.)
2023 California Code › Business and Professions Code - BPC › DIVISION 2 - HEALING ARTS › CHAPTER 14 - Social Workers › ARTICLE 4 - Licensure › Section 4996.75.

4996.75. (a) On and after July 1, 2020, a licensee or registrant shall provide a client with a notice written in at least 12-point type prior to initiating psychotherapy services, or as soon as practicably possible thereafter, that reads as follows:
NOTICE TO CLIENTS
The Board of Behavioral Sciences receives and responds to complaints regarding services provided within the scope of practice of clinical social workers. You may contact the board online at www.bbs.ca.gov, or by calling (916) 574-7830.
(b) Delivery of the notice required by this section to the client shall be documented.
(Amended by Stats. 2021, Ch. 647, Sec. 57. (SB 801) Effective January 1, 2022.)
2023 California Code › Business and Professions Code - BPC › DIVISION 2 - HEALING ARTS › CHAPTER 14 - Social Workers › ARTICLE 4 - Licensure › Section 4996.8.

4996.8. The current renewal receipt shall be displayed near the license.
(Amended by Stats. 1999, Ch. 655, Sec. 88. Effective January 1, 2000.)
2023 California Code › Business and Professions Code - BPC › DIVISION 2 - HEALING ARTS › CHAPTER 14 - Social Workers › ARTICLE 4 - Licensure › Section 4996.9.

4996.9. The practice of clinical social work is defined as a service in which a special knowledge of social resources, human capabilities, and the part that unconscious motivation plays in determining behavior, is directed at helping people to achieve more adequate, satisfying, and productive social adjustments. The application of social work principles and methods includes, but is not restricted to, counseling and using applied psychotherapy of a nonmedical nature with individuals, families, or groups; providing information and referral services; providing or arranging for the provision of social services; explaining or interpreting the psychosocial aspects in the situations of individuals, families, or groups; helping communities to organize, to provide, or to improve social or health services; doing research related to social work; and the use, application, and integration of the coursework and experience required by Sections 4996.2 and 4996.23.
Psychotherapy, within the meaning of this chapter, is the use of psychosocial methods within a professional relationship, to assist the person or persons to achieve a better psychosocial adaptation, to acquire greater human realization of psychosocial potential and adaptation, and to modify internal and external conditions which affect individuals, groups, or communities in respect to behavior, emotions, and thinking, in respect to their intrapersonal and interpersonal processes.
(Amended by Stats. 2013, Ch. 473, Sec. 48. (SB 821) Effective January 1, 2014.)
2023 California Code › Business and Professions Code - BPC › DIVISION 2 - HEALING ARTS › CHAPTER 14 - Social Workers › ARTICLE 4 - Licensure › Section 4996.11.

4996.11. The board may suspend or revoke the license of any person who is guilty on the grounds set forth in Section 4992.3. The proceedings for the suspension or revocation of licenses under this article shall be conducted in accordance with Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 11500) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, and the board shall have all the powers granted in that chapter.
(Added by Stats. 1985, Ch. 820, Sec. 1.)
2023 California Code › Business and Professions Code - BPC › DIVISION 2 - HEALING ARTS › CHAPTER 14 - Social Workers › ARTICLE 4 - Licensure › Section 4996.12.

4996.12. Any person who violates this chapter shall be guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment in the county jail not exceeding a period of six months, or by a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars ($1,000), or by both.
(Added by Stats. 1985, Ch. 820, Sec. 1.)
2023 California Code › Business and Professions Code - BPC › DIVISION 2 - HEALING ARTS › CHAPTER 14 - Social Workers › ARTICLE 4 - Licensure › Section 4996.13.

4996.13. Nothing in this article shall prevent qualified members of other professional groups from doing work of a psychosocial nature consistent with the standards and ethics of their respective professions. However, they shall not hold themselves out to the public by any title or description of services incorporating the words psychosocial, or clinical social worker, or that they shall not state or imply that they are licensed to practice clinical social work. These qualified members of other professional groups include, but are not limited to, the following:
(a) A physician and surgeon certified pursuant to Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 2000).
(b) A psychologist licensed pursuant to Chapter 6.6 (commencing with Section 2900).
(c) Members of the State Bar of California.
(d) Marriage and family therapists licensed pursuant to Chapter 13 (commencing with Section 4980).
(e) Licensed professional clinical counselors pursuant to Chapter 16 (commencing with Section 4999.10).
(f) A priest, rabbi, or minister of the gospel of any religious denomination.
(Amended by Stats. 2011, Ch. 350, Sec. 36. (SB 943) Effective January 1, 2012.)
2023 California Code › Business and Professions Code - BPC › DIVISION 2 - HEALING ARTS › CHAPTER 14 - Social Workers › ARTICLE 4 - Licensure › Section 4996.14.

4996.14. (a) This chapter shall not be construed to constrict, limit, or withdraw the Medical Practice Act, the Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Act, the Nursing Practice Act, the Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor Act, or the Psychology Licensing Law.
(b) This chapter shall not apply to an unlicensed or unregistered employee or volunteer working in a governmental entity, a school, a college, a university, or an institution that is both nonprofit and charitable if both of the following apply:
(1) The work of the employee or volunteer is performed under the oversight and direction of the entity.
(2) (A) On and after July 1, 2020, the employee or volunteer provides a client, prior to initiating psychotherapy services or as soon as practicably possible thereafter, a notice written in at least 12-point type that is in substantially the following form:
NOTICE TO CLIENTS
The (Name of office or unit) of the (Name of agency) receives and responds to complaints regarding the practice of psychotherapy by any unlicensed or unregistered practitioner providing services at (Name of agency). To file a complaint, contact (Telephone number, email address, internet website, or mailing address of agency).
The Board of Behavioral Sciences receives and responds to complaints regarding services provided by individuals licensed and registered by the board. If you have a complaint and are unsure if your practitioner is licensed or registered, please contact the Board of Behavioral Sciences at 916-574-7830 for assistance or utilize the board’s online license verification feature by visiting www.bbs.ca.gov.
(B) The delivery of the notice described in subparagraph (A) to the client shall be documented.
(c) This chapter shall not apply to a person using hypnotic techniques if their client was referred by a physician and surgeon, dentist, or psychologist.
(d) This chapter shall not apply to a person using hypnotic techniques that offer vocational self-improvement, and the person is not performing therapy for emotional or mental disorders.
(e) Notwithstanding subdivisions (b) and (c) or Section 4996.13, all persons registered as associates or licensed under this chapter shall not be exempt from this chapter or the jurisdiction of the board.
(Amended by Stats. 2021, Ch. 747, Sec. 10.5. (AB 690) Effective January 1, 2022.)
2023 California Code › Business and Professions Code - BPC › DIVISION 2 - HEALING ARTS › CHAPTER 14 - Social Workers › ARTICLE 4 - Licensure › Section 4996.14.1.

4996.14.1. The settings described in Section 4996.14 are exempt settings and do not fall under the jurisdiction of this chapter or of the board except as specified in Section 4996.14, and with the following exceptions:
(a) Any individual working or volunteering in an exempt setting who is licensed or registered under this chapter shall fall under the jurisdiction of the board and is not exempt from this chapter.
(b) An entity that is licensed or certified by a government regulatory agency to provide health care services shall not be considered an exempt setting unless the entity directly meets the criteria described in Section 4996.14.
(Added by Stats. 2021, Ch. 747, Sec. 11. (AB 690) Effective January 1, 2022.)
2023 California Code › Business and Professions Code - BPC › DIVISION 2 - HEALING ARTS › CHAPTER 14 - Social Workers › ARTICLE 4 - Licensure › Section 4996.14.2.

4996.14.2. (a) For the purposes of this chapter, the following definitions apply:
(1) “Nonexempt setting” means a setting that does not qualify as an exempt setting, as specified in Section 4996.14.
(2) “Private practice” means a type of nonexempt setting that meets all of the following criteria:
(A) The practice is owned by a health professional who is licensed under this division either independently or jointly with one or more other health professionals who are licensed under this division.
(B) The practice provides clinical mental health services, including psychotherapy, to clients.
(C) One or more licensed health professionals are responsible for the practice and for the services provided and set conditions of client payment or reimbursement for the provision of services.
(3) “Professional corporation” means a type of nonexempt setting and private practice that has been formed pursuant to Part 4 (commencing with Section 13400) of Division 3 of Title 1 of the Corporations Code.
(b) An active license or registration number shall be required to engage in the practice of clinical social work, as defined in Section 4996.9, in nonexempt settings at all times, except as follows:
(1) A social work intern may engage in the practice of clinical social work in a nonexempt setting that is not a private practice or a professional corporation, while pursuing a course of study leading to a master’s degree in social work pursuant to Section 4996.15.
(2) An applicant for registration as an associate may engage in the practice of clinical social work in a nonexempt setting that is not a private practice or a professional corporation before their registration number is issued if they are in compliance with subdivision (b) of Section 4996.23 and are gaining supervised experience that meets the requirements of this chapter.
(Added by Stats. 2021, Ch. 747, Sec. 12. (AB 690) Effective January 1, 2022.)
2023 California Code › Business and Professions Code - BPC › DIVISION 2 - HEALING ARTS › CHAPTER 14 - Social Workers › ARTICLE 4 - Licensure › Section 4996.15.

4996.15. (a) Nothing in this article shall restrict or prevent psychosocial activities by employees of accredited academic institutions, public schools, government agencies, or nonprofit institutions who train graduate students pursuing a master’s degree in social work in an accredited college or university. Any psychosocial activities by the employee shall be part of a supervised course of study and the graduate students shall be designated by titles such as social work interns, social work trainees, or other titles clearly indicating the training status appropriate to their level of training. The term “social work intern,” however, shall be reserved for persons enrolled in a master’s or doctoral training program in social work in an accredited school or department of social work.
(b) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), a graduate student shall not perform clinical social work in a private practice or a professional corporation.
(Amended by Stats. 2021, Ch. 747, Sec. 13. (AB 690) Effective January 1, 2022.)
2023 California Code › Business and Professions Code - BPC › DIVISION 2 - HEALING ARTS › CHAPTER 14 - Social Workers › ARTICLE 4 - Licensure › Section 4996.16.

4996.16. Nothing in this chapter shall apply to any clinical social worker from outside this state, when in actual consultation with a licensed practitioner of this state, or when an invited guest of a professional association, or of an educational institution for the sole purpose of engaging in professional education through lectures, clinics, or demonstrations, if he or she is at the time of the consultation, lecture, or demonstration licensed to practice clinical social work in the state or country in which he or she resides. These clinical social workers shall not open an office or appoint a place to meet clients or receive calls from clients within the limits of this state.
(Repealed and added by Stats. 1994, Ch. 26, Sec. 187. Effective March 30, 1994.)
2023 California Code › Business and Professions Code - BPC › DIVISION 2 - HEALING ARTS › CHAPTER 14 - Social Workers › ARTICLE 4 - Licensure › Section 4996.16.1.

4996.16.1. (a) Notwithstanding Section 4996, a person who holds a license in another jurisdiction of the United States as a clinical social worker may provide clinical social work services in this state for a period not to exceed 30 consecutive days in any calendar year, if all of the following conditions are met:
(1) The license from another jurisdiction is at the highest level for independent clinical practice in the jurisdiction in which the license was granted.
(2) The license from another jurisdiction is current, active, and unrestricted.
(3) The client is located in California during the time the person seeks to provide care in California.
(4) The client is a current client of the person and has an established, ongoing client-provider relationship with the person at the time the client became located in California.
(5) The person informs the client of the limited timeframe of the services and that the person is not licensed in California.
(6) The person provides the client with the Board of Behavioral Sciences’ internet website address.
(7) The person informs the client of the jurisdiction in which the person is licensed and the type of license held and provides the client with the person’s license number.
(b) A person who intends to provide clinical social work services pursuant to this section shall provide the board with all of the following information before providing services:
(1) The name under which the person is licensed in another jurisdiction, the person’s mailing address, the person’s phone number, the person’s social security number or individual taxpayer identification number, and the person’s electronic mailing address, if the person has an electronic mailing address.
(2) The jurisdiction in which the person is licensed, the type of license held, and the license number.
(3) The date on which the person will begin providing clinical social work services to the person’s client in California.
(c) A person who provides services pursuant to this section is deemed to have agreed to practicing under the jurisdiction of the board and to be bound by the laws of this state.
(d) This section does not apply to any person licensed by the board whose license has been suspended or revoked.
(e) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2026, and as of that date is repealed.
(Added by Stats. 2023, Ch. 640, Sec. 6. (AB 232) Effective January 1, 2024. Repealed as of January 1, 2026, by its own provisions.)
2023 California Code › Business and Professions Code - BPC › DIVISION 2 - HEALING ARTS › CHAPTER 14 - Social Workers › ARTICLE 4 - Licensure › Section 4996.19.

4996.19. Nothing in this article shall prohibit the acts or practices of a licensed clinical social workers’ corporation duly certificated pursuant to the Moscone-Knox Professional Corporation Act, as contained in Part 4 (commencing with Section 13400) of Division 3 of Title 1 of the Corporations Code and Article 5 (commencing with Section 4998), when the corporation is in compliance with (a) the Moscone-Knox Professional Corporation Act; (b) Article 5 (commencing with Section 4998); and (c) all other statutes and all rules and regulations now or hereafter enacted or adopted pertaining to the corporation and the conduct of its affairs.
(Added by renumbering Section 4996.18 by Stats. 1987, Ch. 826, Sec. 8.)
2023 California Code › Business and Professions Code - BPC › DIVISION 2 - HEALING ARTS › CHAPTER 14 - Social Workers › ARTICLE 4 - Licensure › Section 4996.21.

4996.21. The board may audit the records of any supervisor to verify the completion of the supervisor qualifications specified by this chapter and by regulation. A supervisor shall maintain records of completion of the required supervisor qualifications for seven years after termination of supervision and shall make these records available to the board for auditing purposes upon request.
(Added by Stats. 2018, Ch. 743, Sec. 30. (AB 93) Effective January 1, 2019.)
2023 California Code › Business and Professions Code - BPC › DIVISION 2 - HEALING ARTS › CHAPTER 14 - Social Workers › ARTICLE 4 - Licensure › Section 4996.23.1.

4996.23.1. (a) Except for experience gained by attending workshops, seminars, training sessions, or conferences, as described in paragraph (3) of subdivision (d) of Section 4996.23, direct supervisor contact shall occur as follows:
(1) Supervision shall include at least one hour of direct supervisor contact each week for which experience is credited in each work setting.
(2) An associate gaining experience who performs more than 10 hours of direct clinical counseling in a week in any setting shall receive at least one additional hour of direct supervisor contact for that setting.
(b) For purposes of this chapter, “one hour of direct supervisor contact” means any of the following:
(1) Individual supervision, which means one hour of face-to-face contact between one supervisor and one supervisee.
(2) Triadic supervision, which means one hour of face-to-face contact between one supervisor and two supervisees.
(3) Group supervision, which means two hours of face-to-face contact between one supervisor and no more than eight supervisees. Segments of group supervision may be split into no less than one continuous hour. A supervisor shall ensure that the amount and degree of supervision is appropriate for each supervisee.
(c) Direct supervisor contact shall occur within the same week as the hours claimed.
(d) Of the 104 weeks of required supervision, 52 weeks shall be individual supervision, triadic supervision, or a combination of both.
(e) Of the 52 weeks of required individual or triadic supervision, no less than 13 weeks shall be supervised by a licensed clinical social worker.
(f) Alternative supervision may be arranged during a supervisor’s vacation or sick leave if the alternative supervision meets the requirements of this chapter.
(g) Notwithstanding subdivision (b), a supervisee working in an exempt setting described in Section 4996.14 may obtain the required weekly direct supervisor contact via two-way, real-time videoconferencing. The supervisor shall be responsible for ensuring compliance with state and federal laws relating to confidentiality of patient health information.
(h) Notwithstanding any other law, once the required number of experience hours are gained, an associate clinical social worker or applicant for licensure shall receive a minimum of one hour of direct supervisor contact per week for each practice setting in which direct clinical counseling is performed. Once the required number of experience hours are gained, further supervision for nonclinical practice, as described in paragraph (3) of subdivision (d) of Section 4996.23, shall be at the supervisor’s discretion.
(i) This section shall become operative on January 1, 2026.
(Repealed (in Sec. 3) and added by Stats. 2022, Ch. 204, Sec. 4. (AB 1758) Effective August 29, 2022. Operative January 1, 2026, by its own provisions.)
2023 California Code › Business and Professions Code - BPC › DIVISION 2 - HEALING ARTS › CHAPTER 14 - Social Workers › ARTICLE 4 - Licensure › Section 4996.23.3.

4996.23.3. (a) An associate clinical social worker or an applicant for licensure shall only perform mental health and related services at the places where their employer permits business to be conducted.
(b) An associate who is employed by, or volunteering in, a private practice or a professional corporation shall be supervised by an individual who is both of the following:
(1) Is employed by or contracted by the associate’s employer or is an owner of the private practice or professional corporation.
(2) Either provides psychotherapeutic services to clients for the associate’s employer, or meets both of the following:
(A) The supervisor and the associate’s employer have a written contract providing the supervisor the same access to the associate’s clinical records provided to employees of that employer.
(B) The associate’s clients authorize the release of their clinical records to the supervisor.
(c) Supervisors of supervisees in a nonexempt setting shall not serve as individual or triadic supervisors for more than six supervisees at any time. Supervisees may be registered as associate marriage and family therapists, associate professional clinical counselors, associate clinical social workers, or any combination of those registrations.
(d) A written oversight agreement, as specified by the board by regulation, shall be executed between the supervisor and employer when the supervisor is not employed by the supervisee’s employer or is a volunteer. The supervisor shall evaluate the site or sites where the supervisee will be gaining experience to determine that the site or sites comply with the requirements of this chapter.
(Amended by Stats. 2021, Ch. 747, Sec. 17. (AB 690) Effective January 1, 2022.)
2023 California Code › Business and Professions Code - BPC › DIVISION 2 - HEALING ARTS › CHAPTER 14 - Social Workers › ARTICLE 4 - Licensure › Section 4996.25.

4996.25. (a) Any applicant for licensure as a licensed clinical social worker who began graduate study on or after January 1, 2004, shall complete, as a condition of licensure, a minimum of 10 contact hours of coursework in aging and long-term care, which could include, but is not limited to, the biological, social, and psychological aspects of aging. On and after January 1, 2012, this coursework shall include instruction on the assessment and reporting of, as well as treatment related to, elder and dependent adult abuse and neglect.
(b) Coursework taken in fulfillment of other educational requirements for licensure pursuant to this chapter, or in a separate course of study, may, at the discretion of the board, fulfill the requirements of this section.
(c) In order to satisfy the coursework requirement of this section, the applicant shall submit to the board a certification from the chief academic officer of the educational institution from which the applicant graduated stating that the coursework required by this section is included within the institution’s required curriculum for graduation, or within the coursework, that was completed by the applicant.
(d) The board shall not issue a license to the applicant until the applicant has met the requirements of this section.
(Amended by Stats. 2010, Ch. 552, Sec. 7. (AB 2435) Effective January 1, 2011.)
2023 California Code › Business and Professions Code - BPC › DIVISION 2 - HEALING ARTS › CHAPTER 14 - Social Workers › ARTICLE 4 - Licensure › Section 4996.26.

4996.26. (a) A licensee who began graduate study prior to January 1, 2004, shall complete a three-hour continuing education course in aging and long-term care during his or her first renewal period after the operative date of this section, and shall submit to the board evidence acceptable to the board of the person’s satisfactory completion of the course.
(b) The course shall include, but is not limited to, the biological, social, and psychological aspects of aging. On and after January 1, 2012, this coursework shall include instruction on the assessment and reporting of, as well as treatment related to, elder and dependent adult abuse and neglect.
(c) Any person seeking to meet the requirements of subdivision (a) of this section may submit to the board a certificate evidencing completion of equivalent courses in aging and long-term care taken prior to the operative date of this section, or proof of equivalent teaching or practice experience. The board, in its discretion, may accept that certification as meeting the requirements of this section.
(d) The board may not renew an applicant’s license until the applicant has met the requirements of this section.
(e) Continuing education courses taken pursuant to this section shall be applied to the 36 hours of approved continuing education required in Section 4996.22.
(f) This section shall become operative on January 1, 2005.
(Amended by Stats. 2010, Ch. 552, Sec. 8. (AB 2435) Effective January 1, 2011.)
2023 California Code › Business and Professions Code - BPC › DIVISION 2 - HEALING ARTS › CHAPTER 14 - Social Workers › ARTICLE 4 - Licensure › Section 4996.27.

4996.27. (a) On or after January 1, 2021, an applicant for licensure as a clinical social worker shall show, as part of the application, that they have completed a minimum of six hours of coursework or applied experience under supervision in suicide risk assessment and intervention. This requirement shall be met in one of the following ways:
(1) Obtained as part of their qualifying graduate degree program. To satisfy this requirement, the applicant shall submit to the board a written certification from the registrar or training director of the educational institution or program from which the applicant graduated stating that the coursework required by this section is included within the institution’s curriculum required for graduation at the time the applicant graduated, or within the coursework that was completed by the applicant.
(2) Obtained as part of their applied experience. Applied experience can be met in any of the following settings: practicum or associateship that meets the requirement of this chapter, formal postdoctoral placement that meets the requirements of Section 2911, or other qualifying supervised experience. To satisfy this requirement, the applicant shall submit to the board a written certification from the director of training for the program or primary supervisor where the qualifying experience has occurred stating that the training required by this section is included within the applied experience.
(3) By taking a continuing education course that meets the requirements of Section 4996.22. To satisfy this requirement, the applicant shall submit to the board a certification of completion.
(b) As a one-time requirement, a licensee prior to the time of their first renewal after January 1, 2021, or an applicant for reactivation or reinstatement to an active license status on or after January 1, 2021, shall have completed a minimum of six hours of coursework or applied experience under supervision in suicide risk assessment and intervention, using one of the methods specified in subdivision (a). Proof of compliance with this section shall be certified under penalty of perjury that they are in compliance with this section and shall be retained for submission to the board upon request.
(Amended by Stats. 2022, Ch. 511, Sec. 31. (SB 1495) Effective January 1, 2023.)
2023 California Code › Business and Professions Code - BPC › DIVISION 2 - HEALING ARTS › CHAPTER 14 - Social Workers › ARTICLE 4 - Licensure › Section 4996.27.1.

4996.27.1. (a) On or after July 1, 2023, an applicant for licensure as a clinical social worker shall show, as part of the application, that they have completed a minimum of three hours of training or coursework in the provision of mental health services via telehealth, which shall include law and ethics related to telehealth. This requirement shall be met in one of the following ways:
(1) Obtained as part of their qualifying graduate degree program. To satisfy this requirement, the applicant shall submit to the board a written certification from the registrar or training director of the educational institution or program from which the applicant graduated stating that the coursework required by this section is included within the institution’s curriculum required for graduation at the time the applicant graduated, or within the coursework that was completed by the applicant.
(2) Obtained by completing a continuing education course that meets the requirements of Section 4996.22. To satisfy this requirement, the applicant shall submit to the board a certification of completion.
(b) As a one-time requirement, a licensee before the time of their first renewal after July 1, 2023, or an applicant for reactivation or reinstatement to an active license status on or after July 1, 2023, shall have completed a minimum of three hours of training or coursework in the provision of mental health services via telehealth, which shall include law and ethics related to telehealth, using one of the methods specified in subdivision (a)
(c) Proof of compliance with subdivision (b) shall be certified under penalty of perjury that they are in compliance with this section and shall be retained for submission to the board upon request.
(Added by Stats. 2022, Ch. 520, Sec. 10. (AB 1759) Effective January 1, 2023.)
2023 California Code › Business and Professions Code - BPC › DIVISION 2 - HEALING ARTS › CHAPTER 14 - Social Workers › ARTICLE 4 - Licensure › Section 4996.28.

4996.28. (a) Registration as an associate clinical social worker shall expire one year from the last day of the month during which it was issued. To renew a registration, the registrant shall, on or before the expiration date of the registration, complete all of the following actions:
(1) Apply for renewal on a form prescribed by the board.
(2) Pay a renewal fee prescribed by the board.
(3) Notify the board whether they have been convicted, as defined in Section 490, of a misdemeanor or felony, and whether any disciplinary action has been taken by a regulatory or licensing board in this or any other state, subsequent to the last renewal of the registration.
(4) Participate in the California law and ethics examination pursuant to Section 4992.09 each year until successful completion of this examination.
(5) Certify under penalty of perjury their compliance with the continuing education requirements set forth in Section 4996.22.
(b) An expired registration may be renewed by completing all of the actions described in paragraphs (1) to (5), inclusive, of subdivision (a).
(c) A registration as an associate clinical social worker may be renewed a maximum of five times. No registration shall be renewed or reinstated beyond six years from the last day of the month during which the registration was issued, regardless of whether the registration has been revoked. When no further renewals are possible, an applicant may apply for and obtain a subsequent associate clinical social worker registration number if the applicant meets all requirements for registration in effect at the time of their application for a subsequent associate clinical social worker registration number and has passed the California law and ethics examination pursuant to Section 4992.09. An applicant issued a subsequent associate registration number pursuant to this subdivision shall not be employed or volunteer in a private practice.
(Amended by Stats. 2022, Ch. 520, Sec. 11. (AB 1759) Effective January 1, 2023.)