2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title XVI - Public Health › Chapter 112 - Registration of Certain Professions and Occupations › Section 131 - Social Workers; Application; Requirements; Exemption From Examination and Experience

Section 131. Any individual desiring to obtain a license as a certified social worker shall make application therefor to the board upon such form and in such manner as the board shall prescribe and shall furnish evidence satisfactory to the board that he has received a doctorate or master's degree in social work from an accredited educational institution; has passed an examination prepared by the board for this purpose; and will conduct his professional activities as a certified social worker in accordance with generally accepted professional standards.
Any individual desiring to obtain a license as a social worker shall make application therefor to the board upon such form and in such manner as the board shall prescribe and shall furnish evidence satisfactory to the board that he has received a baccalaureate degree in social work from an accredited educational institution, or; has received a baccalaureate degree from an accredited educational institution and, in addition, has had two years of full-time, or the equivalent in part-time, experience in a social service setting deemed suitable by the board; provided, however, that two years of such experience may also be substituted for each year of undergraduate college education. When such substitution is utilized, a minimum of five years of such experience shall be required. Said individual shall also furnish evidence satisfactory to the board that he has passed an examination prepared by the board for this purpose; and will conduct his activities as a social worker in accordance with generally accepted professional standards.
State, county, and municipal employees are exempt from the examination and experience requirements necessary to become a licensed social worker provided they have completed six months of employment in a public agency as a social worker and have passed equivalent civil service examinations or have satisfied the board that they can otherwise meet the examination or experience requirements for licensing as set forth in this act. In the event of a dispute over equivalency, the board shall consult with the appropriate public employment authorities before rendering a final decision.
Any individual desiring to obtain a license as a social work associate shall make application therefor to the board upon such form and in such manner as the board shall prescribe and shall furnish evidence satisfactory to the board that he has received an associate in arts degree in a human service field or a baccalaureate degree from an accredited educational institution or can satisfy the board's requirements for equivalent educational credits. Two years of full-time, or the equivalent in part-time, experience in a social service setting deemed suitable by the board may be substituted for each year of undergraduate college education. Said individual shall also furnish evidence satisfactory to the board that he has passed an examination prepared by the board for this purpose; and he will conduct his activities as a social work associate in accordance with generally accepted professional standards.
State, county, and municipal employees are exempt from the examination and experience requirements necessary to become a licensed social work associate provided they have completed six months of employment as a social worker in a public agency and have passed equivalent civil service examinations or have satisfied the board that they can otherwise meet the examination or experience requirements for licensing as set forth in this section. In the event of a dispute over equivalency, the board shall consult with the appropriate public employment authorities before rendering a final decision.
Any individual desiring to obtain a license as an independent clinical social worker shall make application therefor to the board upon such form and in such manner as the board shall prescribe and shall furnish evidence satisfactory to the board that he is licensed under this section as a certified social worker; has had three years of full-time experience in the field of clinical social work, or the equivalent in part-time experience which is acceptable to the board, at least two of which are subsequent to receiving the master's degree in social work; and has passed a specialty examination in clinical social work prepared by the board for this purpose. Such individual shall also apply to participate in the medical assistance program administered by the secretary of health and human services in accordance with chapter 118E and Title XIX of the Social Security Act and any federal demonstration or waiver relating to such medical assistance program for the limited purpose of ordering and referring services covered under the program if regulations governing such limited participation are promulgated under chapter 118E.