As used in this chapter:

(1) "Advanced Practice Social Worker" means a person duly licensed to practice independent advanced practice social work under this act.

(2) "Advanced Practice Supervision" means an interactional professional and educational relationship between an advanced practice supervisor and a social worker that provides evaluation and direction over the supervisee's practice of advanced practice social work and promotes continued development of the social worker's knowledge, skills, and abilities to engage in the practice of advanced practice social work in an ethical and competent manner.

(3) "Approved Advanced Practice Supervisor" means a licensed advanced practice social worker who has met the qualifications as determined by the board.

(4) "Approved Clinical Supervisor" means a licensed clinical social worker who has met the qualifications as determined by the board.

(5) "Approved Provider of Continuing Education" means an individual, group, professional association, school, institution, organization, or agency approved by the board to conduct educational program(s).

(6) "Baccalaureate Social Worker" means a person duly licensed to practice baccalaureate social work under this act.

(7) "Board" means the South Carolina Board of Social Work Examiners.

(8) "Case Management" means a procedure to plan, provide, and monitor services from a variety of resources on behalf of and in collaboration with a client.

(9) "Client" means the individual, couple, family, group, organization, or community that seeks or receives social work services.

(10) "Clinical Social Worker" means a person duly licensed to practice clinical social work under this act.

(11) "Clinical Supervision" means an interactional professional and educational relationship between a clinical supervisor and a social worker that provides evaluation and direction over the supervisee's practice of clinical social work and promotes continued development of the social worker's knowledge, skills, and abilities to engage in the practice of clinical social work in an ethical and competent manner.

(12) "Consultation" means a problem solving process in which expertise is offered to an individual, group, organization, or community.

(13) "Continuing Education" means education and training, which are oriented to maintain, improve, or enhance social work practice.

(14) "Continuing Education Contact Hour" means a sixty ( 60) minute clock hour of instruction, not including breaks or meals.

(15) "Counseling" means a method used by social workers to assist individuals, couples, families, and groups in learning how to solve problems and make decisions about personal, health, social, educational, vocational, financial, and other interpersonal concerns.

(16) "Director" means the Director of the Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation.

(17) "Examination" means a standardized test of social work knowledge, skills, and abilities approved by the board.

(18) "Independent Social Worker-Advanced Practice" means a person duly licensed to practice Independent Social Work-Advanced Practice under this act.

(19) "Independent Social Worker-Clinical Practice" means a person duly licensed to practice Independent Social Work-Clinical Practice under this act.

(20) "License" means an authorization to practice social work issued by the board pursuant to this chapter.

(21) "Licensee" means an individual who has met the requirements for licensure under this chapter and has been issued a license to practice as a social worker.

(22) "Masters Social Worker" means a person licensed to engage in the practice of Masters Social Work.

(23) "Practice of Baccalaureate Social Work" means the professional application of social work theory, knowledge, methods, principles, values, and ethics and the professional use of self to restore or enhance social, psychosocial, or biopsychosocial functioning of individuals, couples, families, groups, organizations, and communities. The practice of Baccalaureate Social Work is a basic generalist practice that includes assessment, planning, intervention, evaluation, mediation, case management, information and referral, counseling, advocacy, supervision of employees, consultation, client education, research, community organization, and the development, implementation, and administration of policies, programs, and activities. Baccalaureate Social Workers are not qualified to diagnose and treat mental illness nor provide psychotherapy services. Baccalaureate Social Work is practiced only in organized settings such as social, medical, or governmental agencies and may not be practiced independently or privately.

(24) "Practice of Independent Social Work-Advanced Practice" means the professional application of social work theory, knowledge, methods, principles, values, and ethics, and the professional use of self to community and organizational systems (systemic and macrocosm issues) and other indirect (nonclinical) services. The Advanced Practice of Social Work includes activities such as community organization and development, social planning and policy development, administration of social work policies, programs and activities, outcome evaluation, client education, research, nonclinical supervision of employees and nonclinical consultation, nonclinical assessment and referral, mediation, expert testimony, and advocacy. A Licensed Independent Social Worker-AP may not practice clinical social work independently. The Independent Social Worker-AP may engage in the activities included under the practice of Masters Social Work. The practice of Independent Social Work-Advanced Practice may include private practice.

(25) "Practice of Independent Social Work-Clinical Practice" means the professional application of social work theory, knowledge, methods, principles, values, and ethics, and the professional use of self to restore or enhance social, psychosocial, or biopsychosocial functioning of individuals, couples, families, groups, and direct clinical needs of organizations and communities. The practice of Clinical Social Work requires the application of specialized clinical knowledge and advanced clinical skills in the areas of assessment, diagnosis, and treatment for mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders, and conditions. Treatment methods include the provision of individual, marital, couple, family, and group counseling and psychotherapy. The practice of independent clinical social work includes case management, information and referral, mediation, client education, supervision of employees, consultation, research, advocacy, outcome evaluation, and expert testimony. The practice of Independent Social Work-Clinical Practice may include private practice. A Licensed Independent Social Worker-CP may not practice advanced practice social work independently. The Independent Social Worker-CP may engage in the activities included under the practice of Masters Social Work.

(26) "Practice of Masters Social Work" means the application of social work theory, knowledge, methods, and ethics, and the professional use of self to restore or enhance social, psychosocial, or biopsychosocial functioning of individuals, couples, families, groups, organizations, and communities. Masters Social Work Practice requires the application of specialized knowledge and advanced practice skills in the areas of assessment, treatment planning, implementation and evaluation, case management, information and referral, mediation, client education, counseling, advocacy, supervision of employees, consultation, research, community organization and development, administration of social work policies, programs and activities, and outcome evaluation. The practice of Masters Social Work may include the practice of Clinical Social Work under clinical supervision within a recognized, organized setting such as social, medical, and governmental agencies. LMSW's may engage only in supervised practice in such agencies and may not practice privately or independently.

(27) "Private Practice" means the provision of clinical or advanced social work services by a Licensed Independent Social Worker who assumes responsibility for the nature and quality of the services provided to the client in exchange for direct payment or third-party reimbursement.

(28) "Psychotherapy" means the use of treatment methods utilizing a specialized, formal interaction between an appropriately Licensed Social Worker and an individual, couple, family, or group in which a therapeutic relationship is established, maintained, and sustained to understand unconscious processes, intrapersonal, interpersonal, and psychosocial dynamics, and the diagnosis and treatment of mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders, conditions, and addictions.

HISTORY: 2002 Act No. 189, Section 1.

Editor's Note

Prior Laws:1968 (55) 2800; 1982 Act No. 453, Section 3; 1988 Act No. 568, Section 1; 1976 Code Section 40-63-60.