Issuance of license — Requirements. (Effective October 1, 2025.)

RCW 18.225.090
in effect
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(1) The secretary shall issue a license to any applicant who demonstrates to the satisfaction of the secretary that the applicant meets the following education and experience requirements for the applicant's practice area. (a) Licensed social work classifications: (i) Licensed advanced social worker: (A) Graduation from a master's social work educational program accredited by the council on social work education or a social work doctorate program at a university accredited by a recognized accrediting organization, and approved by the secretary based upon nationally recognized standards; (B) Successful completion of an approved examination; (C) Successful completion of a supervised experience requirement. The supervised experience requirement consists of a minimum of 3,000 hours with supervision by an approved supervisor who has been licensed for at least two years. Of those supervised hours: (I) At least 90 hours must include direct supervision as specified in this subsection by a licensed independent clinical social worker, a licensed advanced social worker, or an equally qualified licensed mental health professional. Of those hours of directly supervised experience at least 40 hours must be in one-to-one supervision and 50 hours may be in one-to-one supervision or group supervision; and (II) 800 hours must be in direct client contact; and (D) Successful completion of continuing education requirements established in rule by the secretary in consultation with the committee, including a minimum number of hours in professional ethics. (ii) Licensed independent clinical social worker: (A) Graduation from a master's level social work educational program accredited by the council on social work education or a social work doctorate program at a university accredited by a recognized accrediting organization, and approved by the secretary based upon nationally recognized standards; (B) Successful completion of an approved examination; (C) Successful completion of a supervised experience requirement. The supervised experience requirement consists of a minimum of 3,000 hours of experience, over a period of not less than two years, with supervision by an approved supervisor who has been licensed for at least two years and, as specified in this subsection, may be either a licensed independent clinical social worker who has had at least one year of experience in supervising the clinical social work of others or an equally qualified licensed mental health practitioner. Of those supervised hours: (I) At least 1,000 hours must be direct client contact; and (II) Hours of direct supervision must include: (1) At least 100 hours by a licensed mental health practitioner; (2) At least 70 hours of supervision with a licensed independent clinical social worker meeting the qualifications under this subsection (1)(a)(ii)(C); the remaining hours may be supervised by an equally qualified licensed mental health practitioner; and (3) At least 60 hours must be in one-to-one supervision and the remaining hours may be in one-to-one supervision or group supervision; and (D) Successful completion of continuing education requirements established in rule by the secretary in consultation with the committee, including a minimum number of hours in professional ethics. (b) Licensed mental health counselor: (i)(A) Graduation from a master's or doctoral level educational program in counseling that consists of at least 60 semester hours or 90 quarter hours, or includes at least 60 semester hours or 90 quarter hours of graduate coursework that includes the following topic areas: (I) Mental health counseling orientation and ethical practice; (II) Social and cultural diversity; (III) Human growth and development; (IV) Career development; (V) Counseling and helping relationships; (VI) Group counseling and group work; (VII) Diagnosis and treatment; (VIII) Assessment and testing; and (IX) Research and program evaluation; or (B) Graduation from a master's or doctoral level educational program in a related discipline from a college or university approved by the secretary based upon nationally recognized standards. An applicant who satisfies the educational requirements for licensure under this subsection (1)(b)(i)(B) is not qualified to exercise the privilege to practice under the counseling compact established in chapter 18.17 RCW unless the master's or doctoral level educational program in a related discipline consists of at least 60 semester hours or 90 quarter hours, or includes at least 60 semester hours or 90 quarter hours of graduate coursework that includes the topic areas specified in (b)(i)(A)(I) through (IX) of this subsection; (ii) Successful completion of an approved examination; (iii) Successful completion of a supervised experience requirement. The experience requirement consists of a minimum of 36 months full-time counseling or 3,000 hours of postgraduate mental health counseling under the supervision of a qualified licensed mental health counselor or equally qualified licensed mental health practitioner, in an approved setting. The 3,000 hours of required experience includes a minimum of 100 hours spent in immediate supervision with the qualified licensed mental health counselor, and includes a minimum of 1,200 hours of direct counseling with individuals, couples, families, or groups; and (iv) Successful completion of continuing education requirements established in rule by the secretary in consultation with the committee, including a minimum number of hours in professional ethics. (c) Licensed marriage and family therapist: (i) Graduation from a master's degree or doctoral degree educational program in marriage and family therapy or graduation from an educational program in an allied field equivalent to a master's degree or doctoral degree in marriage and family therapy approved by the secretary based upon nationally recognized standards; (ii) Successful passage of an approved examination; (iii) Successful completion of a supervised experience requirement. The experience requirement consists of a minimum of 3,000 hours of marriage and family therapy. Of the total supervision, 100 hours must be with a licensed marriage and family therapist with at least two years' clinical experience; the other 100 hours may be with an equally qualified licensed mental health practitioner. Total experience requirements include: (A) 1,000 hours of direct client contact; at least 500 hours must be gained in diagnosing and treating couples and families; plus (B) At least 200 hours of qualified supervision with a supervisor. At least 100 of the 200 hours must be one-on-one supervision, and the remaining hours may be in one-on-one or group supervision. Applicants who have completed a master's program accredited by the commission on accreditation for marriage and family therapy education of the American association for marriage and family therapy may be credited with 500 hours of direct client contact and 100 hours of formal meetings with an approved supervisor; and (iv) Successful completion of continuing education requirements established in rule by the secretary in consultation with the committee, including a minimum number of hours in professional ethics. (2) The department shall establish by rule what constitutes adequate proof of meeting the criteria. Only rules in effect on the date of submission of a completed application of an associate for her or his license shall apply. If the rules change after a completed application is submitted but before a license is issued, the new rules shall not be reason to deny the application. (3) In addition, applicants shall be subject to the grounds for denial of a license or issuance of a conditional license under chapter 18.130 RCW. (1) The secretary shall issue a license to any applicant who demonstrates to the satisfaction of the secretary that the applicant meets the following education and experience requirements for the applicant's practice area. (a) Licensed social work classifications: (i) Licensed advanced social worker: (A) Graduation from a master's social work educational program accredited by the council on social work education or a social work doctorate program at a university accredited by a recognized accrediting organization, and approved by the secretary based upon nationally recognized standards; (B) Successful completion of an approved examination; (C) Successful completion of a supervised experience requirement. The supervised experience requirement consists of a minimum of 3,000 hours with supervision by an approved supervisor who has been licensed for at least two years. Of those supervised hours: (I) At least 90 hours must include direct supervision as specified in this subsection by a licensed independent clinical social worker, a licensed advanced social worker, or an equally qualified licensed mental health professional. Of those hours of directly supervised experience at least 40 hours must be in one-to-one supervision and 50 hours may be in one-to-one supervision or group supervision; and (II) 800 hours must be in direct client contact; and (D) Successful completion of continuing education requirements established in rule by the secretary in consultation with the committee, including a minimum number of hours in professional ethics. (ii) Licensed independent clinical social worker: (A) Graduation from a master's level social work educational program accredited by the council on social work education or a social work doctorate program at a university accredited by a recognized accrediting organization, and approved by the secretary based upon nationally recognized standards; (B) Successful completion of an approved examination; (C) Successful completion of a supervised experience requirement. The supervised experience requirement consists of a minimum of 3,000 hours of experience, over a period of not less than two years, with supervision by an approved supervisor who has been licensed for at least two years and, as specified in this subsection, may be either a licensed independent clinical social worker who has had at least one year of experience in supervising the clinical social work of others or an equally qualified licensed mental health practitioner. Of those supervised hours: (I) At least 1,000 hours must be direct client contact; and (II) Hours of direct supervision must include: (1) At least 100 hours by a licensed mental health practitioner; (2) At least 70 hours of supervision with a licensed independent clinical social worker meeting the qualifications under this subsection (1)(a)(ii)(C); the remaining hours may be supervised by an equally qualified licensed mental health practitioner; and (3) At least 60 hours must be in one-to-one supervision and the remaining hours may be in one-to-one supervision or group supervision; and (D) Successful completion of continuing education requirements established in rule by the secretary in consultation with the committee, including a minimum number of hours in professional ethics. (b) Licensed mental health counselor: (i)(A) Graduation from a master's or doctoral level educational program in counseling that consists of at least 60 semester hours or 90 quarter hours, or includes at least 60 semester hours or 90 quarter hours of graduate coursework that includes the following topic areas: (I) Mental health counseling orientation and ethical practice; (II) Social and cultural diversity; (III) Human growth and development; (IV) Career development; (V) Counseling and helping relationships; (VI) Group counseling and group work; (VII) Diagnosis and treatment; (VIII) Assessment and testing; and (IX) Research and program evaluation; or (B) Graduation from a master's or doctoral level educational program in a related discipline from a college or university approved by the secretary based upon nationally recognized standards. An applicant who satisfies the educational requirements for licensure under this subsection (1)(b)(i)(B) is not qualified to exercise the privilege to practice under the counseling compact established in chapter 18.17 RCW unless the master's or doctoral level educational program in a related discipline consists of at least 60 semester hours or 90 quarter hours, or includes at least 60 semester hours or 90 quarter hours of graduate coursework that includes the topic areas specified in (b)(i)(A)(I) through (IX) of this subsection; (ii) Successful completion of an approved examination; (iii) Successful completion of a supervised experience requirement. The experience requirement consists of a minimum of 36 months full-time counseling or 3,000 hours of postgraduate mental health counseling under the supervision of a qualified licensed mental health counselor or equally qualified licensed mental health practitioner, in an approved setting. The 3,000 hours of required experience includes a minimum of 100 hours spent in immediate supervision with the qualified licensed mental health counselor, and includes a minimum of 1,200 hours of direct counseling with individuals, couples, families, or groups; and (iv) Successful completion of continuing education requirements established in rule by the secretary in consultation with the committee, including a minimum number of hours in professional ethics. (c) Licensed marriage and family therapist: (i) Graduation from a master's degree or doctoral degree educational program in marriage and family therapy or graduation from an educational program in an allied field equivalent to a master's degree or doctoral degree in marriage and family therapy approved by the secretary based upon nationally recognized standards; (ii) Successful passage of an approved examination; (iii) Successful completion of a supervised experience requirement. The experience requirement consists of a minimum of 3,000 hours of marriage and family therapy. Of the total supervision, 100 hours must be with a licensed marriage and family therapist with at least two years' clinical experience; the other 100 hours may be with an equally qualified licensed mental health practitioner. Total experience requirements include: (A) 1,000 hours of direct client contact; at least 500 hours must be gained in diagnosing and treating couples and families; plus (B) At least 200 hours of qualified supervision with a supervisor. At least 100 of the 200 hours must be one-on-one supervision, and the remaining hours may be in one-on-one or group supervision. Applicants who have completed a master's program accredited by the commission on accreditation for marriage and family therapy education of the American association for marriage and family therapy may be credited with 500 hours of direct client contact and 100 hours of formal meetings with an approved supervisor; and (iv) Successful completion of continuing education requirements established in rule by the secretary in consultation with the committee, including a minimum number of hours in professional ethics. (2) The department shall establish by rule what constitutes adequate proof of meeting the criteria. Only rules in effect on the date of submission of a completed application of an associate for her or his license shall apply. If the rules change after a completed application is submitted but before a license is issued, the new rules shall not be reason to deny the application. (3) In addition, applicants shall be subject to the grounds for denial of a license or issuance of a conditional license under chapter 18.130 RCW.
Source: WA Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=18.225&full=trueFetched: 6/28/2026