Ohio Social Work Licensure | SWA, LSW, SWT & LISW

Learn about Requirements for SWA, LSW, SWT and LISW Licenses in Ohio

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Social Worker Assistant Licensed Social Worker Social Worker Trainee License Renewal Reciprocity Resources

Additional Resources:

Ohio’s Counselor, Social Worker, and Marriage and Family Therapist Board (CSWMFT) issues credentials for the following social work categories:

Social Worker Assistant (SWA) – As an SWA you cannot engage in the practice of social work. However, under supervision from a mental health professional, you can do things like:

Intake assessments and referrals
Record keeping
Case management
Screenings
Crisis intervention and resolution
Visual observations
Social assessments

Licensed Social Worker (LSW) – LSWs can engage in the general practice of social work without supervision that includes:

Intervention planning
Evaluation
Psychosocial interventions
Practice as an independent contractor, employee, partnership or as part of a group practice

However as an LSW you must work in an agency setting under the supervision of mental health professionals who hold an independent license, such as an LISW, if you want to provide social psychotherapy services, counseling, and psychological interventions.

Social Worker Trainee (SWT) – The SWT designation is for students enrolled in a Master of Social Work (MSW) program who do not already have an LSW credential. The SWT allows you to perform the full duties of an LSW under supervision at an internship site that is part of your MSW’s field education experience.

Licensed Independent Social Worker (LISW) – As an LISW your scope of practice includes that of the LSW, and additionally you can engage in all of the following independently without supervision:

Counseling
Social psychotherapy
Psychosocial assessments
Program and organizational assessments
Problem-oriented assessments
Work as a private practitioner
LISW-S Designation – You can earn an “S” designation on your license that allows you to
provide clinical supervision for LSWs

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Social Worker Assistant (SWA)

Application process:

Meet the education requirement through one of the following, and request your school to send your official transcripts to the Ohio Board by mail or email:

At least an associate’s degree in Social Service Technology – these programs are defined to include at least 30 semester credits of core social services/social work courses, 14 semester credits of related courses in areas like sociology and psychology, and these programs must include a social services practicum.

A bachelor’s degree that is equivalent to an associate’s degree in Social Service Technology.

A related bachelor’s degree or higher in an approved subject area.

Fill out an online SWA application with the Ohio Board; $60 application fee.
Complete an FBI fingerprint and background check.
Watch this video about Ohio laws and rules for social workers.
Once the Ohio Board has approved your application it will notify you of your SWA status by email.

Licensed Social Worker (LSW)

Application process:

Meet the education requirement: a bachelor’s (BSW) or doctoral degree in Social Work from a school accredited by a Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) organization, or a Master’s degree in Social Work (MSW) from a school that’s accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). If you’re in the final semester of your education program you can skip to Step Two and complete this step later.
Complete an online LSW application with the Ohio Board; $80 application fee.
Pass an exam from the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB). Once the Ohio Board approves your application it will notify the ASWB that you’re cleared to test. Register with the ASWB for the appropriate exam depending on how you’ve met the education requirement: the ASWB Bachelors exam if you’re qualifying with a BSW; the ASWB Masters exam if you’re qualifying with an MSW or doctoral degree in Social Work.
Watch this video about Ohio laws and rules for social workers.
Complete an FBI fingerprint and background check.
At this point you can opt to for a temporary LSW credential if you’ve completed all requirements except having sent your education transcripts to the Ohio Board.
If you haven’t already, have the school where you completed your social work education send your official transcripts showing graduation to the Ohio Board by mail or email.
Upon completion of these steps the Ohio Board will send you an email with an LSW wall certificate as an attachment that you can print off.

Social Worker Trainee (SWT)

Application process:

Make sure you’re eligible. You must be enrolled in a CSWE-accredited MSW program and about to start your field education to apply for this credential. You don’t need to apply for this if you already hold an LSW.
Fill out an online SWT application with the Ohio Board. You’ll need to attach proof of enrollment in your MSW program as part of this application.
Complete an FBI fingerprint and background check.
Upon acceptance of all these materials the Board will email you to let you know you’re an SWT.

Renewal – Your SWT status is only valid for the semester (plus 30 days) you’re enrolled in a field education experience as part of an MSW program’s internship. You can renew it for each new semester as many times as you need. If your enrollment in your MSW program ends for any reason, including graduation, then the SWT designation becomes invalid.

Licensed Independent Social Worker (LISW)

Application process:

Earn an MSW from a CSWE-accredited school; have your school send your official transcripts to the Ohio Board by email or mail.
Accrue at least 3,000 hours of supervised experience over at least two years. This experience must be completed post-LSW and post-MSW. Have your supervisor keep track of this on forms which can be accessed via their online account. Once you’ve met the requisite hours have your supervisor submit their forms to the Ohio Board.
Fill out an online LISW application with the Ohio Board; $100 application fee.
Pass the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Advanced Generalist or Clinical exam; ether exam is acceptable, and you don’t need to test again if you’ve already passed one of these. Once the Ohio Board accepts your LISW application it will notify the ASWB that you’re qualified to test, at which point you can register with the ASWB for your exam.
Watch this video about Ohio laws and rules for social workers.
Complete an FBI fingerprint and background check.
Upon completion of these steps the Ohio Board will send you an email with an LISW wall certificate as an attachment that you can print off.

Adding an “S” Supervision Endorsement LISW-S

You can be eligible to add an “S” to your LISW that will allow you to supervise LSWs by completing these steps:

Accrue at least one year of experience as an LISW.
Complete nine hours of post-LISW-licensure continuing education in supervision or a master’s-level social work supervision course.
Apply for the supervision endorsement online through your account with the Ohio Board.

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Renewing the SWA, LSW, and LISW Credentials

These credentials are valid for two years starting from when they’re issued. When it’s time for renewal you’ll get a notice from the Ohio Board in the mail. You need 30 hours of continuing education each time you renew your credential, including three hours in ethics. The Board automatically accepts continuing education from:

Providers pre-approved by the Board

Association of Social Work Boards

National Association of Social Workers

How Long Does it Take to Become a Social Worker in Ohio?

You can start working in the social work field in as soon as two years after high school graduation, while it can take at least nine years to get the top social work credential. The time it takes depends on the education and experience requirements you need for each credential:

SWA – Two years
LSW – Four years
SWT – Five to six years
LISW – Eight years
LISW-S – Nine years

Social Work Degrees in Ohio

You can qualify for the different social work credentials in Ohio by being enrolled in and graduating from different levels of social work education. Depending on which social work credential you’re going for, the Ohio Board recognizes education from a Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) organization as well as social work programs that are accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). You can find on-campus and online social work education programs accredited by both organizations.

Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work (BSW)

Holding a BSW from a school that’s accredited by a CHEA organization is required to become an LSW. A bachelor’s degree is also necessary to gain admittance into an MSW program, and a BSW has the most supplementary overlap with an MSW program. In Ohio the main CHEA-accrediting organization is the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). Graduating from a BSW program typically takes four years and totals 120 semester credits. Most HLC-accredited BSW programs also hold dual accreditation from the CSWE.

Master’s Degree in Social Work (MSW)

Being enrolled in an MSW program that’s accredited by the CSWE is required to apply for the SWT credential. Graduating from a CSWE-accredited MSW program is required to become an LISW, and will also qualify you for an LSW. Ohio is home to 12 CSWE-accredited MSW programs, at least three of which are offered online. You can expect to invest at least two years in completing an MSW program, which typically total at least 30 semester credits. These programs also include a field education segment that totals at least 900 hours. Most CSWE-accredited MSW programs in Ohio also hold dual accreditation from a CHEA organization.

Doctoral Degree in Social Work

A doctoral degree in Social Work from a school that’s accredited by a CHEA organization fulfills the educational requirement for an LSW. It’s also a great way to demonstrate mastery in your field. Doctor of Social Work (DSW) degree programs can be geared towards clinical practice and generally take less time to complete than PhD Social Work programs, which can be focused more on research. However either type of degree demonstrates you’ve reached the highest level of education in this field. The CSWE doesn’t accredit programs at the doctoral level.

Reciprocity

The Ohio Board accepts out-of-state ASWB exam scores, accredited education, and supervised experience via endorsement. Contact the appropriate agencies to have them mail or email the verifying documents to the Ohio Board.

You will need to complete the application process for your desired credential online and normal fees apply. You’ll also need to:

Watch this video about Ohio laws and rules for social workers.
Complete an FBI fingerprint and background check.

How Much do Social Workers Earn in Ohio?

The following average yearly salaries for social work career classes are provided by the US Department of Labor in 2020 specifically for Ohio:

Social and Community Service Manager – $71,470
Healthcare Social Worker – $55,760
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker – $46,950
Child, Family, and School Social Worker – $47,260
Social Work Teachers, Post-secondary – $75,210
Social Worker, All Other – $53,650

Social Work Resources in Ohio

You can find addition resources about career networking and professional development with the following organizations:

Ohio Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) – At 4,700 members-strong, this organization is one of the largest of its kind in the state, and an affiliate of the largest professional social work organization in the nation. It offers advocacy, ideas, and high-quality resources for all its members.

Ohio School Social Work Association (OSSWA) – Founded in 1997, this organization takes a three-tiered approach to serving its members through professional development, relationship building, and advocacy. The latter focuses on legislation, ensuring effective school social work, and improving student quality of life. It’s also the state-level member of the Midwest School Social Work Council.

Career Opportunities in Ohio

Some of the largest employers of social workers in the state include:

Ohio Department of Health – As the state-level department responsible for ensuring the health and quality of life for all Ohioans, ODH sponsors its own programs and partners with local agencies across the state focusing on important issues like abuse, exploitation, adolescent health, behavioral health, women’s health, mental health, children’s health, and much more.

Columbus City Schools – With the most recent enrollment totaling 48,651 students, this school district is the largest in the state. Originally founded in a single log cabin dating back to the 19th century, today the district is made up by 118 active schools including dozens of grade schools and 19 high schools.

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