Social Work License Requirements in Oklahoma

The Oklahoma State Board of Licensed Social Workers (OSBLSW) issues the following credentials:

Licensed Social Work Associate (LSWA) – This license allows for the basic generalist practice and application of social work; within this scope you can do things like:

• Work with individuals, families, and groups to improve and restore biopsychosocial functioning
• Provide assessments and evaluations
• Engage in case management
• Provide counseling and consultations
• Conduct psychosocial assessments, take social histories, and conduct home studies

Licensed Masters Social Worker (LMSW) – This license allows you to practice social work in public and private-sector settings and address concerns relating to families, health, economic situations, the criminal-justice system, and more. Within these settings this can include:

• Community organization
• Program development and planning
• Administration of community service programs
• Assessment of client needs for services or community programs
• Advocacy, including on the topic of social welfare
• Organizational analysis

Licensed Social Worker (LSW) – LSWs work in the same types of settings and engage in similar types of social work activities as LMSWs. Additionally LSWs can engage in the independent practice of social work outside of an organized setting, including as contract employees, but cannot be self-employed.

Licensed Social Worker with Administration Specialty (LSW-ADM) – This license allows you to work in similar settings as LSWs and LMSWs. It also allows you to engage in the independent practice of social work outside of an organized setting, including as a contract employee, but you cannot be self-employed. Types of activities permitted with this license include:

• Supervising program managers and directors
• Developing strategies that encourage the professional growth and development of staff
• Developing programs and ensuring they comply with existing regulations
• Advocating for and promoting the image of social work and mental health agencies
• Managing budgets

Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) – This license allows you to engage in the practice of clinical social work in all permitted types of settings. You can also work as a contract employee in private practice with this license, and practice independently as a self-employed professional.

Steps Towards Social Work Licensure in Oklahoma

To earn any license issued by the Oklahoma State Board of Licensed Social Workers (OSBLSW), you need:

• A degree in Social Work from a program that’s accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE); request your school to send your official transcripts to the OSBLSW
• To pass an exam from the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB)
• An affidavit confirming your lawful presence in the country; submit this with your application
• A complete application for licensure including a $150 fee
• To complete a background check

You can apply for a provisional license that’s valid for one year if you’ve met all other requirements for your desired license except having passed the ASWB exam.

If you need to find a supervisor as part of your licensing process you can locate one by searching through this directory. When you’re completing any necessary supervised experience, there are part-time-equivalent time frames available if you cannot work full-time.

Licensed Social Work Associate (LSWA)

Requirements

1. Earn at least a bachelor’s degree in Social Work. You can also qualify with a OSBLSW-approved doctoral degree in Social Work, an exception to the rule that programs must be CSWE-accredited.
2. Submit an application for licensure to the OSBLSW. Once the OSBLSW approves your application it will contact the ASWB and tell them you’re cleared to test.
3. Register with the ASWB for its Bachelors exam. Once you pass it the OSBLSW will issue your LSWA license.
4. Note – The OSBLSW allows LSWAs to accrue hours to fulfill the supervised experience requirements for becoming an LSW, LSW-ADM, and LCSW. To be eligible to do this you must first earn an MSW degree, and then get your qualifying supervised experience pre-authorized by the OSBLSW. First locate an approved supervisor and a place of employment. Once you’ve done this you can apply with the OSBLSW to get your supervision approved by submitting the following to the OSBLSW:

• Supervision Contract
• A copy of your job description
• A copy of your W-4 tax document confirming that you’re employed

Licensed Masters Social Worker (LMSW)

Requirements

1. Earn a master’s degree in Social Work
2. Submit an application for licensure to the OSBLSW. Once the OSBLSW approves your application it will contact the ASWB and tell them you’re cleared to test.
3. Register with the ASWB for its Masters exam. Once you pass it the OSBLSW will issue your LMSW license.
4. Once you have your LMSW you can start fulfilling the supervised experience requirements for the LSW, LSW-ADM, and LCSW licenses. You’ll need to get qualifying supervised experience pre-authorized by the OSBLSW. First locate an approved supervisor and a place of employment. Once you’ve done this you can apply with the OSBLSW to get your supervision approved by submitting the following to the OSBLSW:

• Supervision Contract
• A copy of your job description
• A copy of your W-4 tax document confirming that you’re employed

Licensed Social Worker (LSW)

Requirements

1. Earn a master’s degree in Social Work.
2. Complete the LSW supervised experience requirement, which is 4,000 hours of post-graduate supervised experience provided by an LSW over two years full-time, including 100 hours of face-to-face educational supervision. Your supervisor will periodically submit evaluations to the OSBLSW until you’ve completed the supervision requirement.
3. Submit an application for licensure to the OSBLSW. Once the OSBLSW approves your application it will contact the ASWB and tell them you’re cleared to test.
4. Register with the ASWB for its Advanced Generalist exam. Once you pass it the OSBLSW will issue your LSW license.

Licensed Social Worker with Administration Specialty (LSW-ADM)

Requirements

1. Earn a master’s degree in Social Work.
2. Complete the LSW-ADM supervised experience requirement, which is 4,000 hours of post-graduate supervised experience provided by an LSW-ADM over two years full-time, including 100 hours of face-to-face educational supervision. Your supervisor will periodically submit evaluations to the OSBLSW until you’ve completed the supervision requirement.
3. Submit an application for licensure to the OSBLSW. Once the OSBLSW approves your application it will contact the ASWB and tell them you’re cleared to test.
4. Register with the ASWB for its Advanced Generalist exam. Once you pass it the OSBLSW will issue your LSW-ADM license.

Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)

Requirements

1. Earn a master’s degree in Social Work.
2. Complete the LCSW supervised experience requirement, which is 4,000 hours of post-graduate supervised experience provided by an LCSW over two years full-time, including 3,000 hours of direct client contact and 100 hours of face-to-face educational supervision. Your supervisor will periodically submit clinical evaluations to the OSBLSW until you’ve completed the supervision requirement. You will also need to submit a Supervision Log and your own periodic evaluations of your supervisor to the OSBLSW, until you’ve completed the supervision requirement.
3. Submit an application for licensure to the OSBLSW. Once the OSBLSW approves your application it will contact the ASWB and tell them you’re cleared to test.
4. Register with the ASWB for its Clinical exam. Once you pass it the OSBLSW will issue your LCSW license.

Renewing Your Social Work License

All social work licenses expire every year on December 31st. To be eligible for renewal you must complete 16 hours of continuing education, including three hours in ethics and eight hours in a face-to-face setting. You can renew using this form, and keep track of your continuing education hours of this form. The renewal fee is $100.

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

Becoming licensed in social work is a process that involves education, and often experience. You can expect to invest four years in earning a BSW, and it takes at least another two years to earn an MSW. When supervised experience is required it takes at least two full-time years to obtain it. This roughly adds up to the following time investment once you graduate from high school:

• LSWA – Four years
• LMSW – Six years
• LSW, LSW-ADM, and LCSW – Eight years each

Social Work Degrees in Oklahoma

The OSBLSW recognizes the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) as being the accreditor of approved social work programs. Currently there are seven such programs in Oklahoma. As the CSWE only accredits programs at the bachelor’s and master’s levels, the OSBLSW also recognizes doctoral degree in Social Work obtained from approved programs.

Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work (BSW)

Oklahoma is home to five CSWE-accredited BSW programs, the minimum education requirement for an LSWA license. These programs total at least 120 semester credits. Thanks to their CSWE accreditation, they include a field education experience of at least 400 hours by default. A BSW is a natural stepping stone to more advanced degrees in this field, and more advanced career opportunities.

Master’s Degree in Social Work (MSW)

An MSW from a CSWE-accredited program qualifies you for all levels of social work licensure in the state. Today Oklahoma is home to two such programs, which typically total at least 30 semester credits. Being CSWE-accredited means an MSW program will include a field education segment that’s at least 900 hours.

Doctoral Degree in Social Work

A degree at this level represents the highest level of educational achievement in this field. It can also qualify you for an LSWA license. These degrees are offered in two formats: a PhD and a Doctor of Social Work (DSW). PhD programs can be more focused on research and take longer to complete than DSWs, which can be more focused on clinical practice.

Reciprocity

If you’ve been an actively licensed LSWA, LSW, LMSW, LCSW, or LSW-ADM in another state for at least three years then you can apply for equivalent licensure in Oklahoma. Complete the steps above for your desired license, and additionally:

• Send your out-of-state social work board a Verification of Licensure form, and have them mail it back to the OSBLSW
• Request the ASWB to transfer your passing scores on your ASWB exam to the OSBLSW

Social Work Salaries in Oklahoma

In 2020 the US Department of Labor reported the following average annual salaries for social work career niches, specifically for Oklahoma:

• Social and Community Service Manager – $63,460
• Healthcare Social Worker – $51,220
• Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker – $40,430
• Child, Family, and School Social Worker – $37,610
• Social Work Teachers, Post-secondary – $48,930
• Social Worker, All Other – $54,390

Social Work Resources in Oklahoma

Oklahoma Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Heartland – Part of the largest social work organization in the nation, the Kansas Chapter of the NASW is grouped with six other states to form a larger regional conglomerate known as the NASW’s Heartland Chapter. Local members of the Oklahoma branch enjoy benefits like access to continuing education, updates on the latest legislative developments, professional resources, conferences, and networking opportunities. This chapter also hosts local interest groups on topics including integrated healthcare, LGBTQ issues, criminal justice, child welfare, mental health, and substance abuse.

Career Opportunities in Oklahoma

Oklahoma Department of Human Services – As the largest state agency and primary go-to source for Oklahomans in need of important essential services, this department provides vital resources through programs of its own and via important local partnerships. It has over a dozen branches devoted to issues like child welfare and support, disability services, adult and family services, and developmental disabilities.

Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services – This important state-level agency is a vital resource for residents who face issues stemming from substance abuse and mental health disorders. Some of the areas this agency specializes in are case management, providing resources for mental health providers, and offering assistance for individuals and families who fall under its purview.

Oklahoma City Public Schools – The largest primary and secondary school district in the state, OKCPS is responsible for the education of 45,000 students according to the most recent numbers. It’s made up of 66 schools including 33 elementary, 13 middle, and nine high schools. The district’s backbone of education are its teachers and support staff, including school social workers, who altogether number more than 4,600.

OU Medicine – This healthcare organization manages three hospitals and 19 clinics and centers throughout downtown Oklahoma City and the rest of the state. It provides jobs for 11,000 employees and 1,300 physicians, and is in charge of the state’s only Level 1 trauma center.

Red Rock Behavioral Health Services – With two dozen facilities throughout the state, this agency is a major provider of mental and behavioral health services. Every year it serves around 13,000 people with a dedicated staff numbering over 600. It provides outpatient and residential care, as well as services related to prevention, crises, pharmaceuticals, and telehealth.

Tulsa Public Schools – As the second-largest school district in the state, by the latest count nearly 40,000 students rely on TPS for their foundational education. It’s home to 82 schools and charter partners that are staffed by 6,441 teachers, administrators, support staff, and additional team members.

Oakwood Springs – Based in Oklahoma City, this agency sees the largest healthcare challenge posed to the current generation of Oklahomans as being a lack of access to qualify care for addiction and mental illness. It plans to turn this around, with tools like its inpatient and outpatient treatment programs for issues including depression, psychosis, addiction, anxiety, and PTSD.