Chapter MPSW 3

MPSW 3.11(5) (5) The temporary credential expires upon notification of successful completion of the required examinations or expiration of the 9 month period, whichever is earlier. The temporary credential may be renewed once.

MPSW 3.11 History History: Cr. Register, November, 1993, No. 455, eff. 12-1-93; am. Register, December, 1995, No. 480, eff. 1-1-96; CR 01-095: am. Register March 2002 No. 555, eff. 4-1-02; CR 02-105: r. and recr., Register October 2002 No. 562, eff. 11-1-02; CR 05-041: am. (5) Register December 2005 No. 600, eff. 1-1-06; CR 13-094: am. (5) Register September 2014 No. 705, eff. 10-14; CR 19-137: am. Register August 2020 No. 776, eff. 9-1-20.

MPSW 3.12 MPSW 3.12 Reciprocal certificate or license.

MPSW 3.12(1) (1) Except as provided in s. MPSW 3.125, the social worker section shall grant a certificate as a social worker under s. 457.08 (1), Stats., to an applicant who pays the fee required by s. 440.05 (2), Stats., and provides evidence of all of the following to the section:

MPSW 3.12(1)(a) (a) The applicant has a current credential as a social worker or the substantial equivalent in good standing in another state or territory of the United States.

MPSW 3.12(1)(b) (b) The requirements for the grant of the credential in the other state or territory of the United States are substantially equivalent to the requirements for the grant of the certificate under s. 457.08 (1), Stats.

MPSW 3.12(1)(c) (c) The applicant has disclosed all discipline ever taken or currently pending against the applicant or any professional credential held by the applicant by any credentialing authority of any state or territory of the United States.

MPSW 3.12(1)(d) (d) Documentation necessary for the section to determine, subject to ss. 111.321, 111.322, and 111.335, Stats., whether any of the following apply:

MPSW 3.12(1)(d)1. 1. The applicant has a pending charge for an exempt offense, as defined in s. 111.335 (1m) (b), Stats., or a violent crime against a child, as defined in s. 111.335 (1m) (d), Stats., that is substantially related to the practice of a social worker.

MPSW 3.12(1)(d)2. 2. The applicant has been convicted of a crime substantially related to the practice of a social worker.

MPSW 3.12(1)(e) (e) The applicant passes an examination approved by the social worker section that tests knowledge of state law relating to social work.

MPSW 3.12(2) (2) The social worker section shall grant a certificate as an advanced practice social worker under s. 457.08 (1) and (2), Stats., to an applicant who pays the fee required by s. 440.05 (2), Stats., and provides evidence of all of the following to the section:

MPSW 3.12(2)(a) (a) The applicant has a current credential as an advanced practice social worker or the substantial equivalent in good standing in another state or territory of the United States.

MPSW 3.12(2)(b) (b) The requirements for the grant of the credential in the other state or territory of the United States are substantially equivalent to the requirements for the grant of a certificate under s. 457.08 (2), Stats.

MPSW 3.12(2)(c) (c) The applicant has disclosed all discipline ever taken or currently pending against the applicant or any professional credential held by the applicant or by any credentialing authority of any state or territory of the United States.

MPSW 3.12(2)(d) (d) Documentation necessary for the section to determine, subject to ss. 111.321, 111.322, and 111.335, Stats., whether any of the following apply:

MPSW 3.12(2)(d)1. 1. The applicant has a pending charge for an exempt offense, as defined in s. 111.335 (1m) (b), Stats., or a violent crime against a child, as defined in s. 111.335 (1m) (d), Stats., that is substantially related to the practice of an advanced practice social worker.

MPSW 3.12(2)(d)2. 2. The applicant has been convicted of a crime substantially related to the practice of an advanced practice social worker.

MPSW 3.12(2)(e) (e) The applicant passes an examination approved by the social worker section that tests knowledge of state law relating to social work.

MPSW 3.12(3) (3) The social worker section shall grant a certificate as an independent social worker under s. 457.08 (1) and (3), Stats., to an applicant who pays the fee required by s. 440.05 (2), Stats., and provides evidence of all of the following to the section:

MPSW 3.12(3)(a) (a) The applicant has a current credential as an independent social worker or the substantial equivalent in good standing in another state or territory of the United States.

MPSW 3.12(3)(b) (b) The requirements for the grant of the credential in the other state or territory of the United States are substantially equivalent to the requirements for the grant of a certificate under s. 457.08 (3), Stats.

MPSW 3.12(3)(c) (c) The applicant has disclosed all discipline ever taken or currently pending against the applicant or any professional credential held by the applicant by any credentialing authority of any state or territory of the United States.

MPSW 3.12(3)(d) (d) Documentation necessary for the section to determine, subject to ss. 111.321, 111.322, and 111.335, Stats., whether any of the following apply:

MPSW 3.12(3)(d)1. 1. The applicant has a pending charge for an exempt offense, as defined in s. 111.335 (1m) (b), Stats., or a violent crime against a child, as defined in s. 111.335 (1m) (d), Stats., that is substantially related to the practice of an independent social worker.

MPSW 3.12(3)(d)2. 2. The applicant has been convicted of a crime substantially related to the practice of an independent social worker.

MPSW 3.12(3)(e) (e) The applicant passes an examination approved by the social worker section that tests knowledge of state law relating to social work.

MPSW 3.12(4) (4) The social worker section shall grant a license as a clinical social worker under s. 457.08 (1) and (4), Stats., to an applicant who pays the fee required under s. 440.05 (2), Stats., and provides evidence of all of the following to the section:

MPSW 3.12(4)(a) (a) The applicant has a current credential as a clinical social worker or the substantial equivalent in good standing in another state or territory of the United States.

MPSW 3.12(4)(b) (b) The requirements for granting the credential in the other state or territory of the United States are substantially equivalent to the requirements for granting a license under s. 457.08 (4), Stats.

MPSW 3.12(4)(c) (c) The applicant has disclosed all discipline ever taken or currently pending against the applicant or any professional credential held by the applicant by any credentialing authority of any state or territory of the United States.

MPSW 3.12(4)(d) (d) Documentation necessary for the section to determine, subject to ss. 111.321, 111.322, and 111.335, Stats., whether any of the following apply:

MPSW 3.12(4)(d)1. 1. The applicant has a pending charge for an exempt offense, as defined in s. 111.335 (1m) (b), Stats., or a violent crime against a child, as defined in s. 111.335 (1m) (d), Stats., that is substantially related to the practice of a clinical social worker.

MPSW 3.12(4)(d)2. 2. The applicant has been convicted of a crime substantially related to the practice of a clinical social worker.

MPSW 3.12(4)(e) (e) The applicant passes an examination approved by the social worker section that tests knowledge of state law relating to social work.

MPSW 3.12 History History: Cr. Register November, 1994, No. 467, eff. 12-1-94; CR 02-105: cr. (1) (e), (2) (e), (3) (e) and (4) (e), am. (intro.), (a) and (b), Register October 2002 No. 562, eff. 11-1-02.; CR 19-116: r. and recr. (1) (d), (2) (d), (3) (d), (4) (d) Register May 2020 No. 773, eff. 6-1-20; correction in (1) (d) 1., 2., (2) (d) 1., 2., (3) (d) 1., 2., (4) (d) 1., 2. made under s. 35.17, Stats., Register May 2020 No. 773; CR 21-053: am. (1) (intro.) Register August 2022 No. 800, eff. 9-1-22; correction in (1) (intro.) made under s. 35.17, Stats., Register August 2022 No. 800.

MPSW 3.125 MPSW 3.125 Reciprocal credentials for service members, former service members, and their spouses. The social worker section shall grant a reciprocal certificate or a license to practice social work under s. 457.08, Stats., to a service member, former service member, or the spouse of a service member or former service member who the board determines meets all of the requirements under s. 440.09, Stats. Subject to s. 440.09 (2m), Stats., the board may request verification necessary to make a determination under this section.

MPSW 3.125 Note Note: Application forms are available from the Department of Safety and Professional Services’ website at http://dsps.wi.gov.

MPSW 3.125 History History: CR 21-053: cr. Register August 2022 No. 800, eff. 9-1-22.

MPSW 3.13 MPSW 3.13 Social worker training certificate.

MPSW 3.13(1) (1) Application requirements. The social worker section shall grant a training certificate to an applicant who submits the fee under s. 440.05 (6), Stats., together with the completed, signed application form and all of the following:

MPSW 3.13(1)(a) (a) A certified transcript of professional education verifying that the applicant has a bachelor’s degree in psychology, sociology, criminal justice or another human service program approved by the section from a college or university accredited by an accrediting body nationally recognized by the secretary of the United States department of education. The certified transcript shall be sent directly to the section by the college or university.

MPSW 3.13(1)(a)1. 1. To qualify as “another human service program approved by the section” under s. 457.09 (1) (c), Stats., the program shall award a bachelor’s degree and be one of the following:

MPSW 3.13(1)(a)1.a. a. An organized course of study recognized by the section to contain all five social worker equivalency courses in s. MPSW 3.13 (2) and a course designated as a senior seminar or capstone course.

MPSW 3.13(1)(a)1.b. b. An organized course of study entitled on the transcript as a human services major.

MPSW 3.13(1)(a)1.c. c. Accredited by any accrediting organization recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) for programs awarding bachelor’s degrees with a major in “human services”.

MPSW 3.13(1)(a)2. 2. In subd. 1. b., “human services major” means a major which includes all the following courses:

MPSW 3.13(1)(a)2.a. a. An introductory course which contains a general overview of the field of human services, including origins, career opportunities and techniques and methods of helping individuals and groups in need.

MPSW 3.13(1)(a)2.b. b. A course with significant content in professional ethics and values, including confidentiality, boundaries and values in human services occupations.

MPSW 3.13(1)(a)2.c. c. A course with content in qualitative and quantitative social research methods and statistics.

MPSW 3.13(1)(a)2.d. d. A course designated as a senior seminar or capstone course. The capstone course may be an internship with the seminar in which the training certificate applicant is evaluated to have attained the competencies specified in sub. (3m).

MPSW 3.13(1)(a)3. 3. The applicant shall have obtained a grade point average of 2.5 or greater in the major completed in the program under subd. 1. a., 1. b. or 1. c.

MPSW 3.13(1)(b) (b) Verification that the applicant is seeking to attain social worker degree equivalency under s. 457.09 (4), Stats., during the period in which the certificate is valid.

MPSW 3.13(1)(c) (c) Documentation necessary for the section to determine, subject to ss. 111.321, 111.322, and 111.335, Stats., whether any of the following apply:

MPSW 3.13(1)(c)1. 1. The applicant has a pending charge for an exempt offense, as defined in s. 111.335 (1m) (b), Stats., or a violent crime against a child, as defined in s. 111.335 (1m) (d), Stats., which is substantially related to the practice of a social worker.

MPSW 3.13(1)(c)2. 2. The applicant has been convicted of a crime substantially related to the practice of a social worker.

MPSW 3.13 Note Note: Application forms are available upon request to the Social Worker Section at 1400 East Washington Avenue, P.O. Box 8935, Madison, Wisconsin 53708.

MPSW 3.13(2) (2) Social worker degree equivalency. To attain social worker degree equivalency to a bachelor’s degree in social work under the terms of s. 457.09 (4) and (4m) (b), Stats., and to qualify to take the national social work examination, a social worker training certificate holder shall demonstrate by certified transcript from an accredited college or university, sent directly to the section, that the applicant has successfully completed with a minimum of a C grade at least a total of 5 courses, each consisting of a minimum of either 3 semester hours or 4 quarter hours of academic credit. Courses shall be taught by an instructor who holds a master’s degree or a PhD in social work from an institution accredited by the Council on Social Work Education unless otherwise approved by the section. The courses shall use a textbook written by a social work educator for social work courses as a primary text, unless otherwise approved by the section. At least three of these courses shall be taken at the same institution, and shall be distributed among the following subject areas:

MPSW 3.13(2)(a) (a) Social welfare policy and services. At least one course of at least 3 semester hours or 4 quarter hours academic credit. Qualifying course work in this area shall include the history, mission and philosophy of the social work profession, the impact of social policy on health and well-being, the effect of social policy on social work practice, current social policy analysis, political and organizational processes used to influence policy, the process of policy formulation, and the framework for current social policy analysis in light of the principles of social and economic justice.

MPSW 3.13(2)(b) (b) Social work practice methods with individuals, families, small groups, communities, organizations and social institutions - generalist practice methods. At least 3 courses each consisting of at least 3 semester hours or 4 quarter hours academic credit. Qualifying coursework in these areas shall substantively and effectively prepare the student for action to engage with, assess, intervene with, and evaluate individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities. The social work practice methods taught shall be evidence-based, and shall emphasize client strengths. Each course shall have infused throughout the curriculum significant course content on social work values, ethics, approaches and skills for practice with clients from differing social, cultural, racial, religious, spiritual and class backgrounds; and systems of all sizes. The content of the three courses shall be coordinated by the college or university to cover the material described below and demonstrate that within the curriculum of the three courses, students shall learn:

MPSW 3.13(2)(b)1. 1. Of the three required social work methods courses, a course in each of the following: social work practice with individuals, social work practice with groups and families, and social work practice with communities, organizations, and social institutions.

MPSW 3.13(2)(b)2. 2. Practice content which emphasizes professional relationships that are characterized by mutuality, collaboration, respect for the client system and incorporates use of professional social work supervision. Coursework shall prepare a student to do all of the following:

MPSW 3.13(2)(b)2.a. a. Use empathy and other interpersonal skills with clients.

MPSW 3.13(2)(b)2.b. b. Develop with the client a mutually agreed upon focus of work and desired outcomes.

MPSW 3.13(2)(b)2.c. c. Collect, organize, and interpret client data.

MPSW 3.13(2)(b)2.d. d. Develop mutually agreed upon intervention goals and objectives.

MPSW 3.13(2)(b)2.e. e. Select appropriate intervention strategies.

MPSW 3.13(2)(b)2.f. f. Initiate actions to achieve organizational goals.

MPSW 3.13(2)(b)2.g. g. Implement prevention interventions that enhance client capacities.

MPSW 3.13(2)(b)2.h. h. Help clients resolve problems.

MPSW 3.13(2)(b)2.i. i. Negotiate, mediate, and advocate for clients.

MPSW 3.13(2)(b)2.j. j. Facilitate transitions and endings.

MPSW 3.13(2)(b)2.k. k. Critically analyze, monitor, and evaluate interventions.

MPSW 3.13(2)(b)3. 3. Practice assessment which focuses on the examination of client strengths and problems in the interaction among individuals and between people and their environments.

MPSW 3.13(2)(b)4. 4. Knowledge, values and skills to enhance human well-being and amelioration of the environmental conditions that affect people adversely.

MPSW 3.13(2)(b)5. 5. Approaches and skills for practice with clients from differing social, cultural, racial, religious, spiritual and class backgrounds and with systems of all sizes.

MPSW 3.13(2)(b)6. 6. Differential assessments and intervention skills to serve diverse at-risk populations.

MPSW 3.13(2)(b)7. 7. An evaluation of the student’s ability to demonstrate competence in interviewing, using empathy and interpersonal skills. The student shall be able to demonstrate skill in collecting, organizing, and interpreting client data; assessing client strengths and limitations; developing mutually agreed upon intervention goals and objectives; and selecting appropriate intervention strategies.

MPSW 3.13(2)(b)8. 8. Each social work methods course shall include content on social work values and ethics including the application of the standards of the National Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics to Social Work practice.

MPSW 3.13(2)(b)9. 9. Each social work methods course shall include content on cultural competence in social work practice, based on the National Association of Social Workers Standards for Cultural Competence in Social Work Practice.

MPSW 3.13(2)(c) (c) Human behavior in the social environment, including human growth and development, and social systems theory. At least one course of at least 3 semester hours or 4 quarter hours academic credit. Qualifying course work in this area shall include theories and knowledge of human biological, sociological, cultural, psychological, and spiritual development across the life span; the range of social systems, including individual, family, group, organizational, and community, in which people live, and the ways social systems promote or deter people in maintaining or achieving health and well-being.

MPSW 3.13(3) (3) Internship and employment. To qualify to take the national social work examination, a training certificate holder shall demonstrate to the section, by written certification from his or her supervisor sent directly to the section, that he or she engaged in and successfully completed one of the following:

MPSW 3.13(3)(a) (a)

MPSW 3.13(3)(a)1. 1. A human services internship of at least 400 hours that was part of the program leading to the degree the certificate holder specified to satisfy the requirement in s. 457.09 (1) (c) and (4m) (b), Stats., or completed while holding the training certificate, and involved direct practice with clients and that was supervised by a social worker certified under s. 457.08, Stats., and who has a bachelor’s or master’s degree in social work and provides direct, on-site supervision of the intern. A human services internship shall be under the auspices of an accredited college or university.

MPSW 3.13(3)(a)2. 2. A human services internship completed prior to August 1, 1995, that otherwise qualifies under par. (a), may be approved by the section if it was supervised by a person holding a bachelor’s or master’s degree in social work and in good professional standing, but who was not certified under s. 457.08, Stats.

MPSW 3.13(3)(b) (b) One year of social work employment completed while holding the training certificate, which involved at least 400 hours of face-to-face client contact in not less than 12 months, and that was supervised by a social worker certified under s. 457.08, Stats., who has a bachelor’s or master’s degree in social work and who provides direct, on-site supervision of the certificate holder during the time the certificate holder is at work.

MPSW 3.13(3m) (3m) Demonstrated competency. A human services internship or one year of social work employment shall be approved by the section provided that the supervising social worker certifies on forms provided by the department that the internship or employment provided training and experience, and the applicant demonstrated competency, in each of the following areas:

MPSW 3.13(3m)(a) (a) Demonstrate the ability to: engage, assess, intervene, and evaluate individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities in regard to strengths and difficulties in biological, psychological, sociological, cultural, and spiritual functioning.

MPSW 3.13(3m)(b) (b) Demonstrate intervention skills, including: collecting, organizing, and interpreting client data; assessing client strengths and limitations; using empathy and other interpersonal skills; developing mutually agreed upon intervention goals and objectives; determining and implementing appropriate intervention strategies; and referring clients to other qualified resources when appropriate.