New Status on License Verification
The status "Active in Renewal" on the licensure system
has created much confusion. That status meant a licensee
was eligible to renew, but not necessarily active, you
had to check the dates. Our IT folks have created a new
status "Failed to Renew" for late renewals, which is an
eligible status for renewal, but you no longer need to
check dates. Failed to Renew is very clear and now Active
in Renewal always means active.
New Fees Including Late Renewal Fee
Part of House Bill 1, which is the Ohio budget bill for
Fiscal years 2010 & 2011 included language that added new
fees for the board. The new fees are authorized to be established
by rule. Rule 4757-1-05 will be effective 10/18/2009 and
adds the following new fees:
1. Late renewal fee of $40 for all licensees and $20 for
Social Worker Assistant registrants. A late fee applies
to a renewal paid after the expiration date of the license.
2. License verification fee of $25 for written confirmation
of licensure to other entities.
Online renewal will automatically charge the late fee if
it applies.
Consumer
Brochure & Electronic Service Delivery
The
board has approved a consumer brochure to explain our
board and licensees. Please feel free to use the linked
item Link.
The
board has approved a consumer statement to explain electronic
service delivery including eTherapy, telephone therapy
or any other electronic means. Please review this linked
item Link.
MFT bill signed into law January 7, 2009
Governor Strickland signed House Bill 427 into law on January
7, 2009, which makes the bill effective April 7, 2009. The
bill gives MFTs the right to diagnose and treat mental and
emotional disorders. The bill also makes changes that give
the Marriage and Family Therapist Professional Standards Committee
of the CSWMFT Board equal rights with the counselor and social
worker committees. The Board has rules to implement this change
see Laws and Rules page of this web site. Here is a link to
the bill:
Link.
The Department of Mental Health is working on rule changes
to add MFTs to the authorization rules for reimbursement by
the state. Once those rules are in place and the FEDs approve
the change, MFTs will be eligible to work at mental health
agencies reimbursed by the state.
LSW
Supervised Experience to Apply for LISW
The
Social Worker Professional Standards Committee has been working
on a potential rule addition to 4757-19-02 (C)(2) and add (d)
which would have required the following: “Applications received
after June 30, 2011 shall require that at least fifteen hundred
of the supervised hours and one year in paragraph (C)(2) of
this rule shall be in a clinical setting, which consists of
face-to-face client contact involving the delivery of direct
social work services which includes the diagnosis and treatment
of mental and emotional disorders or assessment and intervention.”
The Committee determined, after over a year of consideration
and public feedback, to leave 4757-19-02 (C)(2) as is and to
not add this new requirement.
In addition, the Committee reviewed the definition of the practice
of social work which includes the use of psychosocial interventions.
Licensees receiving administrative or clinical supervision can
receive the LISW if they are able to show how psychosocial interventions
are used in their course of practice. To assist with this, the
Board revised the Independent Social Worker Professional Employment
Reference form.
Link to form
Criminal
Records Check Required for Licensure
The
Ohio legislature passed House Bill 104, which was signed in
to law by Governor Strickland in December. That statute change
goes into effect on 3/24/08. All applications received on
or after 3/24/08 will require a criminal records check prior
to approval. See this link for more complete information:
Link.
Rule
Changes
Many
rule changes have been approved through the state's rule making
process and are effective 10/18/2008. See this link for a short
summary of the changes and copies of the rules:
Link.
Continuing
Education Changes
The
Board was reviewing Post Approval CE requests and the issue
of in-state post approvals was addressed. By practice the
Board has approved in-state post approval for first time renewals,
however the rules do not support that practice. The Board
by motion set December 31, 2005 as the final date to accept
in-state CEU approvals.
Please
make sure any first time licensees receive this information.
National
Provider Identifier Standard (NPI)
The
Board has received many calls about the NPI. However, we have
no responsibility in this area. Here is a link to the U.S.
Department of Health & Human Services Centers for Medicaid
and Medicare Services web site on the NPI:
Educational Resources.
Below are the ODMH and ODJFS sites as well.
ODMH info on NPI
ODJFS
info on NPI
Renewal
Update
Renewals
for January through June are mailed in early November each year;
and July through December renewals are mailed in early May. Please
make sure we have your current address. Contact the Board if you
do not have your form. Please use online renewal we have received
rave reviews from over 98% of comments!
License
Verification or Lookup System
You
can access the Licensee Lookup feature that is updated daily at
the following link Licensee
Lookup Link.
Revised
Format for Board Laws & Rules
The
Laws & Rules link has a new ADOBE PDF file in an easier
to read format go to Laws & Rules
to download a copy.
Want
to be a Board member?
Anyone
interested in becoming a board member should go to the Governor's
web site at this link for an application.
Submit a complete application to the address at that web site.
Several Board members' appointments expire 10/10/2009 while
two are eligible for reappointment the rest are not.
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