THE PRACTICE OF SOCIAL WORK: The law defines social work in the Revised Code section 4757.01 (C) as: “Practice of social work” means the application of specialized knowledge of human development and behavior and social, economic, and cultural systems in directly assisting individuals, families, and groups in a clinical setting to improve or restore their capacity for social functioning, including counseling, the use of psychosocial interventions, and the use of social psychotherapy, which includes the diagnosis and treatment of mental and emotional disorders.

Rule 4757-3-01 in paragraph (P) further defines: "Social work" means the application of specialized knowledge of human development and behavior and social, economic, and cultural systems in directly assisting individuals, families, and groups to improve or restore their capacity for social functioning, including counseling, the use of psychosocial interventions, and social psychotherapy for a fee, salary, or other consideration.

(1) Psychosocial interventions; means the application of social work that involves individual, dyadic, family, or group interventions that utilize treatment modalities such as a family systems therapy, client centered advocacy, environmental modifications, community organization and/or organizational change. These modalities are implemented in crisis, short-term, and long-term therapeutic interventions directed at reducing, increasing, enhancing, maintaining, or changing target behaviors, areas of functioning, or environmental structures or processes.

(2) Social psychotherapy; means the application of social work toward the goal of enhancement and maintenance of psychosocial functioning of individuals, families, and small groups. It includes interventions directed to interpersonal interactions, intra-psychic, dynamics, and life-support and management issues. It also includes the professional application of social work theory and methods to the treatment and prevention of psychosocial dysfunction, disability, or impairment, including mental and emotional disorders. Social psychotherapy consists of assessment; diagnosis; treatment, including psychotherapy and counseling; consultation; and evaluation.

3) Social services; means those activities which improve and maintain an individual's functioning in institutions, at home, or in the community and which do not require the specialized knowledge of social work, counseling, psychosocial interventions, or social psychotherapy. For individuals performing only social services licensure is not required pursuant to Chapter 4757. of the Revised Code.