Chapter 4757-21 Scope of Practice for Social Workers

As prescribed in division (C) of section 4757.26 of the Revised Code the board adopts the following scope of practice for a registered social work assistant:

A registered social work assistant may perform for a fee, salary, or other consideration, human services, social services and community services that may include but not limited to: intake, assessment and referral, screening, crisis intervention and resolution; community support, case management and outreach, record keeping, social assessment, visual observation of person in environment, assist in facilitation with groups and families, advocacy; orientation, education and prevention services under the direct supervision of an independent social worker, social worker, professional clinical counselor, professional counselor, a psychologist, a psychiatrist, or a registered nurse who holds a master’s degree in psychiatric nursing.

R.C. 119.032 review dates: 06/15/2007 and 06/14/2012

Promulgated Under: 119.03

Statutory Authority: 4757.10

Rule Amplifies: 4757.26

Prior Effective Dates: 6-11-85 (Emer.); 9-19-85 (Emer.); 12-19-85; 7-3-97; 9-20-02

Using the definition of social work as defined in division (C) of section 4757.01 of the Revised Code, the board adopts the following scope of practice for a social worker.

(A) A social worker may perform for a fee, salary, or other consideration, counseling and psychosocial interventions without supervision; and social psychotherapy under the supervision of an independent social worker, a professional clinical counselor, a psychologist, a psychiatrist, or a registered nurse with a master’s degree in psychiatric nursing.

(B) When practicing as an employee of a private individual, partnership, or group practice, a social worker may perform for a fee, salary, or other consideration, counseling, psychological interventions, and social psychotherapy only if supervised by an independent social worker, a clinical counselor, a psychologist, a psychiatrist or a registered nurse with a master’s degree in psychiatric nursing.

(C) A social worker may practice as an independent contractor.

(D) The scope of practice for a social worker may include those duties described in table A of this rule

Table A: Scope of Practice

Range of Duties:

Psychosocial assessment

Intervention planning

Psychosocial intervention

Counseling

Social psychotherapy under supervision

Evaluation

R.C. 119.032 review dates: 06/15/2007 and 06/14/2012

Promulgated Under: 119.03

Statutory Authority: 4757.10

Rule Amplifies: 4757.26

Prior Effective Dates: 6-11-85 (Emer.); 9-19-85 (Emer.); 12-19-85; 7-3-97

Using the definition of social work as defined in division (C) of section 4757.01 of the Revised Code, the board adopts the following scope of practice for an independent social worker.

(A) An independent social worker may perform for a fee, salary or other consideration, counseling, pyschosocial interventions, and social psychotherapy without supervision in an agency setting, as a private practitioner, or as an independent contractor.

(B) The scope of practice for an independent social workers may include those duties as described in table B of this rule.

Table B: Scope of Practice

Range of duties

Psychosocial assessment: intervention planning, pyschosocial intervention, and social psychotherapy, which includes the diagnosis and treatment of mental and emotional disorders and counseling.

Program assessment, planning, and development, program implementation and evaluation

Organizational assessment, planning and development, intervention, accountability, and supervision

Specialized problem-oriented assessment, specialized project or case-oriented planning, specialized intervention, evaluation of consultation activities, provide training supervision for social workers seeking licensure as independent social workers.

Provide work supervision of assistant social workers, social workers, professional counselors, and marriage and family therapists; and supervision of chemical dependency counselors and prevention specialists as specified in Chapter 4758. of the Revised Code; and training supervision for social workers and registered social worker trainees.

Effective: 09/20/2007

R.C. 119.032 review dates: 06/15/2007 and 09/20/2012

Promulgated Under: 119.03

Statutory Authority: 4757.10

Rule Amplifies: 4757.26

Prior Effective Dates: 6-11-85 (Emer.); 9-19-85 (Emer.); 12-19-85; 7-3-97

Rescinded eff 11-08-07