Social Work Examiners - Continuing Education

How much continuing education is required?
All licensees submitting applications for license renewal must complete thirty contact hours of continuing education within the previous two-year license period. Six of the 30 hours must be in social work ethics.  All contact hours may now be obtained through online courses. Please review ARSD 20:59 relating to continuing education.

What is continuing education?
Continuing education may include credit courses from colleges and universities, workshops, seminars, conferences, lectures, and staff development activities of agencies.

These courses, workshops, seminars, conferences, lectures, and staff development activities shall be oriented towards the enhancement of social work practice, values, skills, and knowledge. This definition does not preclude cross-disciplinary offerings if they are clearly related to the enhancement of social work practice, values, skills and knowledge.

A licensee who has prepared for the first time an academic social work course or workshop, or who has published or presented a professional social work paper may be allowed a maximum of ten contact hours for this preparation. Please contact the Board for the proper verification form.

Can continuing education credit be obtained for activities outside the state of South Dakota?
Yes.  Programs approved for social work continuing education by other state licensure boards are approved as well as programs approved by ASWB and NASW.

Is it possible to waive the continuing education requirement?
A licensee may apply to waive the continuing education requirement if he/she presents a physician's certified statement that he/she was physically incapacitated to the extent that the person could not satisfy the requirement within the previous two-year license period.

Who can offer CEUs?
Any college, agency, or other institution who wishes to be a "sponsoring organization" may apply. As a sponsoring organization, they can grant CEU credit for workshop, conferences, etc. To become a sponsoring organization, please contact the board office for the proper verification form.

Agencies desiring to become a sponsoring organization must be willing to assume responsibility for keeping permanent records for the individuals receiving the CEUs. An alternative is to contact a nearby college or university to sponsor the agency's program.