Oregon Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) Guide - 2024

Oregon Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) Licensure Process

The LCSW can practice master’s-level social work and apply clinical knowledge to assist in the following situations:

• Assessment
• Diagnosis and treatment of mental, behavioral, or emotional disorders

Education Requirements

In Oregon, a Master of Social Work (MSW) degree is required to become an LCSW. The CSWE must accredit the school or program you attend.

Find all schools offering social work degree programs in Oregon.

Experience Requirements

Within 2-5 years, you must finish 3,500 hours of supervised clinical experience. At least 2,000 hours should be spent directly involved with clients. An LCSW who has been licensed for two years or more must supervise you for 100 hours. You can start accumulating the hours once the Board approves your Clinical Social Work Associate (CSWA) application. Every six months, an evaluation is sent to the Board from each of your supervisors.

Background Check

Visit the Fieldprint Oregon site and schedule an appointment to be fingerprinted for your mandatory background check. The results are typically available after 3-5 weeks, so the Board encourages applicants to start the process early. Instructions for the process can be found online.

Examination Requirements

You are automatically eligible to take the ASWB Clinical Exam after completing 75 hours of supervised clinical experience. The exam is made up of 170 multiple choice questions, and the Board will receive your scores up to two weeks after the test is completed.

While you wait for the background check results, there is another exam you can take; the Oregon Statutes and Administrative Rules exam. The test covers the rules and regulations of social work practice in Oregon and is an open book exam. You’ll receive your test scores in the mail after the Board grades the exam.

Applying for Licensure as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker

You must register as a CSWA before you can attain LCSW licensure. The Board requires a copy of your official MSW transcript and a CSWA Candidate Plan which identifies your supervisors. The background check cost is included in the $260 application fee.

The CSWA is not a license to begin practicing clinical social work but a supervisory certification. Your supervisor and plan of supervision are what enable you to provide clinical services legally. If you have to change supervisors, you must notify the Board and have the new supervisor approved.

When the Board confirms you have completed the supervised experience and passed the ASWB Clinical exam and Oregon state exam, you will be sent an LCSW application. It must be filled out and sent back to the Board with the $460 application fee. You will then be issued your LCSW license and can begin independent practice.