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PAPER OR PLASTIC?

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 I am sure you have been at the grocery store and are asked by the checkout person "paper or plastic?"
Well, what does that have to do with the requirements to attain an LCSW?  If you change the phrase to "paper or online" it makes sense.  Several years ago the VBSW made a decision to stop accepting paper applications and only accept online applications for the LCSW.  For the most part, this was a good idea.  It streamlined the process and allowed the applicant to use the Internet and their laptop to save all the documents that are needed for the application process.  So, Joe what is the mystery?   
      The mystery is that the applicant never sees the application until they have: 
  • Have met the education requirements prescribed in 18VAC140-20-49
  • Have met the experience requirements prescribed in 18VAC140-20-50
  •  Submitted a completed application to the board office within two years of completion of supervised experience to include
    •  Documentation, on the appropriate forms, of the successful completion of the supervised experience requirements of 18VAC140-20-50.
    • Have paid the application fee prescribed in 18VAC140-20-30;
    • Provided the VBSW Official transcript or documentation submitted from the appropriate institutions of higher education that verifies successful completion of educational requirements set forth in 18VAC140-20-49;
    • Documentation of any other health or mental health licensure or certification, if applicable; and
    • Provided a current report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB).
    •  Provided evidence of passage of the examination prescribed in 18VAC140-20-70.
This is like being in a class in your graduate program and on the first day of class the professor has a stack of papers on their desk at the front of the room and makes an announcement:
On my desk are paper copies of the final exam.  Anyone who would like a copy of the final exam may pick one up on the way out of class this morning.  Or, if you prefer you can wait until the day of the final exam and then see the final exam for the first time.

How many students would go ahead and pick up one of the paper copies of the final exam?  I think 100% of the students would pick up a copy of that final exam.  And most likely they would study in a way that made sure they could answer the questions on the exam.  Most exams have the possible grade of A, B, C, D, and F.  But the "Verification of Clinical Supervision Form" (that is part of the application) has 11 "YES" or "NO"   questions and if your supervisor answers "NO" to any of those questions your application will stop right there. It is sort of a "Pass" or "Fail" type of grading system.  

Remember my post on the context of licensing notes that it is a legal context. The VBSW is a public body.  The Virginia Freedom of Information Act requires any public body to provide, upon request, any public document.  If the document is available in electronic format you can request that you be provided an electronic format copy of the entire application and all related forms for the LCSW.  If you make that request then you will have a copy of those 11 questions.   And, I suspect you will make sure your supervisor can answer "YES" to all 11 of those questions.

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