LCSW Supervision
Getting Started
Supervision for those who are licensed as an LMSW in the state of Texas. An LMSW wanting to reach their LCSW goals, they will meet with their supervisor for 4-hours per month through HIPAA compliant online portal (SimplePractice). To participate in supervision and you must meet with your supervisor for 100 total hours in no less than 24-months. During this time, you must be employed and work at least 30-hours per week to be eligible to complete the supervision process and complete 3000 total work hours are required before you can apply to sit for the licensing exam. Part-time employees will need one hour of supervision per 30-40 work hours (usually 2-3 supervision hours per month).
Qualifying job as a clinical social work position
You must be in a position where you assess, diagnose and treat mental health or substance abuse issues using DSM-V criteria for at least four hours per week, you are eligible for LCSW supervision. Technically, you cannot diagnose clients or patients as an LMSW, but the work environment you’re in usually has a psychiatrist or fully licensed therapist in the treatment team that provides the client or patient with an official diagnosis. If you’re using a diagnostic skill set and/or screening tools when working with clients or patients, you are fulfilling this requirement.
I have worked in the behavioral health hospital setting for 10-years and have a range of experience. I started as a mental health technician during graduate school. Once I was licensed, I became a PHP/IOP child outpatient therapist. I finished my experience at behavioral health hospitals with five years of administration work supervising therapists and graduate interns. During this time I began to build my private practice and specialize in sex therapy. Working with sex therapy clients/couples is my primary focus now. I have overall experience working with children, adolescents, adults, and couples.
What to expect
There are benefits to both individual and group supervision. Group supervision helps you connect with your peers and receive feedback from them who may work in different fields. This gives you the opportunity to learn from others, as well as your supervisor, and guide you towards your ultimate career goals. (At this time I do not have an active group time for supervision and only accepting individual supervisees who can meet weekly).
Supervisees present cases or ethical dilemmas they encounter. We’ll also work on understanding the DSM-V, different therapeutic modalities, medications, building a private practice, social policy, and preparing for the LCSW exam.
Supervision is not therapy. Although our personal lives may come up in supervision, your supervisor will discuss and possibly recommend seeking out therapy services for yourself.
Starting supervision
We will complete a social work supervision agreement/contract and the clinical supervision plan. As of February 9, 2021, the board no longer requires you to submit your supervision plan prior to beginning supervision.
You are required to have a minimum of 4-hours of supervision per month. If you happen to miss a supervision session, you will be responsible for scheduling individual supervision to make up the time. If the time isn’t made up, that month will not count towards your 24-month minimum requirement.
Fee
$100/hour for individual supervision
Some employers will reimburse you for your supervision cost. Be sure to ask!