clinical social work association

Introduction to Clinical Social Work Core Competencies

August 2024

CSWA is pleased to let members know about this 50+ page white paper, “Core Competencies for Licensed Clinical Social Workers”. For the past two years, an ad hoc committee has been working on this summary of the ways that clinical social workers develop their knowledge, skills, and expertise. These competencies are divided into 4 different levels of understanding: Novice, Intermediate, Advanced/Independent, and Expert. This document is intended to be a definitive statement on what clinical social workers should strive towards throughout their practice. Additional information about the purposes and intentions of the white paper are in its introduction.

There are 25 areas of clinical social work practice that are discussed in this paper: Ethics, Laws, and Regulations; Confidentiality; Informed Consent; Self-Determination; Supervision and Consultation; Documentation; Continuing Education; Independently Treats Individuals, Couples, Families, and Groups Using Generally Accepted Methods of Psychotherapy; Therapeutic Alliance in Psychotherapy; Assessment in Psychotherapy Practice; Risk Assessment in Psychotherapy Practice; Delivery of Psychotherapy Services; Diagnostic and Statistical Manual; Goal Setting; Self-Disclosure and Boundaries; Transference and Countertransference; Evidence-Based and Evidence-Informed Modalities; Trauma; Evaluating Treatment Outcomes; Termination of Psychotherapy; Social Justice; Discrimination and Bias; Diversity; Interdisciplinary Relationships Within Mental Health Care; and Therapist Self-Care.

CSWA hopes you find this document helpful in understanding the complexity of the clinical social work profession.

Download the white paper to review it today.