Children’s Committee
February 2, 2023
Submitted By: Stephen Wanczyk-Karp, LMSW
The National Association of Social Workers, CT Chapter representing over 2,300 members requests the Children’s Committee consider the addition of Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) along with licensed psychologist to determine recommendation of reunification of a child under DCF temporary custody to the parent(s).
LCSWs are trained in a person-in-environment perspective that is particularly suited for consideration of a child’s reunification with a parent(s). This training along with a biopsychosocial lens gives the LCSW a full picture of the child and family needs. LCSWs work in family services and child welfare settings that offer the social worker expertise in family dynamics. Furthermore, LCSWs are recognized in a variety of statutes including being added in 2022 as an eligible provider of police officer mental health assessments, along with psychiatrists and psychologists.
LCSWs must have at least 3,000 hours of post-graduate clinical experience, including 100 hours of one-to-one clinical supervision by an LCSW and pass a rigorous national examination. The social work scope of practice is as follows:
“The application, by persons trained in social work, of established principles of psychosocial development, behavior, psychopathology, unconscious motivation, interpersonal relationships and environmental stress to the evaluation, assessment, diagnosis and treatment of biopsychosocial dysfunction, disability and impairment, including mental, emotional, behavioral, developmental and addictive disorders, of individuals, couples, families or groups. Clinical social work includes, but is not limited to, counseling, psychotherapy, behavior modification and mental health consultation.”
LCSWs are well trained and capable of determining the appropriateness of reuniting a child with a parent(s). We ask the Committee to include Licensed Clinical Social Worker in S. B. 479.
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