As used in this Chapter, unless the context clearly requires otherwise, and except as otherwise expressly provided:

            (1) “Agency” means an organization or facility that delivers social work services and employs social workers. The employer shall provide direct remuneration for the employee for the work performed, and the employer shall withhold from the employee’s wages taxes and other employee-paid benefits.

            (2) “Board” means the Louisiana State Board of Social Work Examiners.

            (3) “Board-approved clinical supervisor (BACS)” means a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) who has met the qualifications established by the board.

            (4) “Case management” means a method to plan, provide, evaluate, and monitor services from a variety of resources on behalf of and in collaboration with a client.

            (5) “Certified social worker (CSW)” means a temporary certification which entitles the master of social work graduate to perform the duties and responsibilities within the scope of practice of the licensed master social worker for up to three years, while pursuing licensure.

            (6) “Clinical social work practice” means a specialty within the practice of master’s social work.

            (7) “Clinical supervision” means an interactional professional relationship between a licensed clinical social worker and a licensed master’s social worker that provides evaluation and direction over the supervisee’s practice of clinical social work and promotes continued development of the licensed master’s social worker’s knowledge, skills, and abilities to engage in the practice of clinical social work in an ethical and competent manner. Supervision for meeting the requirements of licensure, as a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW), must be provided by a licensed clinical social worker who is also a board-approved clinical supervisor (BACS).

            (8) “Consultation” means a problem-solving process in which expertise is offered to an individual, group, organization, or community.

            (9) “Council on Social Work Education” means the national organization which accredits graduate and undergraduate social work programs or its predecessor or successor organization.

            (10) “Graduate school of social work” means a program within an institution of higher education which offers a full-time course of study in social work, granting a master’s degree in social work or social welfare, and accredited or under candidacy by the Council on Social Work Education or its predecessor or successor organization.

            (11) “Licensed clinical social worker (LCSW)” means a person duly licensed to independently practice clinical social work under the provisions of this Chapter. A licensed clinical social worker may work as an employee in a practice setting or independently in private practice.

            (12) “Licensed master’s social worker (LMSW)” means a person duly registered to practice master’s social work under this Chapter.

            (13) “Registered social worker (RSW)” means a person duly registered to practice baccalaureate social work under this Chapter.

            (14)(a) “Social work practice” means the professional application of social work values, theories, and interventions to one or more of the following: enhancing the development, problem-solving, and coping capacities of people; promoting the effective and humane operations of systems that provide resources and services to people; linking people with systems that provide them with resources, services, and opportunities; developing and improving social policy; and engaging in research related to the professional activities. The practice of social work shall include but not be limited to clinical social work, planning and community organization, policy and administration, research, and social work education. Social work practice is guided by knowledge of human behavior, biopsychosocial development, social systems and resources, economic and cultural institutions, and their interactions.

            (b) A faculty member who has obtained a master’s degree or license in a field other than social work and who teaches a course in a social work program other than a clinical course, a clinical practicum, or any other course involving the scope of practice of social work at an accredited Louisiana institution of higher education shall not be construed as practicing social work and shall not be subject to the provisions of this Chapter.

            (c) Nothing in this Chapter shall be construed to authorize any person licensed, certified, provisionally certified, or registered hereunder to prescribe, either orally or in writing, distribute, dispense, or administer any medications. Nothing in this Chapter shall be construed to authorize any social worker licensed, certified, provisionally certified, or registered under this Chapter to administer or interpret psychological tests, or to engage in the practice of psychology, as defined by the provisions of La. Rev. Stat. 37:2352 or to engage in the practice of medicine, as defined by the provisions of La. Rev. Stat. 37:1262. Notwithstanding any provisions of La. Rev. Stat. 37:2352, persons covered by this Chapter may, based upon scope of practice, administer, use, or interpret tests of language, education and achievement, adaptive behavioral tests, and symptom screening checklists instruments, as well as tests of abilities, interests, and aptitudes.

            (15) “Social work student” means a person who is enrolled in a social work educational program that is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education or its predecessor or successor and is part of an accredited university or college.

            (16) “Social worker” means a person who holds a degree in social work, having successfully completed an undergraduate or graduate level academic social work program.

            (17) “Supervision” means the professional relationship between a supervisor and a supervisee that provides guidance and evaluation of the services provided by the supervisee.

            (18) “Undergraduate social work program” means a program within an institution of higher education which offers a full-time course of study in social work, granting a bachelor’s degree in social work or social welfare, and accredited or under candidacy by the Council on Social Work Education or its predecessor or successor.

            Added by Acts 1972, No. 706, §1; Acts 1999, No. 1309, §7, eff. Jan. 1, 2000; Acts 2007, No. 436, §1 and 2; Acts 2010, No. 880, §§1, 2, eff. Jan. 1, 2011; Acts 2018, No. 227, §1; Acts 2021, No. 215, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 2022.