Social Workers Profession Regulation

(Consolidated up to 46/2023) ALBERTA REGULATION 82/2003 Health Professions Act SOCIAL WORKERS PROFESSION REGULATION Table of Contents 1 Interpretation 2 Register categories Registration 3 General register 4 Provisional register 5 Equivalent jurisdiction 6 Equivalent competence 7 Courtesy register applications Titles and Abbreviations 10 Authorization to use titles, etc. Practice Permit Renewal Requirements 21 Renewal requirements Transitional Provisions, Repeal and Coming into Force 33 Transitional provisions 34 Repeal 35 Coming into force Interpretation 1 In this Regulation, (a) “College” means the Alberta College of Social Workers; (b), (c) repealed AR 46/2023 s2; (d) “Council” means the council of the College; (e) “courtesy register” means the courtesy category of the regulated members register; (f) “general register” means the general register category of the regulated members register; (g), (h) repealed AR 46/2023 s2; (i) “provisional register” means the provisional category of the regulated members register; (j) repealed AR 46/2023 s2; (k) “Registrar” means the registrar of the College; (l) “Registration Committee” means the registration committee of the College. AR 82/2003 s1;46/2023 Register categories 2 The regulated members register established by the Council under section 33(1)(a) of the Act has the following categories: (a) general register; (b) provisional register; (c) courtesy register. Registration General register 3 (1) An applicant for registration as a regulated member on the general register must (a) have a minimum of a baccalaureate degree in social work from a university program approved by the Council or a diploma in social work from a college program approved by the Council, and (b) have completed 1500 hours of practical experience acceptable to the Council. (2) An applicant under subsection (1) must (a) have completed the requirements set out in this section or have provided professional services within the practice of social work for a minimum of 500 hours within the 3 years prior to submitting a complete application for registration, or (b) have completed refresher education satisfactory to the Council. Provisional register 4 (1) An applicant who meets all the registration requirements of section 3 except the 1500 hours of practical experience may be registered on the provisional register. (2) If a regulated member registered for the purpose of completing 1500 hours of practical experience on the provisional register provides the Registrar with a practical assessment form satisfactory to the Registrar, completed by a regulated member registered on the general register who supervised that regulated member for 1500 hours or any part of the 1500 hours of practical experience, the Registrar may remove that regulated member’s name from the provisional register and enter it on the general register. Equivalent jurisdiction 5 A person currently registered in good standing in another jurisdiction recognized by the Council under section 28(2)(b) of the Act as having substantially equivalent registration requirements may be registered on the appropriate category of the regulated members register. Equivalent competence 6 (1) An applicant who does not meet the requirements under section 3 or 4 but whose qualifications have been determined by the Registrar to be substantially equivalent to the competence requirements set out in section 3 or 4 may be registered on the appropriate category of the regulated members register. (2) In determining under subsection (1) whether or not an applicant’s qualifications are substantially equivalent, the Registrar may require the applicant to undergo any examination, testing and other assessment activities to assist with the determination. (3) The Registrar may direct the applicant to undergo any education or training activities the Registrar may consider necessary in order for the applicant to be registered. Courtesy register applications 7 A person who requires registration in Alberta on a temporary basis for a specified purpose approved by the Registrar and who satisfies the Registrar of the person’s competence to provide the services related to the specified purposes is eligible to be registered on the courtesy register of the regulated members register for up to one year. 8 and 9 Repealed AR 46/2023 s3. Titles and Abbreviations Authorization to use titles, etc. 10 (1) All regulated members may use the titles social worker, registered social worker, and the abbreviations S.W., R.S.W. and Soc. Wkr. (2) A regulated member may use the titles clinical social worker, registered clinical social worker and the abbreviation R.C.S.W. if the Registrar is satisfied that the regulated member (a) has a minimum of a masters degree in social work from a university program approved by the Council, (b) has been registered for at least 2 years on the general register or has been previously registered for at least 2 years under the Social Work Profession Act or has been registered on a substantially equivalent register in another jurisdiction, (c) has 2 years of post‑masters degree clinical work experience that includes 1600 client contact hours under the supervision of a clinical social worker or a practitioner from another profession as approved by Council, (d) has successfully completed a written examination on clinical social work practice approved by Council, and (e) provides 2 letters of reference from a clinical social worker, psychologist, psychiatrist or other provider of health services who has direct knowledge of the applicant’s practice, but at least one letter must be from a clinical social worker. AR 82/2003 s10;46/2023 11 to 13 Repealed AR 46/2023 s5. 14 to 20 Repealed AR 46/2023 s6. Practice Permit Renewal Requirements Renewal requirements 21 In addition to meeting the requirements established under section 40 of the Act, a regulated member applying for renewal of the member’s practice permit, if requested by the Registrar or Registration Committee, must provide evidence of meeting the following: (a) in the 5 years immediately preceding the application for renewal, having been employed in the practice of social work for a minimum of 1000 hours of which 500 must be in the 3 years immediately preceding the application for renewal; (b) having obtained a minimum of 40 credits under the continuing competence program during the previous year. AR 82/2003 s21;46/2023 22 to 25 Repealed AR 46/2023 s9. 26 to 29 Repealed AR 46/2023 s10. 30 to 32 Repealed AR 46/2023 s11. Transitional Provisions, Repeal and Coming into Force Transitional provisions 33 On the coming into force of this Regulation, a registered member described in section 6 of Schedule 27 to the Act is deemed to be entered on the regulated member register in the category that the Registrar considers appropriate. Repeal 34 The Exemption Regulation (AR 43/99) and Social Work Profession Regulation (AR 230/95) are repealed. Coming into force 35 This Regulation comes into force on the coming into force of Schedule 27 to the Health Professions Act .