A.
Active or
in Good Standing: The licensee has met all requirements for licensure,
has renewed before the license expiration date and paid all fees and
administrative costs on time, has maintained the necessary requirements for
his/her license and there are no disciplinary actions against the licensee.
Licensees on active status and in good standing may utilize the Board's online
renewal system.
B.
Probationary: The probationary status is issued to a licensee who
is non-compliant with social work regulations, whether it be failure to acquire
and verify continuing education or an appropriate end to a disciplinary
procedure.
When probation is the result of a continuing education
deficiency, Probationary Status will continue until the next regular renewal
cycle.
No probationary license will be renewed unless all continuing
education deficiencies are collected AND current renewal requirements are met.
For example, if a probationer lacks 15 continuing education hours, the
probationer would require 55 continuing education hours to renew at the next
renewal cycle. No licensee may go through a second renewal cycle without
bringing all educational requirements up to date.
C.
Emergency- The Board provides
for licensure for volunteer social workers entering the State that are licensed
to practice in other states. Social workers actively licensed in other states
who assist others that have been affected by a hurricane or other natural
disasters can practice in Mississippi for a maximum of ninety (90) calendar
days, without applying for a regular license. Volunteers who take paid
positions in the practice of social work in the State of Mississippi must be
licensed by the Board. Any applicant seeking emergency certification must
submit an application to the Board using forms located on the Board website.
Emergency Provisional Permit for Social Workers.
During a lawfully declared local, state or national disaster or
emergency, the Board may grant a social worker who holds a license to practice
such profession in another state or territory of the United States an emergency
temporary social worker permit to practice in Mississippi to the
extent authorized by this rule as if the individual were licensed in this
state. To qualify for an emergency provisional permit, an
individual must meet the requirements described below:
1. The individual seeking an emergency
provisional permit must:
a. hold a current
license in good standing as a social worker in another state or territory of
the United States;
b. possess a
license that is equivalent to that of the Mississippi license and have no
existing or history of disciplinary action against any license held in any
jurisdiction;
c. be sponsored by a
social worker with an active license in good standing in Mississippi;
and
d. adhere to the scope of
practice for a similarly licensed individual established by the licensing
provisions, practice acts, or other laws, rules or regulations of the State of
Mississippi.
2. The
individual seeking an emergency provisional permit must:
a. Submit a complete, signed and notarized
Application for Emergency Provisional Permit and proof of his or her identity,
which must include a copy of a drivers' license, passport, or other photo
identification issued by a governmental entity;
b. Submit an application fee of $50.00,
payable by cashier's check or money order and made payable to MBOE;
c. Submit verification of licensure for each
state or territory in which licensure has been issued;
d. Provide the Board with the location where
he or she will practice; and
e.
Provide any other information required by the Board.
3. An emergency provisional permit shall be
valid for a period as determined by the Board or its designee not to exceed
ninety (90) calendar days. The Board or its designee may renew the provisional
permit for an additional ninety (90) calendar days, if the lawfully declared
disaster or emergency still exists. Provided however, that an emergency
provisional permit shall expire at the time designated by the Board or whenever
the lawfully declared disaster or emergency no longer exists, whichever comes
first.
4. A holder of an emergency
provisional permit (i) may only practice in the location on file at the Board's
office; and (ii) must notify the Board in writing prior to beginning employment
in another location.
5. An
emergency provisional permit may be immediately suspended or revoked upon
discovery of any falsification, omission, or withholding of
information.
6. An individual
wishing to practice as a social worker beyond the expiration of an emergency
provisional permit or any extension thereof must apply for and obtain a social
worker or marriage and family therapist license in accordance with the laws,
rules and regulations governing said license in the State of
Mississippi.
D.
Inactive: Upon written request and submission of the annual
renewal application and renewal fee, the Board may grant inactive status to a
licensee who:
1. Holds a license which is
current and in good standing. All requirements for licensure must be met,
including continuing education requirements.
2. Does not practice as a social worker for
compensation in the State of Mississippi.
3. Does not hold himself or herself out as a
social worker or by any title set out in these Regulations that is likely to
cause public confusion.
Social Workers may request in writing on forms provided by
the Board that their licenses be placed on inactive status. The Board will
consider the request and will notify the licensee of its decision in writing
within 60 days of receiving the written request for inactive status.
Those granted inactive status shall be excused from paying
renewal fees until they notify the Board in writing of their intention to
resume active practice. If a licensee fails to return to active status within
two (2) years of being placed on inactive status, the licensee may request an
extension in writing on forms provided by the Board (this form is available on
the Board's website) for an additional two (2) years. If the licensee does not
request an extension in writing on forms provided by the Board or no extension
has been granted by the Board, the license will be considered as lapsed at the
end of the renewal period following the end of the inactive status period, and
be subject to the requirements for lapsed licenses.
All licensees on inactive status must provide evidence of
having obtained the acceptable continuing education hours that would have been
required had they been licensed in an Active status before returning to active
status. At the Board's discretion, the continuing education requirements may be
waived up to half the amount required per license period.
The regular active license and ID card must be surrendered to
the Board within thirty (30) calendar days from the date of approval for
inactive status. A return to active status will call for adherence to all rules
and regulations for regular license as set forth in this document.
Disciplinary action will be taken against a licensee on
inactive status who performs social work services for compensation or presents
him/herself as a licensed social worker. One may continue to use academic
indicators of degrees such as B.S.W., M.S.W., Ph.D., etc. Disciplinary action
may include revocation of a license for a period to be determined by the
Board.
E.
Retired: Licensees who are in good standing, may request
retirement status designation from the Board. Retired, in this instance, means
no longer receiving monetary compensation as a practitioner in the field of
social work. Upon approval of such status, the licensee must surrender his/her
regular license for a license bearing a status of "Retired". The retiree must
complete and submit to the Board a signed affidavit of retirement as supplied
by the Board on the Board's website or by contacting the Board office. Note:
Individuals who hold a Retired license may not engage in social work practice
for compensation.
In order to receive "Retired" status, an individual must meet
all licensing requirements, including continuing education and pay the
processing fee. If a licensee does not meet these requirements, then a
"Retired" license will not be granted.
All re-licensure requirements are waived for a "Retired"
license, but processing costs will be charged for issuing the retired license.
The Retired license may stay in this status indefinitely with all applicable
fees paid every six (6) years and provided that the retiree does not engage in
social work practice. (See schedule in Part 1902, Chapter 4, Rule
4.3, B)
F.
Retiree Reinstatement:
Retirees who wish to reinstate within four (4) years of their retirement
may follow the reinstatement process.
Licensees holding a "Retired" status who wish to return to
the active practice of social work within four (4) years of obtaining "Retired"
status must comply with the following:
1. Submit an application for reinstatement to
the MS BOE SW/MFT.
2. A request
must be made in writing to the Board in order to return to active status. The
request must include the following:
a. An
explanation of the circumstances of the new practice setting;
b. A description of the practitioner's
proposed duties;
c. A description
of the agency's environment;
If the request for re-instatement is granted by the Board,
the licensee will be expected to earn at a minimum forty (40) continuing
education hours for the licensure period in question.
Note: Failure to complete all steps in the retiree
reinstatement process will result in the surrender of the applicant's
license.
G.
Denied: An applicant will be
denied a license or renewal license when the Board:
(1) determines the applicant does not meet
the requirements for licensure;
(2)
has substantial evidence the applicant has violated the standards of conduct,
the Code of Ethics or is not of good moral character;
(3) has pending disciplinary action against
the licensee;
(4) has not received a
criminal history records information check and a report based on a check of the
Mississippi Sex Offender Registry;
(5) has not received a complete and correct
application or renewal application within the timeframe allowed;
(6) has received documentation the licensee
has a current (active) addiction to alcohol or drugs, other substances, or any
other type of addiction; or
(7) has
received a declaration of mental incompetence by the court or licensed
qualified professional for the licensee.
H.
Revoked: The Board may revoke
or suspend a license on grounds set forth in these regulations. The person may
not practice social work during the time the license is revoked.
I.
Lapsed: Licensees who fail to
renew their license biennially before the expiration date shall have the
licenses lapsed. A licensee may not practice social work during the lapsed
period. The licensee may be reinstated within a two (2) year period by
following the reinstatement process. A license that has lapsed for more than
two (2) years cannot be renewed or reinstated. The licensee must apply for a
new license under the requirements set forth in the Rules and Regulations that
are in effect at the time the new application is received by the Board.
J.
Re-instatement:
Licensees, who have had licenses placed in lapse or inactive status, may apply
for reinstatement within two (2) years for a lapsed license or within four (4)
years for inactive status by completing the following steps:
1. Making application for reinstatement on
Board prescribed forms available on the Board's website.
2. Paying all applicable costs.
3. Providing the Board with a fingerprint
criminal history records information check and a check of the Mississippi Sex
Offender Registry
4. Satisfactory
documentation of completion of all continuing education requirements specified
by the Board Rules and Regulations that would have been required to maintain a
current license for the entire period the license has been lapsed or
inactive;
K.
Reinstatement after revocation
If the revocation or lapse has lasted more than two (2) years
or the inactive status lasted more than four (4) years, a completely new
application is required, including retaking the exam and the application is
subject to the Rules and Regulations in effect at the time of the new
application.
Providing documentation that previous infractions have been
addressed/corrected, i.e., treatment for mental illness, alcohol and/or drug
addiction or abuse or other substance addiction or type of
abuse.
