Professional Practice Guidance

USSWA is committed to supporting school social workers in maintaining high professional standards while pursuing licensure pathways. This page provides current guidance related to clinical supervision and LCSW licensure for those practicing in school settings.

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Current Understanding

At this time:

• The Utah Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL) continues to honor supervised clinical hours obtained in school settings when a qualified supervisor signs off that the experience meets statutory requirements.

• There has been no formal rule excluding school-based practice from qualifying clinical experience.

• Proposed supervision rule updates may require supervisees to submit a job description as part of the licensure review process.

We are actively monitoring these developments and seeking clarification where needed.

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Clinical Social Work Practice Under Utah Law

Utah statute defines clinical social work practice to include assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of mental and emotional conditions.

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When supervisors certify supervised hours, they are attesting that the supervisee’s experience reflects sufficient depth and breadth of clinical practice consistent with that statutory definition.

This means:

• Supervised practice must include clinical assessment and therapeutic intervention.

• Supervisors are responsible for ensuring supervisees gain experience across the full scope of clinical competencies, including diagnostic reasoning and application where appropriate.

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The School Setting Context

School-based clinical practice occurs within an educational system, which differs from traditional clinic settings. While formal DSM diagnoses may not always be entered into educational records, clinicians in schools are trained in diagnostic reasoning and may use diagnostic formulation to inform assessment, treatment planning, crisis response, and referral decisions.

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The absence of a documented diagnosis in a school record does not automatically mean diagnostic competencies are absent from supervision or clinical development. What matters is the depth and breadth of clinical experience under supervision.

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Job Descriptions & Role Clarity

If supervision rule updates require submission of a job description as part of licensure review, it becomes increasingly important that job descriptions accurately reflect the clinical responsibilities of school social workers.

District job descriptions across the state vary in how they describe:

• Clinical assessment

• Counseling and therapeutic services

• Crisis intervention and safety planning

• Coordination with community providers

• Mental health treatment responsibilities

Clear alignment between job descriptions, actual practice, and supervision documentation helps ensure licensure review processes accurately reflect the work being performed.

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Guidance for Supervisors & Supervisees

School-based supervisors and supervisees may wish to consider:

• Does the role include clinical assessment and intervention?

• Is there opportunity for diagnostic formulation experience when clinically appropriate?

• Is supervision structured intentionally to support development across assessment, diagnosis, and treatment?

• Does documentation reflect the clinical depth of the work being performed?

Intentional supervision planning supports both professional development and licensure readiness.

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What USSWA Is Doing

USSWA is:

• Seeking clarification regarding supervision rule implementation.

• Monitoring proposed rule changes.

• Supporting alignment between statutory definitions, supervision expectations, and school-based practice.

• Developing guidance to strengthen clarity for districts, supervisors, and clinicians.

Our goal is to ensure that school-based clinical social work continues to be clearly understood, well-supported, and aligned with professional standards.

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Questions?

If you have questions about supervision, licensure, or clinical practice in school settings, please reach out to USSWA leadership.

We are committed to keeping members informed as this evolves.