Continuing Education

Continuing Education General Information--------------------------------------------------------

Oregon BLSW OAR 877-025-0001 states “a regulated social worker must complete and report continuing education according to the requirements of OAR 877, Division 025…" This rule excludes CSWA certificate holder and the FIRST renewal for LCSW, RBSW, and LMSW license holders.

All continuing education requirements for regulated social workers are due no later than their renewal date (last day of licensee's birth month). A licensee's continuing education reporting period begins the first day of the month following their renewal date and goes through the last day of their current renewal month. 

For example: a June 2025 renewal with a July 2025 expiration date will be able to submit continuing education certificates from July 1, 2023 - June 30, 2025.

For additional information about the renewal process and status changes, please refer to the Renewals and Status Change page. 

Continuing Education Entry Guidance--------------------------------------------------------------

To enter your continuing education in your Licensee Portal, please follow the steps below:

1. Log into the Oregon BLSW Licensee Portal - https://blsw.us.thentiacloud.net/webs/blsw/service/#/login
2. Click on the Continuing Education tab to the left of your dashboard screen
3. Add a new Continuing Education plan
4. Enter each continuing education activity individually, please make sure that the following is included in each entry and on each completion certificate:
1. Licensee Name
2. Full Title of Course
3. Date of Completion (if completed over multiple days, enter last day)
4. Credentialing Body (See list of Approved Credentialing Bodies)
5. Number of CE Credit Hours
6. Type of Continuing Education (Ethics, Cultural Competency or Clinical) 
   

Special Requirement Definitions---------------------------------------------------------------------

Ethics 

For a course to be considered for the Ethics requirement: it needs to be related to; Professional Boundaries, Confidentiality, Dual Relationships, Legal or Law courses, and Mandatory Reporting topics.

Please reference the Board of Licensed Social Workers Code of Ethics in OAR 877, Division 30 - Oregon Secretary of State Administrative Rules

Regulated social workers may also reference the NASW Code of Ethics. This is a set of standards that guide the professional conduct of social workers. It reflects the commitment to all social workers to uphold the professions values and to act ethically. 

Cultural Competency 

For a course to be considred for the cultural competency requirement, it should teach attitudes, knowledge and/or skills that enable you as a health care professional to communicate and care for your patients from diverse cultures, groups, and communities effectively (as definted by OAR 950-040-0010(3)(b) below). 

Examples of skills that would count include on or more of the following:

• applying linguistic skills to communicate effectively with patients
  
• using cultural information to establish a therapeutic relationship with a patient or patients
  
• and/or eliciting, understanding, or applying cultural/ethnic data while providing clinical care
  

 OAR 950-040-0010(3)(b) Culturally competent providers do not make assumptions on the basis of an individual's actual or perceived abilities, disabilities or traits whether inherent, genetic or developmental including race, color, spiritual beliefs, creed, age, tribal affiliation, national origin, immigration or refugee status, marital status, social-economic status, veteran's status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, gender transition status, level of formal education, physical or mental disability, medical condition or any consideration recognized under federal, state and local law.

OAR 950-040-0020(6)(a-c) Authority approved continuing education opportunities shall teach attitudes, knowledge and skills enabling health care professionals to effectively communicate with and care for patients from diverse cultures, groups, and communities. These skills may include:

1. Applying linguistic skills to communicate effectively with patients.
2. Using cultural information to establish therapeutic relationships.
   
3. Eliciting, understanding, and applying cultural and ethnic data in the process of clinical care.
   

Continuing Education Audits---------------------------------------------------------------------------

OAR 877-025-0021(3) states “the Board conducts routine, random audits of compliance with continuing education requirements. A regulated social work must retain completion certificates, program information, and other documents to demonstrate compliance with the requirements of this division of rules [OAR 877 Division 25] for a minimum of 24 months after reporting completion of continuing education requirements to the board and must provide them to the Board upon request."

Requirements by License------------------------------------------------------------------------------

List of Accepted Credentialing Bodies--------------------------------------------------------------

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Related Rules