2016 Colorado Revised Statutes
Title 12 - Professions and Occupations
Health Care
Article 43 - Mental Health
Part 4 - Social Workers
§ 12-43-405. Rights and privileges of licensure and a social work degree

(1) Any person who possesses a valid, unsuspended, and unrevoked license as a social worker that was issued pursuant to section 12-43-404 has the right to practice social work under supervision and use the title "licensed social worker", "social worker", and the abbreviation "LSW". No other person shall assume these titles or use these abbreviations on any work or letter, sign, figure, or device to indicate that the person using the same is a licensed social worker or a social worker.

(2) Any person who possesses a valid, unsuspended, and unrevoked license as a clinical social worker that was granted pursuant to section 12-43-404 is entitled to engage in the private, independent practice of clinical social work and has the right to practice and supervise clinical social work practice and use the title "licensed clinical social worker", "clinical social worker", "social worker", or "licensed social worker", and the abbreviation "LCSW". No other person shall assume these titles or use these abbreviations on any work or letter, sign, figure, or device to indicate that the person using the same is a licensed clinical social worker or social worker.

(3) (a) (Deleted by amendment, L. 2005, p. 128, § 8, effective August 8, 2005.)

(b) Any person engaged in providing medically related social services in skilled nursing or nursing care facilities shall not be subject to the requirements of this article so long as that person meets the qualifications of, and provides services in accordance with, the federal regulations governing the medicare and medicaid program participation of these facilities and the Colorado department of public health and environment's regulations for the licensing of these facilities.

(4) Any person duly licensed as a licensed clinical social worker or any person under the supervision of a licensed clinical social worker shall not be required to obtain any other license or certification to practice social work, as defined in section 12-43-403, unless otherwise required by the board of social work examiners.

(5) Any person possessing an earned master's or bachelor's degree in social work from a social work education program accredited by the council on social work education, or a doctoral degree in social work from a doctoral program within a social work education program accredited by the council on social work education has the right to practice social work and to use the title "social worker". Only a person licensed as a clinical social worker or practicing under the supervision of a licensed clinical social worker may assert that he or she is practicing clinical social work or use the title of "clinical social worker".

(5) Any person who has completed an earned master's or bachelor's degree in social work from a social work education program accredited by the council on social work education, or a doctoral degree in social work from a doctoral program within a social work education program accredited by the council on social work education, has the right to practice social work and to use the title "social worker". Only a person licensed as a clinical social worker or practicing under the supervision of a licensed clinical social worker may assert that he or she is practicing clinical social work or use the title of "clinical social worker".