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Scope and Goal of the NASW Metro-DC Course Accreditation Program (CAP)

The NASW DC-Metro Chapter Course Accreditation Program (CAP) serves as a recognized accrediting body for continuing education in the field of behavioral and mental health, in accordance with the District of Columbia Board of Social Work Regulations Section 7008.4 of Title 17

The NASW Metro-DC Course Accreditation Program (CAP) endorses synchronous and asynchronous educational programs, including workshops, seminars, and conferences, that meet the core competencies required for active social workers' licensure renewal.

The District of Columbia Department of Health, Health Regulation and Licensing Administration (HRLA), mandates licensed social workers to complete a minimum of 40 hours of continuing education (CE) related to social work practice during each two-year licensure term. Of these hours, no more than 12 may be obtained through home study, distance learning, or online courses (17 DCMR § 7008.4(a)).

Effective Date: June 16, 2024, all applicable credentials issued will expire on the last day of the license holder’s birth month. This change is authorized under Chapter 40, Section 4006.3 of the DCMR.

Synchronous vs. Asynchronous: Choosing Your Learning Path

Synchronous Educational Programs: These programs for social workers include live classes, webinars, and workshops that facilitate real-time interaction between participants and instructors. This format aligns with the Board's decision to recognize "live-interactive webinars" as equivalent to "in-person" continuing education credits (CEs). To meet licensure requirements, at least 28 of the 40 total hours must be completed through live, in-person programs or "live-interactive webinars.

Synchronous CE Endorsement Types - Workshops, Conferences, and Series 

An approved synchronous program encompasses live, in-person training or live-interactive webinars, categorized as follows:

Workshop: An approved program with a fixed title, content, and instructor. Participants are required to attend the entire workshop to receive the same number of credit hours.

Conference: A multi-day event conducted over consecutive days that may include concurrent workshops. Attendees can earn varying continuing education (CE) credit hours from breakout sessions throughout the conference.

Series: A collection of workshops focused on a general theme, featuring different topics and speakers for each session. Attendees can earn varying continuing education (CE) credit hours upon completing the entire series.

Asynchronous CE Endorsement for Distance Learning - On Demand

Recorded Video

An approved asynchronous program is an online distance learning recorded video without concurrent sessions.

Asynchronous Educational Programs: These programs allow participants to access course materials, lectures, and assignments at their own pace, without requiring real-time interaction. This approach complies with the Board's definition of asynchronous activities, which includes distance learning or online activities that earn continuing education credits through audio recordings, video presentations, or reading professional books and articles. It's important to note that no more than 12 hours of the required continuing education (CE) can be obtained through pre-recorded remote methods, such as on-demand internet courses, home studies, or distance learning.

Asynchronous Guidelines

    • The proposed asynchronous program must be relevant to the above-approved topics of social work. 
    • An approved asynchronous program will only be accepted one time for any specific program.
      • 1 Program = $150
    • If you are submitting more than 1 program, you will need to return to the submission page and submit each additional program (we only allow 1 program per submission) 
    • The accepted program that has been approved; is not interchangeable. If the live, endorsed event is recorded for later use, the endorsement does not count for the asynchronous version. An approval application would need to be submitted.

 Accessibility and Disability Accommodations: Guidelines and Requirements ADA Compliance 

    To ensure that individuals with disabilities are not excluded from distance learning courses, all distance learning courses must be designed to be accessible to individuals with disabilities. This includes making adjustments to ensure that all participants can fully engage with the material.

    Additional Requirements for Social Workers per the DC Health Regulation and Licensing Administration

    Social workers must also fulfill the following requirements as stipulated by the Board:

      1. Six (6) hours of Ethics training
      2. Two (2) hours of LGBTQ training (permissible as an online course)
      3. Four (4) hours dedicated to Public Health Priorities (17 DCMR § 7008.4)

Peer Review Committee Evaluation Criteria - Requirements for CE Approval

    The NASW Metro-DC Peer Review Committee consists of Licensed Clinical Social Workers from the District of Columbia, each contributing specialized knowledge from diverse practice areas. The Committee will evaluate applications to ensure that the following topics fulfill the licensure renewal requirements for social workers in the District of Columbia.

    Programs should address the following topics to meet the licensure renewal requirements for social workers in the District of Columbia.

                                                                  Approved Topics and Key Evaluation Criteria 

    • Leadership/Management
    • Aging
    • Addictions/Substance Abuse
    • Case Management
    • Child Abuse/Family Violence
    • Children, Youth, & Families
    • Clinical/Behavioral Health
    • Spirituality/Mind-Body Wellness
    • Community Organization/Social Policy
    • Ethics & Boundary Issues
    • Health/HIV/AIDS/Palliative Care
    • Private Practice
    • School Social Work
    • Human Rights/Peace/Advocacy
    • Research & Evaluation
    • Public Health Priorities
    • LGBTQIA+ 

    The programs must clearly articulate their learning objectives, supported by detailed agendas, timelines, and content outlines. This structured approach should align with the NASW Standards for Continuing Professional Education (NASW, 2002).

    Ethics Hours (17 DCMR § 7008.4(c): To qualify as ethics hours, training must address at least one of the six ethical standards outlined in the NASW Code of Ethics

    The Code serves six purposes:

    1. Core Values: Identifies the foundational values of social work's mission.
    2. Ethical Principles: Summarizes broad ethical principles and sets specific standards for guiding practice.
    3. Conflict Resolution: Aids social workers in navigating conflicts and ethical uncertainties.
    4. Public Accountability: Provides standards for public accountability of the social work profession.
    5. Professional Socialization: Introduces new practitioners to the mission, values, and principles of social work while encouraging ongoing education and self-care.
    1. Conduct Assessment: Establishes criteria for assessing unethical conduct within the profession, with NASW having formal procedures for adjudicating ethics complaints. Social workers must cooperate with the Code's implementation and abide by NASW disciplinary rulings.

    The topics for Public Health Priorities ( § 3-1203.02(12)) will be reviewed by the committee to ensure compliance. 

    Application Submission Deadlines and Retroactive Approval Policy

    Applications, along with all supporting documentation, must be submitted electronically through the online form at least 45 days before the program date(s) via the Chapter’s website. The review process will not begin until all required documents are received, and the appropriate processing fee has been paid. Late fees will apply for applications submitted after the 45-day deadline (refer to the Fee Chart). Applications submitted fewer than 5 business days before the start of the training will not be accepted or reviewed.

    Retroactive Approval: The Chapter generally does not accept applications for trainings that have already occurred. However, exceptions may be made on a case-by-case basis. To be considered for retroactive approval, the training must have taken place within three (3) months of the application submission, and both the standard and retroactive fees must be paid (refer to the Fee Chart).

    The committee will review applications within 10 business days.

    Please refer to the Fee Chart for details on late fees and timelines.

    Program Planning and Requirements 

    One hour of instructional time is equivalent to one CE hour.

    Social Worker Participation - A social worker must be involved in the planning and evaluation of the program.

    Instructor Credentials - Instructors or workshop leaders must possess appropriate credentials in their respective fields of practice.

    Qualifications for Instructors - Instructors are deemed qualified based on the following factors:

    Competence in Subject Matter - Evidence may include:

      • Work experience
      • Formal education and training
      • History of publications and public speaking
      • Recognition by peers (e.g., certificates, licenses, titles, awards


    Post-Event Requirements

    Submission Deadlines and Retroactive Approval PolicyThe sponsoring organizer must fulfill the following responsibilities to ensure compliance with NASW Metro DC:

    Submission of EvidenceOrganizers are required to submit evidence of participation by providing an attendance roster and an Evaluation Summary following the event.

    Important Message for Conferences and Series

    For multi-day trainings where full attendance across all event dates is not required and the sessions are interdependent, your roster should use separate worksheets to organize event titles, event dates, participants' names, and the allocated earned CEs. Separate certificates must be purchased for each event date to ensure the Continuing Education (CE) credits issued accurately reflect the specific title and CE earned on that particular date. Otherwise, a single certificate will be issued under the approved main application title.

    Submission Timeline

    Synchronous Events: Attendance rosters and evaluation summaries must be submitted within 30 days after the completion of the training to facilitate timely certificate generation.

    Asynchronous Events: Attendance rosters and evaluation summaries should be submitted biweekly upon completion of the approved recorded on-demand video.

    DC CAP Fee Chart638635802190409901

    Continuing Education Credit Records & Issuance of Certificates

    Permanent Records

    NASW Metro DC maintains comprehensive records of all applications, approvals, rejections, attendance, evaluation summaries, and Continuing Education (CE) certificates issued.

    Instructions for Purchasing Certificates

                    • Click on the Store tab.
                    • Select Certificate Purchase
                    • Select CE (Metro-DC NON MEMBER) Certificate (priced at $12).
                    • Choose the correct quantity of certificates needed.
                    • Fill out the required information in the text box.
                    • Make sure you use the same email address provided at your event.
                    • Check Out: Complete the purchase.

Participants of an approved conference or series may purchase a certificate for each breakout title or series title, provided that post-event documentation has been submitted as outlined in the Post-Event Requirements section. Otherwise, a single certificate can be purchased under the approved main application title.

DC


                                                            Thank you for selecting the NASW Metro DC Course Accreditation Program. 



Step 1. Complete Your Metro-DC CAP Application Here.


Step 2. Purchase Your Application Here.

🛑 Please enter the required information in the text box on the application page, BEFORE adding the application order to your cart. 🛑