What is the difference between lmsw and lcsw

Find jobs. Company reviews. Find salaries. Upload your resume. Sign in. Finding a Job. What is an LMSW? What is an LCSW? Hold group therapy and counseling sessions for clients managing similar situations Secure resources like housing, food and employment support for welfare clients Perform administrative duties like updating client records and managing billing in a clinical setting Complete patient intake and assist LCSWs with clinical plan design when working in a clinical setting Refer clients needing specialized clinical support to an LCSW.

Assess patients and clients for mental health conditions, emotional disorders or addiction disorders Create tailored treatment plans to improve clients' well-being Coordinate with social service providers to secure resources for clients Provide counseling services to individuals, families or small groups Maintain client records Supervise LMSWs in clinical social work responsibilities.

Independence in practice. Job outlook. Again, requirements vary by state, but social workers interested in becoming an LCSW typically will need to earn an MSW from a CSWE-accredited program and complete between 3, and 4, hours of direct clinical work with at least one hour per week of clinical supervision. For most people, this equates to two to three years of full-time work in a clinically focused job following the completion of their MSW.

Applicants are required to take a licensure exam that demonstrates their competence in handling a range of ethical issues, safety concerns, diagnostic skills, and best practices in clinical interventions. Social workers who hold an LCSW or equivalent license can be hired in a wide range of direct-service positions. Examples include roles in schools and hospitals, drug rehabilitation centers, inpatient psychiatric facilities, outpatient mental health clinics, and as emergency and crisis evaluators.

Social workers with an advanced clinical license can operate their own private practices and be reimbursed by insurance companies for their services. While LMSWs may be generalized or specialized in the type of social work they focus on, LCSWs are specialists who focus on providing services for behavioral, emotional and mental health issues. Some LCSWs do go into macro work, using their expertise and experience in clinical work to work on organizational and policy issues. For a general comparison, an LCSW is the licensing a step above an LMSW, because it has additional requirements that expand the knowledge and experience of the social worker.

The ASWB notes that local areas define social work licensure practice requirements. Social workers can generate an online report comparing social work requirements in North America. Though there are state-by-state differences, the requirements tend to be similar throughout the United States. The clinical exam is focused on demonstrating competence to handle ethical issues, diagnoses, safety concerns and best practices in clinical interventions.

The amount of supervised experience required will depend on the state where the license is obtained. Generally, the supervised experience requirement is about two to three years of full-time work in a clinically focused job.

Those wages may reflect the pay of social workers in private practice, like LCSWs. Some social workers with an MSW degree change roles throughout their careers. There is a great deal of crossover in the knowledge, skills, and abilities required for both licensing paths, but what is the difference between an LMSW and LCSW?

Based on exam outlines from ASWB, some areas of commonality and distinction between the licenses include the following:.

Both exams cover key topics in human growth and development. However, the LMSW exam focuses on concepts of abuse and neglect and diversity, social justice, and oppression, whereas the LCSW exam places a larger focus on human behavior in the social environment.

The portion of the exams that focuses on professional values and ethics is similar across both tests, highlighting the way social workers will often face similar issues when it comes to maintaining professionalism, living up to the values of the industry, working with patients, and managing patient data ethically. Supervisors or individuals in private practice may need a deeper understanding of regulatory laws and systemic best practices, as they are responsible for defining operations where they work, and some fine distinctions in the exams cover that.

However, ethical issues are equally relevant across the profession. These exam topics demonstrate some of the crossover between the two licenses. They include many similar skills, areas of knowledge, and abilities. As such, the distinction between the LMSW vs. The LMSW serves as the first step to social work in clinical settings, even if it is not sufficient for full clinical practice. The LCSW is the final step in providing clinical social work care.