Section 1470.97  Independent Practice of Clinical Social Work

a)         Licensed social workers may not engage in the independent practice of clinical social work without a clinical social worker license. Independent practice of clinical social work means providing the services of or engaging in the practice of clinical social work, as defined in Section 3(5) of the Act, by an individual who regulates and is responsible for the individual's own practice or treatment procedures.

b)         Licensed social workers may provide clinical social work services as set forth in Section 3(5) of the Act.  When engaging in or providing clinical social work services as set forth in Section 3(5) of the Act, a licensed social worker may only do so under the order, control, and full professional responsibility of a licensed clinical social worker, a licensed clinical psychologist, or a psychiatrist, as defined in Section 1-121 of the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Code [405 ILCS 5] and shall not regulate or be responsible for the licensed social worker's own practice or treatment procedures.  Only experience supervised as provided for in Section 1470.20(a) is acceptable for the supervised clinical professional experience required for licensure as a licensed clinical social worker.

c)         When providing clinical social work services as set forth in Section 3(5) of the Act (in the independent practice of clinical social work), a licensed social worker shall always operate and represent themself as an employee of the independent practice and may not work as an independent contractor as defined by Internal Revenue Service regulations (see 26 CFR 31.3121(d)-1).

d)         A licensed social worker shall not, without a license as a clinical social worker issued by the Division:

1)         in any manner hold himself or herself out to the public as a clinical social worker or licensed clinical social worker under the Act;

2)         use the title "clinical social worker" or "Licensed Clinical Social Worker"; or

3)         offer to render to individuals, corporations, or the public clinical social work services if the words "Licensed Clinical Social Worker" or "clinical social work" are used to describe the person offering to render or rendering the services or to describe the services rendered or offered to be rendered.  (Section 10 of the Act)

(Source:  Amended at 48 Ill. Reg. 8825, effective June 4, 2024)