MD Advocacy
| Maryland Legislative AdvocacyUpdated November 2026 The Greater Washington Society for Clinical Social Work’s Maryland advocacy work focuses on policies, legislation, and licensing issues affecting clinical social workers and the people we serve. Through member updates and opportunities for participation, we help clinical social workers stay informed and bring their professional experience to public policy discussions. Maryland Licensure and RenewalThe Maryland Board of Social Work Examiners oversees social work licensure, renewal, professional standards, and continuing education. Check your individual license expiration date and review the Board’s instructions before beginning your renewal. Standard renewed licenses cover a two-year period from November 1 through October 31. Review the Board’s renewal guidance for current procedures, background-check requirements, and required documentation. If your license has expired, contact the Board about the appropriate steps before practicing. Applications, license information, and current notices are available through the Maryland Board of Social Work Examiners. Continuing EducationFor a standard two-year renewal period, LMSW, LCSW, and LCSW-C licensees must complete 40 approved continuing education units. LBSW licensees must complete 30 units.
These topic requirements are included within the total required units. Continuing education units cannot be carried over from one renewal period to the next. Before registering for a course, confirm that its sponsor, content, and category meet Maryland’s requirements. Review the Board’s continuing education resources and COMAR 10.42.06.03. Newly licensed social workers should also review the Board’s CE FAQs for requirements that apply to their first renewal. Implicit Bias and Structural Racism TrainingMaryland requires applicants to attest to completing an approved implicit bias and structural racism training program at their first license or certificate renewal after April 1, 2026. This is a separate requirement from the recurring anti-oppressive practice CE requirement. Do not assume an earlier implicit-bias course satisfies the newer requirement, or that a course automatically counts toward both. Review Maryland Department of Health’s training guidance and confirm course eligibility with the Board. Teletherapy and Cross-State PracticeLicensing requirements depend on where the client is physically located when services are provided. A social worker generally needs a Maryland license to provide teletherapy to a client located in Maryland. A client’s temporary travel to another jurisdiction may also affect whether services can continue. Before providing cross-state services, review the requirements of the jurisdiction where the client will be located. Maryland’s pandemic-era temporary arrangements should not be relied on as current authority to practice. Consult the Board’s Teletherapy FAQs and teletherapy regulations for information about licensure, supervision, and professional responsibilities. Social Work Licensure CompactMaryland enacted legislation joining the Social Work Licensure Compact in 2025. The compact is intended to provide an additional pathway for eligible social workers to practice across participating jurisdictions.
As of November 2026, multistate licenses are not yet being issued. Maryland’s participation in the compact does not, by itself, authorize cross-state practice.
Read the Maryland compact legislation and visit the official Social Work Licensure Compact website for implementation updates, eligibility information, and participating jurisdictions. Stay Connected With the Maryland BoardThe public may attend the open sessions of Board meetings. The Board currently lists an 11:00 a.m. start time and alternates between virtual and in-person meetings. Dates, times, and access arrangements may change. Check the Board meeting calendar for agendas, minutes, meeting locations, virtual access, and instructions for submitting questions or comments. Get Involved in Maryland AdvocacyYour clinical experience can help explain how public policy affects access to care and everyday practice. Members can contribute by:
Learn more through GWSCSW’s Committees and Volunteer Opportunities. To express interest or suggest an issue for the committee’s attention, contact admin@gwscsw.org. Please omit identifying client information. Earlier Advocacy UpdatesEarlier articles remain available as a record of GWSCSW’s Maryland advocacy work. Licensing deadlines, emergency policies, and legislative developments described in those articles reflect their publication dates and may have changed.
This page provides general information and links to official resources. The Maryland Board of Social Work Examiners and applicable laws and regulations govern individual licensing and practice requirements.
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