Texas LCSW ClinicalSupervision

To obtain your LCSW in Texas, you must complete:

• 3,000 hours of supervised clinical social work practice

• 100 hours of supervision with a Board-approved LCSW-S

• A minimum supervision period of 24 months

Supervision focuses on assessment, diagnosis, treatment planning, ethical practice, documentation, and professional development — preparing you for independent clinical work. We will develop a structured supervision plan that keeps you organized, supported, and on track.

The board has determined that if you assess, diagnose, and treat mental health or substance abuse issues using DSM-5-TR criteria for at least four hours per week, you are eligible for LCSW supervision. 

Don’t get too concerned about making a formal diagnosis. In many settings, it is the physicians, psychiatrists, or independently licensed mental health professionals who diagnose clients or patients. If you’re using a diagnostic skill set and/or screening tools when working with clients or patients, you are fulfilling this requirement. As long as you have personal client or patient interactions and utilize clinical skills, you probably meet LCSW supervision criteria.

I suggest creating a binder or computer folder for your supervision documents. You will need to track your supervision hours, months, and work hours. My scheduling software also tracks your supervision hours and months. BHEC requires that we both keep these records.

*If you completed supervision at any time in the past, and you have a signed verification form confirming your previous supervision, that time will count towards the requirements for supervision in Texas. Even documented out-of-state supervision has been approved by BHEC.

Jurisprudence Examination. You must take this when you apply for any social work license or to reclassify your LMSW to LCSW. The certificate for taking the exam is only valid for 6 months. This costs $39.

Clinical Supervision Verification Form for LCSW. Complete this form once you have completed supervision, if you wish to stop supervision, or if you wish to change supervisors.

Texas State Board of Social Worker Examiners. This is the new Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council website for anything else you might need.

Online Scheduling. Once you are in my supervision program, you can view a log of your past sessions and manage your schedule online.

We will set up a brief 15 minute consultation call to make sure we are a good fit. Once ready to proceed, we will complete a social work supervision agreement and clinical supervision plan. I will also provide you with a template for a letter that a representative from your company needs to sign; this letter acknowledges that you’re receiving supervision outside your company. No paperwork needs to be submitted to the board until after you finish supervision and pass your LCSW exam.

Most supervisees meet weekly or bi-weekly, depending on clinical hours worked. We’ll create a schedule that aligns with Texas requirements and your professional setting.

You typically will need to work about 30 hours a week in a social work job to complete requirements in about 24 months. If you don’t work 30 hours, you are still eligible, but it will take longer to complete your requirements. Part-time employees need 1 hour of clinical supervision for every 40 hours work. This works out to about 2-3 supervision hours a month. If you need to stop your supervision plan, we document your progress up to that point, and resume when ready. There is no longer a requirement to complete this supervision process in a certain amount of time.

Our time may include:

• Case consultation and clinical skill development

• Support with assessment, diagnosis, and treatment planning

• Documentation review

• Ethical and risk-management discussion

• Processing challenging cases

• Professional identity exploration