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How to Become an Approved Clinical Supervisor in Washington (LCSW Guide)

How to Become an Approved Clinical Supervisor in Washington (LCSW Guide)

If you’re a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in Washington wondering how to become an approved clinical supervisor, this guide walks you through the key steps and requirements. Whether you're hoping to give back to the profession or grow your practice, understanding Washington clinical supervisor requirements is crucial for ensuring your supervision is valid, ethical, and recognized by the state licensing board.


🧑‍⚖️ Supervisor Eligibility Requirements

To supervise licensure candidates in Washington, you must meet the criteria outlined in WAC 246-809-134. These standards apply to supervisors of associate-level social workers and other counseling professionals pursuing independent licensure.

📝 Prerequisites to Becoming an Approved Clinical Supervisor:

  • Hold an active, unrestricted license in good standing for at least the previous two years, as defined in WAC 246-809-110.

  • Not be a blood or legal relative, cohabitant, or recent provider of psychological services to the licensure candidate

  • Provide a Declaration Before Supervision Begins: Before beginning supervision, the approved supervisor must provide the licensure candidate with a declaration stating that the supervisor has met the requirements of this section and qualifies as an approved supervisor. The declaration will be on a form provided by the Department of Health.

✅ Supervisor Requirements:

Once you meet the prerequisites, you will need to fulfill the following additional requirements:

  • Complete a minimum of 15 clock hours of supervision training through one or more of the following:

    • A supervision course

    • Continuing education credits in clinical supervision

    • Supervision of supervision

    • Any combination of these

  • Accumulate 25 hours of experience providing clinical supervision
    (Note: Supervisors with an AAMFT Approved Supervisor credential automatically meet this requirement)

  • Demonstrate knowledge of the supervisee’s practice activities, including:

    • Practice setting

    • Recordkeeping practices (WAC 246-809-035)

    • Financial management

    • Ethics of clinical practice

    • Back-up plan for client care when the supervisee is unavailable

📄 Source: WAC 246-809-134 – Supervisor Requirements


🔄 Ongoing/Renewal CE Requirements

Once you’ve been approved as a clinical supervisor for LICSW candidates in Washington, there are no additional or separate continuing education (CE) requirements to maintain that supervisor designation.

However, you must continue to meet the standard renewal requirements for your LICSW license, which include:

32 hours of CE every two years, including::

  • At least 6 hours in professional ethics and law

  • At least 2 hours in professional roles and boundaries (These hours must be taken separately from the hours in professional ethics and law.)

  • 2 hours of health equity training every four years

  • 6 hours of suicide assessment, treatment, and management training every six years

📄 Suicide Prevention Training Requirement
Beginning July 1, 2017, healthcare professionals in Washington are required to complete suicide prevention training. You must select a course from the Washington Model List, which outlines the approved training programs that meet state criteria.

📄 Source: WAC 246-809-630 Continuing education requirements.


⚠️ Pitfalls to Avoid

Clinicians sometimes run into issues that result in supervision hours being rejected. Be sure to avoid these mistakes:

  • Supervisees not registered: Always verify that your supervisee has been officially registered with the Department of Health before beginning supervision.

  • Improper or missing documentation: Failure to maintain detailed supervision logs or submit the required declaration form can invalidate hours.

  • Supervisor not meeting state requirements: If you haven’t completed the required training or supervision experience before providing oversight, your hours may not count.


📘 How the Telehealth Certification Institute Helps You Meet Supervision CE Requirements

At the Telehealth Certification Institute (TCI), we offer a wide range of continuing education (CE) courses specifically designed to help behavioral health professionals meet Washington’s supervision training requirements for social workers. Our CE-only options are ideal for licensed clinicians who need practical, flexible, and accredited training.

🧰 Recommended Courses:

⚠️ Important Note About Washington CE Requirements

While TCI provides excellent resources to meet supervision-related CE requirements, please note:
Washington state requires specific training in health equity and suicide prevention that must be completed through state-approved courses. These requirements cannot be fulfilled through TCI’s standard CE offerings unless explicitly listed on Washington’s Model List of approved programs.

Health Equity (2 hours every four years)
Some of TCI’s Cultural Competence & Humility catalog courses may meet the state’s health equity CE requirements, but not all courses are guaranteed to fulfill all criteria. Washington's health equity CE training must include content related to:

  • Implicit bias training (to reduce bias during assessment and diagnosis, including topics like racism, poverty, and other health inequities)

  • Development of individual and system-level interventions for reducing health inequities, along with self-reflection on the licensee’s social position

  • Skills to care for diverse populations effectively, covering different cultures, communities, and groups

  • Application of health equity concepts in practice

Please review the full health equity training requirements on Washington’s official health equity training page to ensure any course you take meets the state’s specific standards.

Suicide Prevention (6 hours every six years)
None of TCI’s current courses meet the Washington state minimum standards for suicide prevention training. Washington’s state requirements include specific content on:

  • Suicide assessment, treatment, and management

  • Imminent harm via lethal means or self-injurious behaviors

  • Content specific to veterans

  • By July 1, 2024, courses must also include information on the 988 crisis hotline and best practices for connecting individuals to behavioral health crisis responses.

For more information on the minimum standards, visit Washington’s Suicide Prevention Training Programs - Model List.


🤝 Free Clinical Supervision Forum

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🌟 Why Choose TCI for Your Training?

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✅ 100% online & self-paced — learn at your own pace, from anywhere
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✅ Flexible, modular programs — pay only for the training you need


⚠️ Disclaimer

“The information provided in this article is for general educational purposes only and is not intended as legal advice. Licensing and supervision requirements may change, and interpretations may vary. It is the responsibility of each individual to verify the current rules and qualifications directly with their state licensing authority.”


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