Iowa Social Workers CE Requirements, Accreditations & Approvals

Iowa Social Workers

As a Jointly Accredited Organization, NetCE is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved under this program. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. NetCE maintains responsibility for this course.

The Iowa Board of Social Work accepts courses from any provider who is ASWB approved.

Continuing Education Requirement

Attention Iowa Social Workers: Licensees will have until June 30, 2021 to complete the continuing education required for license renewal for licenses set to expire on December 31, 2020. Licensees may renew prior to completing the required continuing education. In order to complete the renewal application, licensees will need to attest to completion of the required continuing education, so licensees should attest to the completion of the required hours if they have completed, or plan to complete, the required continuing education by June 30, 2021. Additionally, all of the required continuing education may be obtained online. For more information, please visit https://idph.iowa.gov/Portals/1/userfiles/90/2020_11_10%20-%20Iowa%20Board%20of%20Social%20Work%20Guidance%20%281%29.pdf.

The Iowa Board of Social Work accepts NetCE courses.

LBSWs, LISWs, and LMSWs are required 27 hours every two years, 12 of which may be completed by independent study.*

A minimum of 3 of the 27 hours must be in ethics and licensees in supervisory roles are required 3 hours on the topic of supervision every two years.

Effective July 1, 2019, all licensees who are mandatory reporters are required 2 hours in identifying and reporting abuse in children, unless exempt. For all subsequent renewals, licensees are required 1 hour of recertification training every three years.**

Effective July 1, 2019, all licensees who are mandatory reporters are required 2 hours in identifying and reporting abuse in dependent adults, unless exempt. For all subsequent renewals, licensees are required 1 hour of recertification training every three years.**

*NetCE courses are considered independent study.

**The initial 2 hours must be completed within the first six months of employment/self-employment, and the 1-hour recertification course will be available in 2022. All mandatory reporter training may only be completed through the Iowa Department of Human Services. See training here: https://dhs.iowa.gov/child-welfare/mandatoryreporter.

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For More Information

Please contact the Iowa Board of Social Work at (515) 281-4422 or https://www.legis.iowa.gov/DOCS/ACO/IAC/LINC/Chapter.645.281.pdf for additional information regarding your continuing education.