What is a Registered Clinical
Social Worker?

I am a Registered Clinical Social Worker (RCSW). The British Columbia College of Social Workers (BCCSW) offers two primary registration categories: Registered Social Worker (RSW) and Registered Clinical Social Worker (RCSW). The RCSW designation is a distinct category that recognizes advanced competencies in psychotherapy, including specialized training, skills, and supervision. Legally, only individuals registered as RCSWs may use the title "clinical social worker" in British Columbia.

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Requirements for RCSW Registration:

To qualify for RCSW status, applicants must meet the following criteria:

• Hold a Master of Social Work (MSW) degree from an accredited university;

• Provide proof of coursework in three key areas:

  • Human Development and Behaviour

  • Assessment and Diagnosis (DSM)

  • Psychotherapy and Clinical Practice

• Complete at least 3,000 hours of supervised, post-graduate clinical social work experience;

• Pass the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) North American Clinical Exam.

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RCSWs are authorized to engage in “clinical social work” as defined by Bylaw 42(1), which involves:

• Applying social work theories and knowledge; and

• Independently using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) to assess, diagnose, treat, and prevent mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders—
  all for the purpose of delivering advanced therapeutic interventions that support personal, interpersonal, and social functioning.