NJ LCSW supervisor requirements, the 20-hour course and the Proposed Plan

Who can supervise LCSW hours

• A clinical social worker licensed by New Jersey (N.J.A.C. 13:44G-8.1(b)2)
• Licensed as an LCSW for at least three years (8.1(b)3.i)
• At least 20 continuing education credits of post-graduate coursework in clinical supervision approved by the Board. “A Seminar in Field Instruction (SIFI) course shall not satisfy this requirement either in whole or in part” (8.1(b)3.ii)

Do the three years have to be in New Jersey?

No, by the Board's motion of May 8, 2024, as its FAQ states it: “It is not required that the LCSW clinical supervisor have been licensed at the clinical level for all three years in New Jersey specifically.” The Proposed Plan form (Rev. 4/11/25) still asks whether the supervisor has held a New Jersey LCSW for at least three years. Follow the FAQ, and if the supervisor's earlier years were in another state, ask the Board how to answer that question on the form.

The 20-hour clinical supervision course

The Board approves a supervision course only if it (8.1(c)):

• Is taught by an LCSW who is qualified to supervise LSWs
• Is taught in person by that LCSW
• Meets the Board's rules for continuing education (6.4)
• Covers five topics: developmental models of supervision; the role of supervision in the practice environment; legal and ethical issues in supervision; cultural competency and supervision; and transference and countertransference in clinical practice and supervision

Which courses are approved?

The Board publishes a list, “Approved Clinical Supervision Courses (December 2019)”. It includes, among others, the NASW-NJ Clinical Social Work Supervision Certification Course, the Rutgers Clinical Supervision Series, Monmouth University, the Carlton Munson curriculum, the Zur Institute and Ocean Mental Health Services, and marks some courses as no longer offered.

The list is from 2019 and cites the rule's old number, and we found no newer one. A course's approval lasts only until it changes instructor, sponsor or content; then it must be approved again (8.1(d)). The Board hasn't said whether a live online course counts as “taught in person”. Before you enroll, confirm with the provider, and if in doubt with the Board, that the course as it is taught now is Board-approved.

Limits on the supervisor

• At most six social workers working toward the LCSW at one time, and at most four in one supervision group (8.1(f))
• Written progress reports on the LSW, to the LSW and the employer, at least every three months (8.1(h))
• Before starting, the LSW shows proof of licensure and the supervisor verifies it (8.1(e))
• Supervision covers the diagnosis and treatment of each client and the LSW's cases, with oversight and guidance in diagnosing and treating, and regular review of the LSW's work (8.1(b)1)
• At least one hour of face-to-face individual or group supervision every week; individual supervision by HIPAA-compliant live video for no more than half of the total (8.1(b)1.v)

NJ LCSW supervision: the weekly hour, video and the Board's waivers

What the LSW tells clients

That they practice under supervision, and who the supervisor is (8.1(g)). An LSW may not provide clinical services through a private practice they own, wholly or in part (8.1(a)).

A supervisor outside the agency

Where no supervision is available on site, the LSW can arrange off-site supervision with the employer's written consent, and gets each client's written consent to share records with the supervisor (8.1(i)). The Board's FAQ asks for the employer's letter to be notarized and on letterhead.

The Proposed Plan of Supervised Clinical Experience

• Optional but strongly recommended, best filed before the start date: “to allow the Board to approve/deny/offer feedback to the LSW about clinical supervision before the hours have been completed”. It can also be filed during supervision or when something changes; the Board doesn't advise it with only a few months left
• Uploaded to the LSW's online profile; not by mail or email; no fee
• One plan for each job title, employer and supervisor
• Attached: the supervisor's 20-hour course certificate, the official HR job description on agency letterhead (the Board won't accept a letter written for you), the employer's letter if the supervisor isn't employed there, and the supervisor's resume or CV

What the Proposed Plan asks

• The LSW's details, job title and work site
• The supervisor's details: the three years as an LCSW, the date the 20 credits were completed, any discipline, current supervisees with their license numbers, and any out-of-state licenses and authority to supervise
• Whether the supervisor is employed at the site, and anything that would keep the supervisor from assessing the LSW objectively
• The dates, the learning objectives, the primary clinical duties and whether they are in the job description, and any other supervisors
• Whether both have read New Jersey's law, and whether the supervisor agrees “to maintain weekly supervision notes and co-sign a client contact log which shall be made available to the Board upon request”
• The supervisor must tell the Board in writing of any change in either person's employment within 30 days

At the end: the Documentation form

When the LSW applies for the LCSW, the Documentation of Supervised Clinical Experience form asks whether a Proposed Plan was filed, and if so, includes the Board's letter about it. The supervisor attaches a separate sheet describing the direct clinical services the LSW provided, with the HR job description, the supervisor's CV and 20-credit certificate, and the outside-supervision letter if there was one.

New Jersey's Documentation of Supervised Clinical Experience form, explained