DC Legislative Advocacy

Updated November 2026

The Greater Washington Society for Clinical Social Work’s DC legislative committee monitors policies, legislation, and licensing issues affecting clinical social workers and the people we serve. Through member updates and opportunities for participation, we help clinical social workers stay informed and bring their professional experience to public policy discussions.

DC Licensure and Renewal

DC Health is transitioning professional licenses to a birth-month renewal cycle. Check the expiration date on your individual license and your DC Health account when planning your renewal.

Applications, renewals, license verification, and current Board notices are available through the DC Board of Social Work. The pandemic-era temporary licensure waiver has ended.

Continuing Education

For a standard two-year renewal cycle, the Board’s current CE guidance requires 40 hours of approved continuing education, including:

No more than 12 hours may come from prerecorded or self-study courses. Live, interactive webinars allow real-time participation and qualify as live programs.

Different requirements may apply to first-time renewals and shortened renewal cycles during the birth-month transition. Review the Board’s Continuing Education Requirements for the requirements that apply to your license.

Public Health Priorities

DC Health’s updated public health priorities identify five domains:

• Sexual and reproductive health
• Chronic disease management
• One Health, addressing connections among human, animal, and environmental health
• Healthcare professional retention and capacity building
• Community and patient safety

Topics relevant to clinical social work include suicide prevention, burnout, substance use, cultural humility, violence prevention, and the effects of social media. Review the DC Health public health priorities notice when selecting courses.

Social Work Licensure Compact

The Social Work Licensure Compact is intended to provide an additional pathway for eligible social workers to practice across participating jurisdictions. As of November 2026, multistate licenses are not yet being issued. Passage of compact legislation does not itself authorize practice across state lines.

Visit the official Social Work Licensure Compact website for implementation updates, eligibility information, and jurisdiction participation.

Stay Connected With the DC Board

Board meetings offer an opportunity to follow licensing and regulatory developments. The Board generally meets on the fourth Monday of the month at 10 a.m., although dates may change.

Visit the DC Board of Social Work website for meeting dates, access information, agendas, and minutes.

Get Involved in DC Advocacy

Your clinical experience can help explain how public policy affects access to care and everyday practice. Members can contribute by:

• Reviewing proposed legislation or regulations.
• Helping prepare member updates or testimony.
• Following Board meetings and identifying issues affecting clinical practice.
• Responding to GWSCSW advocacy alerts.
• Sharing professional expertise with the DC legislative committee.

Learn more through GWSCSW’s Committees and Volunteer Opportunities. To express interest or suggest an issue for the committee’s attention, contact admin@gwscsw.org. Please omit identifying client information.

Earlier Advocacy Updates

Earlier articles remain available below as a record of GWSCSW’s advocacy work. Licensing deadlines, emergency policies, and legislative developments described in those articles reflect their publication dates.