Certification: Certified Social Worker in Health Care (C-SWHC)
750 1st Street NE, Suite 700, Washington, DC 20002-4241
Health care is a dynamic field, influenced by changes in<br>patient characteristics and needs, lifestyle, new technology, popular belief, social, and health policy, national and local economies, cost, competition and regulation.<br>Changes in the health care field directly affect the practice of social work in health care settings. As new<br>technologies for the diagnosis and treatment are developed, they impact the quality and duration of the lives of our patients. Social workers respond to these changing<br>care needs by modifying and expanding methods for providing services.<br>Social work in health care can be defined broadly as the professional continuum of services designed to help individuals, groups, and families improve or maintain<br>optimal functioning in relation to their health. Social work activities are focused on the biopsychosocial<br>components of health and/or mental health from a strengths-based perspective. Social work services are available to all patients and their families, particularly those at high risk such as the frail elderly, children or adults with chronic illnesses, victims of maltreatment, those with life altering illnesses or accidents, and patients who are uninsured or underinsured.
- More than two years of education or training after high school required?
- Yes
- More than two years of work experience required?
- Yes
- Oral or Written Exam Required?
- Yes
- Renewal Required?
- Every 2 Year(s)
- Renew through Continuing Educational Units(CEU)?
- Yes
- Renew through Re-Examination?
- No
- Renew through Continuing Professional Development(CPD)?
- No
- Does applicant have choice of at least two options from above for renewal (CEU, CPD, or exam)?
- No
Specialty
The certification corresponds to a specialty within a recognized occupation. For example, Oncology Nurse and Pediatric Nurse are specialties within the nursing field, so Certified Oncology Nurse and Certified Pediatric Nurse would be classified as specialty certifications.