OAR 877-001-0006: Definitions

(1) “Agency” for purposes of meeting the requirements of a Plan of supervision, as set out in Division 020 of this chapter, means a private or public organization that, through its employees, engages in clinical social work (defined in ORS 675.510 (2)) generally characterized by the following: (a) Cases are assigned through a central process; (b) Billing is centralized and done in the organization's name; (c) The organization collects all fees including deductibles and co-payments; (d) The organization controls client records and is responsible for their proper storage and destruction; (e) The organization displays its name on the premises so as to be clearly visible to clients; (f) The name of the organization is on all forms given to the client; (g) The organization maintains the responsibilities for hiring and firing of staff; (h) Supervision of clinical social work associates is provided on a regular basis; and (i) Policies and procedures of the organization are available in written form for the staff and clients. (2) “Authorization to practice regulated social work” is defined in ORS 675.510 as a certificate or license issued by the State Board of Licensed Social Workers under 675.510 to 675.600. (3) “Board” means the State Board of Licensed Social Workers established by ORS 675.590, unless otherwise specified. (4) “Clinical social work” means: (a) A specialty within the practice of master’s social work that requires the application of specialized clinical knowledge and advanced clinical skills to the assessment, diagnosis or treatment of mental, emotional or behavioral disorders or conditions, including but not limited to those identified in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) fifth edition; and (b) The application of services described in paragraph (a) of this subsection to the provision of individual, marital, couples, family or group counseling or psychotherapy. (5) “Clinical social worker” means a person who practices clinical social work. (6) “Clinical supervision” means an interactional professional relationship between a supervisor and a social worker that provides evaluation and direction over the supervisee’s practice of clinical social work and promotes continued development of the social worker’s knowledge, skills, and abilities to engage in the practice of clinical social work in an ethical and competent manner. (7) “Direct contact” for purposes of meeting the requirements of a Plan of Supervision, as set out in Division 020 of this chapter, means clinical social work practice hours by a licensee that are in-person or via live video-conferencing or tele-conferencing with a client. (8) “Email of record” means an email address where the licensee receives and sends electronic mail. (9) “Employer of record” means a licensee’s employer name and employer’s postal address. (10) “Good cause” means situations that are beyond the reasonable control of the licensee or certificate holder and “exceptional circumstances” means unforeseen circumstances that are of a very serious nature including, for example, the serious illness of the licensee or certificate holder. “Good cause” does not include situations where the action, delay, or failure to act by the licensee or certificate holder arises from mistake, neglect, reliance on a statement of board staff, lack of knowledge or understanding of the board’s statutes or rules, noncompliance with the board’s statutes or rules, or any circumstance that is within the reasonable control of the licensee or certificate holder. (11) Good moral character” lack of “good moral character” may be established by reference to acts or conduct which would cause a reasonable person to have substantial doubts about the individual’s honesty, fairness, and respect for the rights of others and for the laws of the state and the nation. The conduct or acts in question must be rationally connected to the applicant’s fitness to practice social work. (12) “Group supervision” for purposes of meeting the requirements of a Plan of Supervision, as set out in Division 020 of this chapter, means a meeting between a plan supervisor and no more than five (5) mental health professionals for purposes of meeting the supervision requirements set out in OAR 877-020-0009, 877-020-0010 and 877-020-0012. (13) “In writing” means a writing submitted to the board, either in hard-copy by postal mail, or electronically to the board’s posted email address. (14) “Licensee” means a regulated social worker or applicant for licensure, certification or registration as a regulated social worker. (15) “Mental health professional” means those who: (a) Hold a current license or certification for mental health service delivery issued by the State of Oregon; or (b) Are certified under the authority of ORS 430.256 and 430.357 as Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselors to provide alcohol and drug abuse prevention services, intervention services and treatment; or (c) Are employed by or contracting with an entity that is certified or licensed by the State of Oregon under ORS 430.610 to 430.695 to provide mental health treatment or addiction services, and authorized to use the designation of ‘Qualified Mental Health Professional ‘ or ‘Qualified Mental Health Associate’ under the rules of the State of Oregon. (16) “Name of record” means a licensee’s legal name. (17) “Postal address of record” means the place the licensee chooses to receive postal mail and may be either the licensee’s residence, place of employment, or a post office box. (18) “Practice of baccalaureate social work” means the basic, generalist practice of social work that includes assessment, planning, intervention, evaluation, case management, information and referral, non-clinical counseling, non-clinical supervision, consultation, education, advocacy, community organization, and the development, implementation and administration of policies, programs or activities. (19) “Practice of master’s social work” means social work characterized by the application of specialized knowledge and advanced practice skills in the areas of assessment, treatment planning, implementation or evaluation, case management or referral, non-clinical counseling, non-clinical supervision, consultation, education, research, advocacy, community organization, and the development, implementation and administration of policies, programs or activities. (20) “Practice of social work” means the application of social work theory, knowledge, methods and ethics to restore or enhance social, psychosocial or biopsychosocial functioning of an individual, couples, families, children, groups, organizations or communities, and may include private practice, administration, the provision of clinical supervision and teaching. (21) “Regulated social worker” is defined in ORS 675.510 as a baccalaureate social worker registered under 675.532, a master’s social worker licensed under 675.533, a clinical social work associate certified under 675.537, or a clinical social worker licensed under 675.530. (22) “Teaching” as used in subsection 20 of this rule, means providing instruction to one or more students in an academic or instructional setting by using one of the principles and methods listed in subsection (20) of this rule, but does not include the use of such teaching tools as role plays, process recordings, case discussions, or video or audio tapes of client interactions that do not involve providing mental health services to a live client in the class room setting.