Licensure and Gatekeeping in the Helping Professions
A Comparative Study of Social Work and Counseling in South Carolina
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18060/28624Keywords:
Social Work, Counseling, Accreditation, Licensure, Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP)Abstract
Since the early 1900s, the regulation of social work practice has been a contested topic of discussion and debate in the social work profession. One of the ways in which social work and other helping professions can be regulated is through obtaining a license. Oftentimes, a license for social work, as well as for other helping professions, includes a licensure examination. Due to racial disparities found in licensure passage rates, researchers have asked questions of importance and relevance to the social work profession. This article examines the accreditation of the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) social work programs alongside the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) counseling programs. It also addresses the licensure policies and procedures for social workers and counselors in South Carolina, providing a comparative and contrasting analysis. Recommendations include streamlined licensure processes for SW and Counseling, greater transparency in exam passage by demographic and training specializations and supporting social work and counseling students and alumni effectively.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Aubrey Lynne Sejuit, Anthony James Hill, Katherine Howell DeWitt
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