NASWNYS National Association of Social Workers

The New York State Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers awards Continuing Education Units (CEU) for programs that directly relate to the field of social work and meet specific criteria. Provider programs must be formally organized and integrate theoretical and practice components of social work practice, which includes social case work, clinical social work, community organization and planning, administration, and advocacy.

In accrediting programs offered by institutions of higher learning, public and private agencies, and other formally organized training centers, evidence of adherence to program objectives and methodologies appropriately suited to the educational needs of social work professionals must be demonstrated. Continuing education programs may range from a short workshop to a multiple day postgraduate training course.

In evaluating provider programs in terms of quality and relevance to the social work field, the following program elements are reviewed:

Providers may apply for accreditation as a Sponsor or for one Individual Program as follows

SPONSORSHIP STATUS (select one)

CSWE

Sponsor can provide unlimited number of programs in a 12-month period coincident with anniversary date of approval by NASW. The annual application fee is $750.

Sponsor can provide up to five (5) individual programs in a 12 month period coincident with anniversary date of approval by NASW-NYS. The annual application fee is $250

Provider can offer one program during a twelve month period. The annual application fee is $100 for a one-day program and $150 for a program that lasts two days or more. For any program that has received prior approval from another Chapter of NASW, the application fee is $75.00.

The completed Individual Program Approval application with supporting documentation must be submitted at least 60 days prior to program date to assure timely accreditation by NASW-NYS. The earlier the submission the better chance the program can be promoted through the Update membership newsletter and on our website.

Once accredited, a provider may present the identical program multiple times through out the 12- month period. Be sure to provide written notification to NASW-NYS with the times and location of the additional offerings of the approved program. Upon receipt of ample notification, the necessary Registration/Attendance Verification form (as described below) will be sent to the provider.

A PROGRAM EVALUATION FORM must be created for each program provided and given to each program participant to complete. It is used to assess the participant's satisfaction with the overall program and the degree to which the program objectives were met. The completed program evaluation form is returned to the provider and is maintained the provider's records.

CEUs are assigned on the basis of one unit for each contact hour. Final approval of the number of CEUs to be granted upon completion of an individual program will be determined by NASW-NYS Continuing Education Committee.

In calculating the contact hours involved in an educational activity, the following guidelines are to be followed:

1. Meeting time devoted to business or committee activities, time for study, assigned reading, reports, written assignments, and other related activities outside of the class or meeting schedule

2. Time allocated to social activities, coffee hours, breaks, luncheons, dinners, etc. (Luncheon or dinner presentations which are an integral part of the educational experience may be included.)

3. Introductory, question and answer, or review sessions are generally not included in calculating contact hours, unless they present new instructional information.

Only the number of complete instructional hours will be considered in assigning CEUs.

The provider is responsible for establishing and maintaining a cumulative record of all CEUs awarded to individual participants. This is to be available for a three-year period following program completion. The record may be issued as an official statement or transcript upon the request of the participant. As well, it may be used as a reference for the learner, the administrator of the program and for verification by NASW-NYS.

A Registration/Attendance Verification Form will be provided to you by NASW-NYS. The completed form must contain the following information.

It is the program provider's responsibility to sign and give the attendance verification form to the participant upon successful program completion. Keep a copy for your records .

In addition to the information contained in the registration form, provider records maintained for the required three-year period should include:

For programs jointly sponsored by more than one organization, a decision must be made in the planning stage concerning which organization will record and report CEUs. In no instance, shall there be duplication in recording or reporting of CEUs.

PROMOTIONAL REQUIREMENT Once approved, all promotional literature must contain the following statement: "This program has been approved for ___ hours of continuing education under the auspices of the National Association of Social Workers New York State Continuing Education Recognition Program."

PROGRAM CONTENT Continuing education offerings for social workers should clearly relate to social work practice, theory and methodology or to social policy, administration and research in human services. Statements of educational objectives and learning outcomes should clearly reflect how the event meets this requirement.

AUDIENCE - When the educational offering is intended for participants from other professions in addition to social work, a special effort may be necessary to show how content requirements are fulfilled. The prerequisites for a particular offering should be clearly explicated.

PROGRAM FORMAT / INSTRUCTIONAL METHODOLOGY - Educational strategies and procedures employed to reach program objectives should be appropriately suited to the educational needs of the audience for whom the event is intended. The learner should generally not be a passive participant but rather be actively involved in the change effort. Additionally, programs should provide some flexibility, which enables participants to achieve their individual learning needs.

QUALIFIED INSTRUCTION Instructor(s)/speaker(s) may be recruited from any appropriate source in practice or educational settings, and should have the following qualification

INDIVIDUAL EVALUATION Satisfactory completion for some programs, such as postgraduate courses will require evaluation of the performance of the individual participant. This evaluation may take the form of a demonstration of the skill or information acquired. It may involve a project or written report; it may be limited to an oral or written test or examination covering the material to be mastered; or it may require other evidence of satisfactory completion.

For programs in which a performance evaluation of the participants is not deemed necessary, and attendance is the only criterion for satisfactory completion, then some method of verifying the attendance of individual participants must be utilized.

PROGRAM ANALYSIS Both immediate and long-range analysis of each program and of participant achievement by the program sponsor is essential for effectiveness of programs. The evaluation forms completed by the participants would be used to support the analysis.

APPEAL PROCESS In the event that an application for NASW-NYS accreditation of a continuing education offering is not approved, the applicant may request, in writing, that the application be reconsidered for approval. Any such request should include reasons for which the applicant believes the accreditation should be granted. If after re-review the accreditation appeal is denied, the applicant may request that the Professional Development Committee of the Chapter review the application. The Executive Committee of the Board of Directors will review any Professional Development Committee recommendations on the matter of accreditation of the offering for final approval.