Iowa Code § 154C.1

As used in this chapter unless the context otherwise requires: 1. “Board” means the board of behavioral health professionals established in chapter 147. 2. “Licensee” means a person licensed to practice social work. 3. “Practice of social work” means the professional activity of licensees which is directed at enhancing or restoring people’s capacity for social functioning, whether impaired by environmental, emotional, or physical factors, with particular attention to the person-in-situation configuration. The social work profession represents a body of knowledge requiring progressively more sophisticated analytic and intervention skills, and includes the application of psychosocial theory methods to individuals, couples, families, groups, and communities. The practice of social work does not include the making of a medical diagnosis, or the treatment of conditions or disorders of biological etiology except treatment of conditions or disorders which involve psychosocial aspects and conditions. The practice of social work for each of the categories of social work licensure includes the following: a. Bachelor social workers provide psychosocial assessment and intervention through direct contact with clients or referral of clients to other qualified resources for assistance, including but not limited to performance of social histories, problem identification, establishment of goals and monitoring of progress, interviewing techniques, counseling, social work administration, supervision, evaluation, interdisciplinary consultation and collaboration, and research of service delivery including development and implementation of organizational policies and procedures in program management. b. Master social workers are qualified to perform the practice of bachelor social workers and provide psychosocial assessment, diagnosis, and treatment, including but not limited to performance of psychosocial histories, problem identification and evaluation of symptoms and behavior, assessment of psychosocial and behavioral strengths and weaknesses, effects of the environment on behavior, psychosocial therapy with individuals, couples, families, and groups, establishment of treatment goals and monitoring progress, differential treatment planning, and interdisciplinary consultation and collaboration. c. Independent social workers are qualified to perform the practice of master social workers as a private practice. 4. “Private practice” means social work practice conducted only by an independent social worker who is either self-employed or a member of a partnership or of a group practice providing diagnosis and treatment of mental and emotional disorders or conditions. 5. “Supervision” means the direction of social work practice in face-to-face sessions. 84 Acts, ch 1075, §1; 96 Acts, ch 1035, §5; 2007 Acts, ch 10, §147; 2024 Acts, ch 1170, §504 Referred to in §154C.6\n\n 154C.2 License required — exception — use of title. 1. A person shall not engage in the practice of social work unless the person is licensed pursuant to this chapter. A person who is not licensed pursuant to this chapter shall not use\n\nTue Dec 09 22:25:14 2025 Iowa Code 2026, Chapter 154C (25, 0) §154C.2, SOCIAL WORK 2\n\nwords or titles which imply or represent that the person is a licensed bachelor social worker, licensed master social worker, or licensed independent social worker. 2. Notwithstanding subsection 1, persons trained as bachelor social workers, or employed as bachelor social workers, are not required to be licensed. 3. Section 147.83 does not apply to persons who are not licensed as bachelor social workers and who do not hold themselves out as licensed bachelor social workers. 84 Acts, ch 1075, §2; 96 Acts, ch 1035, §6