An Ethical Understanding of TN Social Work Licensure Law . . .
This workshop will provide information and clarity regarding the path for advanced licensure in the state of Tennessee.  A thorough review of the current rules will help participants understand the requirements and the eligibility for advanced licensure as a clinical or advanced generalist social worker. Case scenarios will help participants understand how to conceptualize and document accurately the social work experience.  Clarification will also be given regarding the role of the supervisor and how to accurately accumulate supervision hours and contact hours. 
 Learning Objectives:

The Tennessee Association of Mental Health Organizations (TAMHO) has been approved by the National Association of Social Workers – Tennessee Chapter to offer up to 3.0 continuing education units for An Ethical Understanding of TN Social Work Licensure Law in 2023.

 

Social workers in attendance at this workshop are encouraged to review Chapter 1365-1 to ensure the workshop they are attending is applicable and appropriate to their professional development.  The Tennessee Board of Social Work Certification and Licensure does not pre-approve continuing education programs.  It is the responsibility of the LMSW/LCSW, using their professional judgment, to justify that the continuing educational program meets the guidelines of Chapter 1365-1 and is relevant to their professional practice.  If you have any additional comments or questions, please contact Melissa West at 615-321-5095 or mwest.naswtn@socialworkers.org.

 

 
SPEAKER . . .
Paula D. Foster, MSW, LCSW, received her Bachelor’s degree in Social Work from Louisiana College in 1986 and her Master’s degree from the City University of New York, Hunter College School of Social Work in 1993.  During her 13 years in NYC, Paula worked in a variety of culturally diverse settings throughout the city including the NYC public hospital system and a number of non-profit organizations.  After receiving her Master’s degree, Paula began working in the field of HIV/AIDS and homelessness, continuing this work after moving to Nashville in 2001 as the Director of Emotional & Practical Support for Nashville CARES, Tennessee’s leading provider of community based social services for people living with HIV/AIDS.  She has served as a Co-chair of the Ryan White Part A Planning Council for the Metro-Nashville Transitional Grant Area, providing input regarding the funding of services to the HIV/AIDS service community. Paula has been an adjunct instructor in the Social Work department at Tennessee State University and an adjunct instructor and field liaison for the University of Tennessee’s School of Social Work, Nashville campus.  She was a practicing faculty member at Vanderbilt’s School of Nursing, for the Vanderbilt Program in Inter-professional Learning. She also teaches a Social Services Competency Based Training at TSU’s Center for Excellence in Learning Sciences.  Paula was the Executive Director of the Tennessee Conference on Social Welfare (TCSW), a statewide advocacy and training organization and in 2020 she moved on to be the Executive Director of Open Table Nashville providing outreach and housing advocacy for Nashville’s most vulnerable citizens.  Paula’s experience spans a variety of service areas including advocacy, healthcare, mental healthcare, substance abuse, hospice and homelessness.  She is a past President of the Board of Directors for NASW-TN and has served as the Region VII Representative to the national board of directors of the National Association of Social Workers in Washington, DC. In 2008, Paula co-chaired the task force that created and advanced the legislation through the TN General Assembly that overhauled social work licensure law and revised the rules and regulations for the Board of Social Work Licensure.  Paula was a trainer with the HIV/AIDS Spectrum Project of NASW and has developed extensive educational workshops for social workers throughout the state of Tennessee.  In 2011, she was honored as NASW-TN’s Social Worker of the Year.  Paula has served on a number of non-profit boards including Saddle Up!, the TN Disability Coalition, the Women’s Political Collaborative, Nashville Pride and was a mayoral appointment to the Metropolitan Nashville Homelessness Commission in 2016.  The commission merged with the HUD mandated Nashville Continuum of Care in 2018 becoming the Nashville Davidson County Continuum of Care Homelessness Planning Council where she served as chair of the council for two consecutive years.