The Florida Center for Behavioral Health Workforce (FCBHW) has commissioned a team of 小黄鸭视频 researchers to investigate the licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) licensure exam pathway in Florida. The state is facing a critical workforce challenge: too many registered clinical social work interns are unable to pass the national exam required for independent practice.
Passing the national exam is one of the final steps to becoming a licensed clinical social worker. While candidates complete an accredited graduate program and demonstrate competency through supervised clinical experiences, Florida鈥檚 pass rates remain well below the national average. In 2023, the first-time pass rate for the clinical social work exam in Florida was 53.6%, compared to the national average of 73.4%. Only 24.8% of candidates passed the exam on a repeat attempt in the same year (Association of Social Work Boards, June 2024).
Leading this mission-critical project are Roxann Taormina, PhD, MSW, assistant research professor in the Department of Child and Family Studies (CFS); Cathy Sowell, MSW, LCSW, associate in research in CFS; and Chris Simmons, PhD, LCSW, interim director and associate professor of instruction in the School of Social Work.
To better understand and address this barrier, the research team will engage key stakeholders in the licensure pipeline 鈥� Master of Social Work (MSW) students, registered interns, licensed clinical social workers, program leaders and behavioral health agency partners 鈥� through a series of focus groups and interviews. These conversations will explore topics such as education and training, supervision, exam preparation and test-taking environments.
Findings from the project will inform the development of targeted trainings and support tools designed to improve pass rates and reduce bottlenecks in Florida鈥檚 behavioral health workforce pipeline.
This research aligns with FCBHW鈥檚 legislative mandate to grow, retain and innovate Florida鈥檚 behavioral health workforce through data-driven strategies that promote access to quality care across the state.