Licensure (LCSW): All of the social workers at Pathways for Aging have earned a Master’s degree in social work and are licensed and monitored by the State of Missouri. The LCSW behind most of our social worker’s names stands for Licensed Clinical Social Worker. In order to become an LCSW, a person must first obtain a Bachelor’s Degree and then a Master’s Degree in Social Work. After achieving the Master’s Degree, a social worker must take the national ASWB clinical social work license exam AND work under the supervision of a licensed and experienced clinical social worker for at least 3,000 hours over two years. If a person has passed their exam and is working to complete their 3,000 hours of supervised practice, they become a Licensed Master Social Worker, referred to as a LMSW. Social Workers with the LMSW are held to the same standards as those with an LCSW, and they must complete the same requirements while also completely their 3,000 hours of supervised practice. All LCSWs and LMSWs must complete 15 clock hours of continuing education each year and maintain their license in good standing.
Social Workers are trained in Biopsychosocial Theory which seeks to meet every 
client in their situation and use interventions that fit the individual person. Social Workers are trained to look at clients’ overall situation from a variety of angles to determine the most effective interventions. Social Workers also utilize other community resources and frequently refer to them as a way of maximizing the efficacy of the interventions and aiding the client toward their goals. All social workers receive extensive training in ethics and are required to adhere to the National Association of Social Work’s Code of Ethics.
Pathways for Aging social workers strive to help change society’s attitudes about aging by starting with individual older adults and improving how they live and approach life. Our social workers bring a wide variety of professional experiences to Pathways for Aging. Prior to working with us, our social workers have worked in hospice care, medical social work, hospitals, in-patient and out-patient mental health services, homelessness, spiritual care, adult day centers, criminal justice, developmental disability services, and in refugee resettlement. All have multi-cultural training and experience. We work with older and disabled adults regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, political belief, or disability.
Watch this video to find out more about the social work profession and how our education, training and licensure makes us uniquely qualified to work as Geriatric Care Managers and Psychotherapists.
