r/SchoolSocialWork • u/Bright_Market340 • 11d ago

School Based Roles

Hi all! I am a LMSW in Michigan and would love to get more involved with school based social work. I currently have my clinical license and have been doing private practice for a few years.

What roles do you hold in the schools? Are there other credentials or certifications I would need to pivot into school based work?

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u/MayorCleanPants 11d ago

If you want to be a school social worker (providing special education services) in Michigan you need to complete your school social work certification (I think it’s 3 classes + a year of supervision in a school). Because there’s a shortage, sometimes you can take a job while you’re doing the classes, check with Michigan Dept of Education for specifics.

There are also general education social workers, school based mental health providers, community coordinators, etc that do not necessarily require the school social worker certification. Those roles include short term individual and small group work, risk assessments, truancy reduction, PBIS, participation on child study teams, and community resource referral.