New Mexico Register / Volume XXXVI,
Issue 19 / October 7, 2025
TITLE 16 OCCUPATIONAL AND PROFESSIONAL
LICENSING
CHAPTER 63 SOCIAL WORKERS
PART 12 CONTINUING EDUCATION
16.63.12.1 ISSUING AGENCY: Regulation and Licensing Department, Board of
Social Work Examiners P.O Box 25101, Santa Fe, NM 87504.
[16.63.12.1 NMAC –
Rp., 16.63.12.1 NMAC, 10/07/2025]
16.63.12.2 SCOPE: All baccalaureate social workers, masters
social workers, clinical social workers, and independent social workers.
[16.63.12.2 NMAC –
Rp., 16.63.12.2 NMAC, 10/07/2025]
16.63.12.3 STATUTORY AUTHORITY: These parts are promulgated pursuant to the
Social Work Practice Act, Section 61-31-1-25 NMSA 1978.
[16.63.12.3 NMAC –
Rp., 16.63.12.3 NMAC, 10/07/2025]
16.63.12.4 DURATION: Permanent
[16.63.12.4 NMAC –
Rp., 16.63.12.4 NMAC 10/07/2025]
16.63.12.5 EFFECTIVE DATE: October 07, 2025, unless a different date is
cited at the end of a section.
[16.63.12.5 NMAC –
Rp., 16.63.12.5 NMAC, 10/07/2025]
16.63.12.6 OBJECTIVE: To inform licensee of continuing education
hours required for license renewal, and the reporting process.
[16.63.12.6 NMAC –
Rp., 16.63.12.6 NMAC, 10/07/2025]
16.63.12.7 DEFINITIONS: [RESERVED]
16.63.12.8 CONTINUING EDUCATION REQUIREMENT: Continuing of education is required for social
workers to be re-licensed at any level. Continuing education is required by the
New Mexico board of social work examiners to ensure that social workers in New
Mexico are providing the highest quality professional services.
[16.63.12.8 NMAC –
Rp., 16.63.12.8 NMAC, 10/07/2025]
16.63.12.9 CONTINUING EDUCATION CREDIT: 30 hours of continuing education will be required
biennially. Six of the 30 hours must be
in the subject area of cultural awareness. Three of the 30 hours shall be in the subject
area of professional ethics. Proof of
participation in or presentation of continuing education activity must be
submitted with the license renewal request of the licensee is audited. All continuing education hours must be earned during
the current two year renewal period of July 1 thru June 30.
[16.63.12.9 NMAC –
Rp., 16.63.12.9 NMAC10/07/2025]
16.63.12.10 CONTINUING EDUCATION PARTICIPATION/FORMAL
SOCIAL WORK EDUCATION:
A three-hour college level course in
social work or courses which are designed to enhance the skills relevant to the
social worker’s professional activity will be accepted as equivalent to 30
hours. The social worker shall submit
transcripts directly to the board with renewal.
[16.63.12.10 NMAC
– Rp., 16.63.12.10 NMAC, 10/07/2025]
16.63.12.11 CONTINUING EDUCATION AGENTS: The board may identify and authorized any
continuing education agents. The agents will report directly to the board
concerning continuing education activity.
[16.63.12.11 NMAC
– Rp., 16.63.12.11 NMAC, 10/07/2025]
16.63.12.12 CONTINUING EDUCATION CREDIT CARRYOVER: All continuing education hours must be earned during
the current two-year renewal period of July 1 thru June 30; no carryover will
be permitted.
[16.63.12.12 NMAC
– Rp., 16.63.12.12 NMAC, 10/07/2025]
16.63.12.13 DOCUMENTATION OF PARTICIPATION: The board shall
audit a percentage of renewal applications each renewal period to verify the
continuing education requirement. The licensee must maintain proof of
continuing education courses taken for the past four years.
A. If a notice of audit letter sent to the licensee evidence of
proof continuing education hours earned during the renewal period must be
submitted to the board as requested and as required in the Social Work Practice
Act and by this rule.
B. If the licensee is not audited, all documentation of
attendance and agendas must be retained by the licensee for a minimum of four
years immediately preceding the current renewal.
C. The board reserves the right to audited
a licensee’s continuing education records as it deems necessary.
D. The board does not maintain a list of continuing education
providers. The licensee must determine where to obtain the required continuing
education.
E. Each licensee will maintain documentation of all completed
continuing education, including contact information for the provider of each course.
F. If all continuing education requirements are not met by
the expiration date of the licensee or granted extension date, the licensee
shall ne subject to disciplinary action;
(1) renewing licensee will be randomly
selected for audit; the board may audit continuing education records at any time
before the next schedule license renewal or when deemed appropriate by the
board;
(2) the licensee will be notified by email
when selected for audit and will be given a deadline to submit the continuing
education proof of completion;
(3) Failure to respond to request by the
board may be subject to fine and other penalties
determined appropriate by the board;
(4) The board may, at its discretion,
accept a sworn affidavit of evidence of certificate/license
holder compliance with continuing education requirements in support of renewal
application in lieu of documented evidence of such.
G. An individual who submits records or a
sworn affidavit on their renewal application to demonstrate compliance
with continuing education requirements but is found to be non-compliant during
a random audit will be subject to fines and other
penalties determined appropriate by the board.
[16.63.12.13 NMAC
– Rp., 16.63.12.13 NMAC, 10/07/2025]
16.63.12.14 CONTINUING EDUCATION PROFESSIONAL
DISCRETION:
The social worker may choose up to seven hours per renewal which is
self-directed. The social worker may
select education programs, reading and audio or video-taped materials which are
in the domain of social work. Preparation
time, not to exceed the length of the presentation and time accumulated in presenting
a social work seminar or workshop is included in this section. Documentation of discretionary continuing education
hours will be in accordance with guidelines established by the board of social
work examiners. Activities which include
personal scope such as sports, hobbies, etc. are not acceptable for credit nor is person therapy. The
social worker seeking re-licensure shall report continuing education hours
directly to the board upon application for license renewal. Approval of credit under this section is
within the board’s discretion.
[16.63.12.14 NMAC
– Rp., 16.63.12.14 NMAC, 10/07/2025]
16.63.12.15 FAILURE TO MEET CONTINUING EDUCATION
REQUIREMENTS:
Failure to meet continuing education
requirements will cause the board to refuse to renew the social work license in
accordance with the Uniform Licensing Act.
[16.63.12.15 NMAC
– N,16.63.12.15 NMAC, 10/07/2025]
HISTORY OF
16.63.12 NMAC:
Pre-NMAC History: The material in
this part was derived from that previously filed with the Commission of Public
Records-State Records Center and Archives:
Rule 12,
Continuing Education, 4/15/91.
Rule 12 Continuing
Education, 5/22/92.
History of
Repealed Material:
16.63.12 NMAC, Continuing Education, filed 06/22/1992,
was repealed and replaced with 16.63.12 NMAC, Continuing
Education, effective 10/07/2025.