Oregon · Social Work
Oregon CSWA to LCSW: Hours, Supervision, and Reporting Requirements
Last updated September 30, 2026
Oregon's Clinical Social Work Associate (CSWA) credential is the supervised bridge between your MSW and independent practice as an LCSW. The Board of Licensed Social Workers (BLSW) sets the hour targets, the supervision cadence, and a reporting rhythm that trips up almost everyone at least once. Here is the whole picture in one place.
How many hours does a CSWA need for the LCSW in Oregon?
| Requirement | Hours | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Total work/practice hours | 3,500 | All clinical social work practice hours |
| Direct client hours | 2,000 | Subset of total — face-to-face clinical sessions resulting in assessment, diagnosis, or treatment |
| Total supervision hours | 100 | Individual + group combined |
| Individual supervision | 50 minimum | At least half of your supervision must be individual |
| Group supervision | up to 50 | The remainder may be group |
| Minimum duration | 24 months | You cannot finish faster even if the hours are done |
How often does a CSWA need supervision? Twice a month, in two separate sessions
Supervision must happen at least twice per month, in sessions of at least one hour each. One two-hour session does not count — the board wants two separate sessions. Your plan supervisor is approved by the board, with authority to review and consult on your caseload and treatment plans. The board's current report form says no more than 50 of your supervision hours may be with a supervisor who holds an Oregon license as a clinical psychologist, psychiatrist, marriage and family therapist, or professional counselor. You may use one supervisor for individual supervision and a different one for group.
When is the CSWA six-month report due?
This is the part most CSWAs find confusing. Your reporting windows are permanent and tied to your birth month:
- Windows end on the last day of your birth month and of your half-birthday month, alternating every six months.
- Your first window starts at your plan approval date and runs to the first boundary that leaves a meaningful reporting period — usually shorter than six months. If your plan starts only days before a boundary, the first window runs to the next boundary instead.
- Reports are due within 30 days of each window closing.
- The end months never change, even if your plan changes.
For example, a CSWA with a February birthday whose plan starts in late August reports on windows ending in February and August, every year, for the whole associate period.
Is the CSWA six-month report cumulative? No
Each report covers only that window's hours. The board's form says it directly: "Only report hours for the specific reporting period above. This is NOT a cumulative total of all Plan hours." A running total carried forward from your last report puts the same hours in front of the board twice.
The form itself is new. In September 2026 the board introduced the Clinical Social Worker Associate Six-Month Evaluation Report, and the copy on the board's site was posted September 23, 2026. If you are working from an older supervision report form, download the current one before your next window closes. Its hours block has five rows that add up:
- A. Direct client contact
- B. Individual supervision
- C. Group supervision
- D. Client-centered advocacy, consultation, evaluation, research, continuing education, and administrative time spent on notes, paperwork, treatment planning, and scheduling
- E. Total work hours, printed on the form as A+B+C+D=E
So your supervision hours sit inside your total work hours for the period, not beside them.
Two supervisors? Each completes a report, and your work hours go on only one
The form's instructions cover this case. If you have more than one supervisor, each supervisor completes a separate report, and you upload every report before you submit. To keep hours from being counted twice, the form asks you to document your work hours and direct client hours on only one of them.
When can a CSWA take the ASWB Clinical exam?
You can sit for the ASWB Clinical exam once you have accumulated 75 supervision hours and completed 24 months of supervised experience — both, not either. The exam is administered through Pearson VUE. You also need to pass the Oregon Jurisprudence Examination, an open-book test on state rules and statutes.
Taking time off as a CSWA: the 100-day line
The board's CSWA page gives the line in its answer about school-schedule summers. If you will not be working for 100 days or less, you do not need to go inactive: you email the board the dates you will be away. If you will not be practicing for more than 100 days, you will need to place your certificate on inactive status until you return. The board cites OAR 877-020-0010. Subsection (4) of that rule allows a temporary reduction in supervision meetings with written notice to the board, for one continuous stretch of no more than 100 days, once in a 12-month period. For any other kind of leave, ask the board before you go.
Leaving a job runs on a different clock. The board gives you 30 days to find an employer and submit a new plan of supervision. Without one, you will need to go inactive.
CSWA renewal and the move to LCSW
- Renewal: the CSWA certificate renews annually by the last day of your birth month ($79). There are no continuing-education requirements at the CSWA level.
- The transition: once your hours are approved, your plan is complete, and the exam is passed, the board emails you an LCSW Initial License Form — do not file an LCSW application yourself. The initial license fee is $260, and you stay under supervision as a CSWA until the LCSW is officially issued. If your hours are complete and you are just waiting on the exam or processing, supervision can drop to once per month for one hour.
Common questions
How are my CSWA six-month reporting windows calculated?▾
Your reporting windows are tied to your birth month: they end on the last day of your birth month and of your half-birthday month, alternating every six months. Your first window runs from your plan approval date to the first of those boundaries that leaves a meaningful reporting period — if your plan starts only days before a boundary, the first window runs to the next one instead. The end months are permanent even if your plan changes, and reports are due within 30 days of each window closing.
Can one two-hour supervision session cover my monthly requirement?▾
No. Oregon requires supervision at least twice per month in separate sessions of at least one hour each. A single two-hour session does not satisfy the twice-per-month rule.
When can I take the ASWB Clinical exam as a CSWA?▾
You become eligible after accumulating 75 supervision hours AND completing 24 months of supervised experience. Both conditions must be met — the board does not grant permission early. You must also pass the Oregon Jurisprudence Examination.
Is each BLSW supervision report cumulative?▾
No. The board form says explicitly: "Only report hours for the specific reporting period above. This is NOT a cumulative total of all Plan hours." Each six-month report covers only the hours earned inside that window.
Which form does a CSWA use for the six-month report?▾
The Clinical Social Worker Associate Six-Month Evaluation Report, which the board introduced in September 2026. The copy on the board's site was posted September 23, 2026. Its hours block has five rows: direct client contact, individual supervision, group supervision, a fourth row for advocacy, consultation, paperwork and similar work, and a total work hours row that is the sum of the other four.
What if I have two supervisors as a CSWA?▾
Each supervisor completes a separate six-month report, and you upload every report before you submit. To keep hours from being counted twice, the form asks you to document your work hours and direct client hours on only one of the reports.
What happens if I take time off from work as a CSWA?▾
The board's CSWA page gives the line in its answer about school-schedule summers: if you will not be working for 100 days or less, you do not need to go inactive, and you email the board the dates you will be away. If you will not be practicing for more than 100 days, you will need to place your certificate on inactive status until you return. The rule the board cites allows one continuous stretch of reduced supervision meetings, of no more than 100 days, once in a 12-month period. Leaving a job is separate: you have 30 days to find an employer and submit a new plan of supervision, and without one you will need to go inactive.
How do I transition from CSWA to LCSW once my hours are done?▾
Once all hours are approved, your plan is complete, and you have passed the ASWB Clinical exam, the board emails you an LCSW Initial License Form — do not submit a new LCSW application on your own. The initial LCSW license fee is $260, and you must remain under supervision as a CSWA until the LCSW is officially issued.
Official sources
This guide is informational, not legal advice. Licensure rules change. Always verify current requirements with your board before making decisions about your supervision plan, and flag any discrepancies to support@almostlicensed.com so we can fix them.