Continuing education / Requirements / Michigan
Michigan social worker CE requirements
Michigan LBSWs and LMSWs need 45 approved continuing education contact hours during a full three-year renewal cycle. Include 5 hours in ethics, 2 in pain and symptom management, and 2 in human trafficking. You also need 3 hours of implicit bias training for a three-year license cycle.
Plan your live hours before choosing self-study courses: at least half of the 45 hours must permit live, synchronous contact. Human trafficking CE is recurring for social workers, even if you already completed the separate initial human trafficking training.
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What the board requires
Mandated topics
Included in the 45 contact hours.
Related course: Ethics and Professional Boundaries. 3 hours, self-paced and asynchronous (home study, not a live webinar). It covers 3 of the 5 hours required, so you would need additional hours elsewhere. Not yet CE-approved for this license: until an approval is confirmed, it counts as professional development only.
Included in the 45 hours. Relevant content can include pain psychology, behavior management and stress management.
R 338.2961 requires 2 of the 45 hours in human trafficking each cycle. This is separate from the initial training standard.
One hour for each year of the license cycle. Training may also count toward CE if it meets the profession's CE rules.
Related course: Implicit Bias in Clinical Decisions. 1 hour, self-paced and asynchronous (home study, not a live webinar). It covers 1 of the 3 hours required, so you would need additional hours elsewhere. Not yet CE-approved for this license: until an approval is confirmed, it counts as professional development only.
Complete training meeting R 338.2929 for initial licensure. The rule specifies content rather than a minimum duration; recurring human trafficking CE still applies.
Format and self-study limits
Where our courses fit. Every Psychology.com course is self-paced and asynchronous: you read and listen on your own schedule and finish with an online exam. Where your board separates home study, self-study, distance or non-interactive CE from live or synchronous CE, our courses fall in the first group. They never count as live, interactive or in-person training.
At least 22.5 of the 45 hours must be in person or allow live, synchronous contact. Up to 22.5 hours may use other approved formats. Live webinars can satisfy the synchronous portion. An asynchronous implicit bias webinar is permitted under the revised general rule, but remains subject to the social work format limit when counted as CE.
Which providers count
R 338.2963 accepts social work programs approved or offered by ASWB, NASW or a state NASW chapter; qualifying social work educational programs; and programs approved by another state social work board. APA or NBCC approval alone is not a listed automatic approval route. Check both the provider and the individual activity.
Implicit bias training must include strategies to reduce health care disparities and pre- and post-training implicit bias assessments. Eligible sponsors include recognized health organizations, state or federal agencies, qualifying board-approved educational programs, accredited colleges or universities, and organizations specializing in diversity, equity and inclusion.
Reporting and audits
Your renewal application certifies compliance. Keep documentation for five years after applying for renewal. CE Broker tracking is optional; LARA requires uploading documentation there if you are selected for a CE audit.
Keep implicit bias documentation for 6 years after applying for licensure or renewal under R 338.7004, even when the general CE retention period is shorter.
First renewal
The 45-hour rule is tied to having held the license for the full three-year period before expiration. A shorter initial period does not trigger that full-cycle requirement. Initial licensure training and applicable implicit bias renewal training still need attention. These totals describe full LBSW and LMSW licenses, not limited licenses.
Initial applicants must complete 2 hours of implicit bias training within the 5 years before license issuance, separately from the recurring renewal requirement.
Common questions
How many CE hours does a Michigan LMSW need?
45 hours per full three-year cycle, with the topic minimums above. Implicit bias may count within the total when the activity also qualifies as social work CE.
Can I complete Michigan social work CE online?
Yes. At least 22.5 hours must allow live contact, which can include live webinars. The other 22.5 may use approved self-study formats.
Is human trafficking training only required once?
Initial training is one time, but LBSWs and LMSWs must also earn 2 human trafficking CE hours each renewal cycle.
Do I need one implicit bias hour every calendar year?
The rule calculates hours from the length of your license cycle. Complete 3 hours before renewing a three-year license; it does not require a separate course in each calendar year.
Can unused CE hours count toward my next renewal?
No. Michigan prohibits carrying social work CE hours into the next cycle and counting the same course twice in one cycle.
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Not legal advice. This guide summarizes board rules for convenience. Your board's current published rules control.
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