Remote LCSW & LMFT Jobs in Alaska

How To Become a LCSW or LMFT in Alaska

How to Become an LCSW in Alaska

To start down the path toward licensure as an LCSW in Alaska, you must first hold a bachelor’s degree in social work from an accredited four-year college or university. Other requirements include:

• Education and additional coursework: You must obtain a master’s or doctorate degree in social work (MSW).

• Experience: Candidates must complete a minimum of two years of continuous full-time employment in postgraduate clinical social work, including a minimum of 3,000 hours of supervised employment within 10 years.

• Exams: You must pass the examination administered by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB), which tests applicants on topics including assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and interventions, as well as ethics and values.

• Fees: Alaska requires LCSW candidates to pay a $100 application fee and $325 license fee. The fee for the ASWB clinical exam is $260.

How to Become an LMFT in Alaska

The first step to becoming an LMFT candidate in Alaska is to earn a bachelor’s degree. Once you’ve met this preliminary requirement, pursue the following:

• Education: Candidates must obtain a master’s or doctorate degree in marriage and family therapy or a related mental health field from a regionally accredited institution.

• Experience: As a prerequisite to licensure, you must complete at least 1,500 hours of clinical contact hours and 200 hours of supervision (100 of direct supervision and 100 of group supervision).

• Exams: LMFT candidates in Alaska are required to pass the "Examination in Marital and Family Therapy," created by the Association of Marital and Family Therapy Regulatory Boards (AMFTRB).

• Fees: You must pay a $350 application fee and a $1,250 license fee. There is also a $365 fee for the AMFTRB exam.

Requirements for Remote Mental Health Workers (LCSWs & LMFTs) in Alaska

Individuals who are licensed to practice as an LCSW or LMFT in Alaska will be able to find a role that suits them whether living in Anchorage, Juneau, Fairbanks, or other regions in the state. You can also work from home via a number of full-time and part-time virtual work opportunities for remote LCSWs and LMFTs in Alaska.

Those interested in applying for a role as a remote mental health therapist should be aware of the following:

• Work-from-home therapist: Remote LMFTs and LCSWs must provide the same quality of care as their counterparts who work at a brick-and-mortar facility. The key difference is that instead of seeing clients in-person, remote therapists use phones, websites, web platforms, and other technology to connect with clients. When offering virtual therapy, note that you can only treat clients in the state that approved your license.

• Skills of successful remote therapists: To create a successful therapy practice, you must have excellent communication skills. This is particularly true for those who offer teletherapy. Before offering virtual mental health therapy, you may decide to begin your practice with in-person sessions. Once you polish your one-on-one skills, you can add remote treatment to your offerings.

• Necessary documentation: When applying for remote social work jobs, make sure to keep your resume updated and include appropriate documentation showing your education and credentials.

• Additional training: As a remote mental health therapist, you must stay up-to-date on the latest technology to best serve your clients’ needs. Telemedicine companies often provide training to educate clinicians on how to use relevant platforms, and best practices for professional webside manner. You may be required to appear on-site for training and work for various times.
  

Open positions for remote LMFTs and LCSWs in Alaska are often posted on job posting sites like Indeed, ZipRecruiter, Glassdoor, and LinkedIn, so these are good places to start your search for virtual therapy work opportunities.