Remote LCSW & LMFT Jobs in Arizona

How To Become an LCSW or LMFT in Arizona

How to Become an LCSW in Arizona

The first step to becoming a licensed clinical social worker in Arizona is to earn a bachelor’s degree in social work (BSW) from an accredited four-year college or university. Once prospective remote LCSWs in Arizona meet the preliminary requirements, you need to pursue the following:

• Education and additional coursework: Candidates must have at least a master’s degree in social work (MSW) to be eligible for licensure.

• Experience: Prior to licensure, you must complete 3,200 hours of paid clinical experience. That time must include 1,600 hours of face-to-face client contact.

• Exams: You must apply for licensure to the Arizona Board of Behavioral Health Examiners. When the application is approved, you are eligible to take the national clinical exam administered by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB). The 170-question exam covers topics such as assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and interventions. It also covers ethics and values.

• Fees: Arizona requires a $250 fee for LCSW licensure application and a $260 fee for the ASWB clinical exam. Additional fees are required for specialized certification.

How to Become an LMFT in Arizona

If you want to become a licensed marriage and family therapist in Arizona, you must have a bachelor’s degree in a topic related to the behavioral sciences from an accredited four-year college or university. Once prospective remote LMFTs in Arizona meet the preliminary requirements, you need to pursue the following:

• Education and additional coursework: You must have a master’s or doctoral degree in marriage and family therapy, or a degree in another behavioral science topic. The program must include 300 hours of supervised direct client contact.

• Experience: Arizona requires LMFT candidates to complete 3,200 hours of supervised work experience within two years. Of that total, 1,600 hours must be direct client contact, 1,000 of which are with families and/or couples. You must also complete 100 hours of direct clinical supervision, with 75 of those hours under supervision by a Board-approved LMFT.

• Exams: After earning the appropriate master’s degree and meeting the Arizona clinical experience requirements, you can submit an application for licensure to the Arizona Marriage and Family Therapy Licensure Board. Once approved, you are eligible to take the Marital and Family Therapy Exam developed by the Association of Marital and Family Therapy Regulatory Boards (AMFTRB).

• Fees: Arizona requires a $200 fee for LMFT licensure and a $365 fee for the AMFTRB exam.

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

Those licensed by Arizona to practice as an LCSW or LMFT can decide which type of position suits them best whether they live in Phoenix, Tucson, Mesa, Chandler, or anywhere else in the state.

If you want to become a remote LCSW or remote LMFT, there are plenty of full-time and part-time virtual work opportunities available in Arizona.

Here’s what you should know before applying:

• Work-from-home therapist: When you work as a remote mental health therapist, you will perform the same duties as your counterparts who work on site. The key difference is that you will conduct virtual sessions with clients using computers, smartphones, video conferencing platforms, and other technology. All therapists can only treat clients in the state in which they are licensed, so a LCSW or LMFT licensed in Arizona must only accept clients from that state.

• Skills of successful remote therapists: When you provide virtual mental health therapy, you must hone your technical and communication skills to properly treat your clients. Many therapists actually begin their careers by offering in-person therapy so they can hone their verbal skills prior to offering teletherapy.

• Necessary documentation: All therapists, remote or on-site, should keep their professional paperwork up-to-date. This allows you to provide potential or current employers with documentation in a timely manner.

• Additional training: Telemedicine companies often provide training to educate clinicians on how to use relevant technology and platforms, as well as best practices for good webside manner.

Companies hiring remote LCSWs and LMFTs in Arizona often post open positions on job posting sites like Indeed, ZipRecruiter, Glassdoor, and LinkedIn, so this is a great place to start looking for virtual therapy work opportunities.