Remote LCSW & LMFT Jobs in Florida

How To Become a LCSW or LMFT in Florida

How to Become an LCSW in Florida

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

• Education and additional coursework: Candidates must have master’s degrees in social work (MSW) from a Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) accredited school of social work showing graduate level coursework.

• Experience: As a prerequisite to licensure, LCSW candidates in Florida must complete two years of post-master’s experience under the supervision of a licensed clinical social worker. It’s vital to ensure the experience is documented on the Verification of Clinical Experience Form to count toward licensures. The experience must include:

  • At least 100 hours of supervision in no less than 100 weeks

  • 1,500 hours of face-to-face psychotherapy with clients

  • 1 hour of supervision every two weeks

• Exams: After meeting the above requirements, you can submit an application for licensure to the Florida Social Work Certification and Licensure Board. Once approved, you can register 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: You must pay $180 to cover LCSW licensure application fee, initial licensure fee, and an unlicensed activity fee. Candidates must also pay a $260 fee for the ASWB clinical exam. Additional fees are required for specialized certification.

How to Become an LMFT in Florida

The first step to becoming a licensed marriage and family therapist in Florida is to earn 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 Florida meet the preliminary requirements, you need to pursue the following:

• Education and additional coursework: The candidate must have a master’s degree in marriage and family therapy, or a closely related field. Florida sets 36 minimum credit hours, and candidates must have three semester hours or four quarter hours in each of the following:

  • Techniques and theory of marriage counseling

  • Techniques and theory of family counseling

  • Personality theory or general counseling

  • Marriage and family system dynamics

  • Psychosocial theory

  • Psychopathology

  • Diagnosis, appraisal, and assessment

  • Human sexuality theory

  • Substance abuse theory/ counseling

  • Behavioral research (with an emphasis on clinical application)

  • Professional, ethical, and legal standards of practice

Many organizations offer these courses, including the National Association of Social Workers.

• Experience: Candidates must show they provided therapy to clients, under supervision, for two years (100 weeks, 1,500 hours).

• Exams: Candidates must pass the Marital and Family Therapy Exam developed by the Association of Marital and Family Therapy Regulatory Boards (AMFTRB).

• Fees: Florida requires a $200 fee for LMFT licensure and a fee of $224 for the AMFTRB exam. Candidates must also pay $75 to the Prometric testing site. The fee for licensure totals $205.

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

Once you earn your license as an LCSW or LMFT in Florida, you can decide which type of position suits you best whether you live in Orlando, Miami, Tampa, St. Petersburg, or elsewhere 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 Florida.

Here’s what you should know before applying:

• Work-from-home therapist: Remote mental health therapists perform the same duties as those who work in offices or health care facilities. The key difference is that they can work from anywhere, because they conduct virtual sessions with clients using a website, telephone, mobile application, or other virtual media. All therapists can only treat clients in the state in which they are licensed, so a LCSW or LMFT licensed in Florida must only accept clients from that state.

• Skills of successful remote therapists: All therapists must have excellent communication skills, especially remote workers. Many therapists actually treat patients in person before they transition to teletherapy. Therapists who work remotely must also become adept at the use of virtual mental health therapy tools and testing materials.

• Necessary documentation: When applying for remote jobs, be sure to update your resume and provide appropriate documentation showing your education and credentials.

• 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 Florida 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.