Remote LCSW & LMFT Jobs in West Virginia

How To Become a LCSW or LMFT in West Virginia

How to Become an LCSW in West Virginia

To become an LCSW in West Virginia, you must first hold a bachelor’s degree in social work from an accredited four-year college or university. Once you obtain this, you need to pursue the following:

• Education and additional coursework: You must obtain a master’s degree in social work (MSW) from a program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE).

• Experience: Candidates must complete two years of full-time postgraduate social work experience (or at least 3,000 hours if working less than full time).

• Exams: You must pass the generalist exam administered by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB). This test covers topics such as assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and interventions. It also covers ethics and values.

• Fees: Candidates are required to pay a $100 fee for LCSW licensure or a $55 fee to upgrade from a lower West Virginia social work license. The fee for the ASWB clinical exam is $260.

How to Become an LMFT in West Virginia

Before setting out to become an LMFT in West Virginia, you must first earn a bachelor’s degree. After meeting this preliminary requirement, the next steps include:

• Education: You must obtain a master’s or doctoral degree in marriage and family therapy or a related topic with equivalent coursework from an accredited program.

• Experience: As a prerequisite to licensure, master’s level candidates must complete a minimum of 3,000 hours of supervised MFT experience in no less than two years. Doctoral candidates need to complete a minimum of 1,500 hours of supervised MFT experience in no less than one year. More information is available on the WV site.

• Exams: LMFT candidates in West Virginia must pass the "Examination in Marital and Family Therapy," which is developed by the Association of Marital and Family Therapy Regulatory Boards (AMFTRB).

• Fees: West Virginia requires a $200 initial application fee for LMFT licensure and a $365 fee for the AMFTRB exam.

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

Holding a license as an LCSW or LMFT in West Virginia means you will have a number of opportunities open to you whether you live in Charleston, Huntington, Morgantown, or smaller towns like Fayetteville or Lewisburg. And if it’s a remote social work position you’re looking for, you’ll find an array of open full-time and part-time virtual jobs available in the Mountain State.

Before making the decision to apply for a role as a remote mental health therapist, here’s what to know:

• Work-from-home therapist: You’ll be required to provide the same quality of care as a remote LCSW or LMFT as your colleagues who see clients in-person at a facility. The only difference is that when offering teletherapy, you’ll use websites, phones, web platforms, and other technology to work with your clients. It’s important to note that you can only treat clients in your state of licensure.

• Skills of successful remote therapists: Excellent communication skills are paramount for all therapists, especially those who offer virtual mental health therapy. This is why many therapists choose to begin their careers with face-to-face sessions to polish their one-on-one skills before they offer teletherapy.

• Necessary documentation: When applying for remote social work jobs, include an updated resume and appropriate paperwork showing your education and credentials.

• Additional training: Look for opportunities to receive additional training on the latest available technology to use in your virtual practice. Telemedicine companies often offer training to educate clinicians on relevant platforms, as well as instruction about best practices for good webside manner. You may need to log hours at your employer’s facility to attend these training sessions.
  

Open positions for remote LMFTs and LCSWs in West Virginia are often posted on job posting sites like Indeed, ZipRecruiter, Glassdoor, and LinkedIn. These websites are ideal places to start looking for virtual therapy work opportunities.