Certified Oncology Social Worker (OSW-C) Program Changes – Effective January 1, 2023

BOSWC has committed more than 12 months of intense work to review, refine, and enhance the purpose, scope, and requirements for the Certified Oncology Social Worker (OSW-C) credential.

Members of the Board of Directors partnered with more than a dozen members of the AOSW Fellows and thought leaders from the APOSW community to clarify the program purpose and audience (including those practicing in settings other than clinical), define clear rationale for all program components, and revise policies and procedures to streamline and simplify application and renewal for candidates.

Additionally, a task force of twelve additional content experts representing the diversity of oncology social work certificants were engaged to develop a structure of competencies, knowledge areas, and tasks required of adult and pediatric oncology social workers based on current research to undergird all program requirements and portfolio assessment components. All program requirements are tied to the newly developed OSW-C Competency Domains and the expectations of professionals in the advanced oncology social worker role.

All new and revised requirements for Initial Candidates and Certification Renewal are outlined below. The criteria not listed below for initial certification or renewal remain the same. The list of complete criteria for initial certification is on the OSW-C Requirements page and for renewal is on the Renewal page of this website.

BOSWC will strive to ensure every OSW-C certificant receives notification of program requirement and policy changes.
However, candidates for initial or renewal of certification ultimately have the sole responsibility to understand and abide by all program requirements, attestations, and obligations.

Program Enhancements and Requirement/Policy Changes
Approved August 2022 / Effective January 1, 2023

Overall Program 

  1. Clarified program purpose and audience, including those performing oncology social work in settings other than clinical.
  2. Defined philosophy regarding program rigor and rationale for all program requirements for initial certification and certification renewal.
  3. Defined Oncology Social Work Practice for purposes of OSW-C certification and minimum practice hour requirements. For purposes of BOSWC credentialing and the OSW-C, Oncology Social Work Practice is the professional delivery of paid, post-master’s biopsychosocialspiritual services—including clinical practice, academic education, advocacy, administration, policy formulation, grant writing, and/or research—with, for, and/or on behalf of patients, families, and caregivers facing the impact of a potential or actual diagnosis of cancer and healthcare professionals on the care team.
  4. Developed a structure of competencies, knowledge areas, and tasks required of adult and pediatric oncology social workers—the OSW-C Competencies and Domains—based on current research and validated by content experts to undergird program requirements and portfolio assessment components.
  5. Revised policies and fees to streamline and simplify for the candidate and enable faster processing.

Initial Certification 

  1. NEW REQUIREMENT: Ten (10) hours of accredited social work CEUs on topics listed in the OSW-C Competency Domains must be completed within the two (2) years prior to application. A minimum of two (2) hours must be on content in Domain 1: Clinical Assessment and Intervention Knowledge and Practice. CME, Nursing, and APA CEUs are not accepted for initial certification. Activities used for Demonstrated Practice requirement may NOT be claimed for CEU requirement. 
    Rationale: Social work in an oncology-related/focused clinical, research, or educational setting / to patients, families, and caregivers facing the impact of a potential or actual diagnosis of cancer and healthcare professionals on the care team requires unique knowledge that must be acquired for effective practice. Requiring accredited social work CEUs on topics from the OSW-C Competency Domains prior to application ensures candidates have had an acceptable minimum exposure to topics related to this area of specialty practice. The minimum number of hours in OSW-C Competency Domain 1 is tied to the percent of the role that the Domain comprises. CME, Nursing, and APA CEUs are not accepted for initial candidates due to CEUs being required for initial candidates to ensure education in Oncology Social Work. 
  2. MODIFIED REQUIREMENT: Licensure or Terminal Academic Preparation – Must hold a current, active, unencumbered, master’s level social work license issued by a U.S. state or territory (or equivalent if applicant is from another country), or if employed in an academic/faculty or research role may hold a PhD or DSW in social work in place of licensure.  
  3. MODIFIED REQUIREMENT: Must read and attest to uphold and abide by the NASW Code of Ethics. Previously only had to attest and the Code was not presented for active review. 
  4. MODIFIED REQUIREMENT: Must be currently employed in a social work position engaged in the professional delivery of paid, post-master’s biopsychosocialspiritual services—including clinical practice, academic education, advocacy, administration, policy formulation, grant writing, and/or research—to patients, families, and caregivers facing the impact of a potential or actual diagnosis of cancer and healthcare professionals on the care team. Clarified acceptable work settings and other aspects of requirement. 
  5. MODIFIED REQUIREMENT: Minimum of 4,000 Oncology Social Work Practice hours (approx. 2 years or 24 months at full-time; approx. 3.9 years or 47 months at part-time [20 hours per week]) within the most recent five (5) years. Reduced the number of required hours from 6,240 hours based on licensure and other measures for the time on task needed to gain requisite knowledge. Still validated by Supervisor Attestation.
  6. MODIFIED REQUIREMENT: Supervisor and Colleague Professional Statement changed to an Assessment of Candidate Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities based on the OSW-C Competency Domains and directly related to the work responsibilities of the role.
    Rationale: Oncology Social Work is a highly interactive role that requires application of knowledge and facilitation of processes across the full spectrum of the social work practice. And the portfolio-based credentialing program necessitates submission of various forms of evidence that the candidate meets the requirements to earn and hold certification. Therefore, recommendations in the form of an assessment of candidate’s knowledge and observed/evaluated application and performance are required from their immediate supervisor and two (2) professional colleagues. If the individual has no supervisor, then the Supervisor Attestation and Assessment of Candidate KSAs should be assigned to a colleague that is among their consultative group or otherwise provides professional feedback. 
  7. MODIFIED REQUIREMENT: Must submit for portfolio three (3) documented oncology specialty-related Demonstrated Practice activities completed during the two (2) years prior to application; Not more than two (2) activities may be from any one Domain of the OSW-C Competency Domains. Clarification added to evidence required. Previous requirement: Two
    Rationale: Demonstrated Practice activities are required for the Initial and Renewal candidate’s portfolio to provide evidence of the professional’s knowledge and ability to effectively perform core components of the oncology social worker competencies and role. Three (3) are required of Initial candidates as deemed appropriate by the BOSWC Board of Directors to provide adequate evidence of performance of the role. Two (2) are required of Renewal candidates as deemed appropriate for maintenance of certification coupled with other requirements.

Certification Renewal 

  1. MODIFIED REQUIREMENT: Licensure or Terminal Academic Preparation – Must hold a current, active, unencumbered, master’s level social work license issued by a U.S. state or territory (or equivalent if applicant is from another country), or if employed in an academic/faculty or research role may hold a PhD or DSW in social work in place of licensure.  
  2. MODIFIED REQUIREMENT: Must be currently employed in a social work position engaged in the professional delivery of paid, post-master’s biopsychosocialspiritual services—including clinical practice, academic education, advocacy, administration, policy formulation, grant writing, and/or research—to patients, families, and caregivers facing the impact of a potential or actual diagnosis of cancer and healthcare professionals on the care team. Clarified acceptable work settings and other aspects. 
  3. MODIFIED REQUIREMENT: A minimum of 1,800 Oncology Social Work Practice hours in the 24 months prior to renewal application. This is approximately 50% of responsibilities if in a full-time position and 100% if in a part-time position. Clarifies requirement; still validated by Supervisor Attestation. If the individual has no supervisor, then the Supervisor Attestation should be assigned to a colleague that is among their consultative group or otherwise provides professional feedback.
  4. MODIFIED REQUIREMENT: Twenty (20) hours of accredited social work CEUs on topics from the OSW-C Competency Domains completed within the renewal cycle / since the last Renewal Due Date and prior to application for renewal. A minimum of eight (8) hours must be on content in Domain 1: Clinical Assessment and Intervention Knowledge and Practice. A maximum of two (2) CME, Nursing, and APA CEUs may be claimed for renewal so long as the content address is from the OSW-C Competency Domains. Activities used for Demonstrated Practice requirement may NOT be claimed for CEU requirement. Tethered CEUs to OSW-C Competency Domains, established required minimum for Domain 1, and limited hours of CME, Nursing, and APA CEUs that can be claimed. 
  5. MODIFIED REQUIREMENT: Must submit for portfolio two (2) documented oncology specialty-related Demonstrated Practice activities completed during the two (2) years prior to application; Activities must be from one of the OSW-C Competency Domains. Clarification added to evidence required. Rationale: Demonstrated Practice activities are required for the Initial and Renewal candidate’s portfolio to provide evidence of the professional’s knowledge and ability to effectively perform core components of the oncology social worker competencies and role. Two (2) are required of Renewal candidates as deemed appropriate by the BOSWC Board of Directors to provide adequate evidence of performance of the role for maintenance of certification coupled with other requirements.

Policy Changes 

  1. MODIFIED POLICY: Initial and Renewal Application Fees will increase by $50 over the next two years – $25 starting January 2023 and an additional $25 starting January 2024. The fee structure for BOSWC applications for OSW-C follows.
         Jan 1-Dec 31, 2023 – Initial / Renewal $225; Initial / Renewal – Association Member Rate $150
         Starting Jan 1, 2024 – Initial / Renewal $250; Initial / Renewal – Association Member Rate $175
         > Association Member Rate is available exclusively to members of current BOSWC association partners: AOSW, APOSW, APOS, SWHPN, and FAOSW.
  2. NEW POLICY: All BOSWC program applications, related documentation, and payments must be submitted online via the secure candidate management platform. There will be no refunds of application fees for denied applications. 
  3. NEW POLICY: Renewal Application Deadline – BOSWC OSW-C credential holders must submit a complete and paid Renewal Application THIRTY (30) DAYS PRIOR to their Renewal Due Date. 
  4. NEW POLICY: Renewal applications submitted after the Renewal Application Deadline (thirty [30] days prior to the Renewal Due Date) and by the Renewal Due Date will be charged a Late Fee of $25.00. 
  5. NEW POLICY: Reinstatement Policy created to allow for credential renewal application up to 90 days after the individual’s credential Renewal Due Date; $100 fee. 2023 Examples:
    –     Certification Renewal Due Date is 6/30.
    – Application is submitted with payment on 5/31: $225/$150
    – Application/payment on 6/3: $225/$150 + $25 Late Fee
    – Application/payment on 7/14: $225/$150 + $25 Late Fee + $100 Reinstatement Fee 
  6. MODIFIED POLICY: Withdrawn Applications are subject to a $75 Administrative Fee after submission/payment and evaluation has begun; Refund will be application fee less $75. Late and Reinstatement fees not refunded. 
  7. ELIMINATED: Grace Period (30-day post Renewal Due Date for a fee) 
  8. ELIMINATED: Lapsed Application (one or two years post Renewal Due Date for a fee) 
  9. MODIFIED POLICY: Inactive Status has been eliminated – Alternatively, BOSWC will consider extensions on a case-by-case basis within program policy guidelines to address candidate life events. 

New Candidate Management Platform / Candidate Service 

In 2023, BOSWC will be launching a new online candidate management platform that will allow each candidate/certificant to log into a personal account to apply, manage application, securely submit documentation and payment, update contact information, and print certification verification. The system will provide automated reminders regarding renewal and enable more efficient and streamlined application submission and evaluation for both candidates and BOSWC. Additionally, online certification verification will be available to the public (including current/potential employers).  

Resources

BOSWC OSW-C 2023 Program Changes Webinar – Recorded Thursday, Dec. 1, 2022

BOSWC OSW-C 2023 Program Changes Webinar – Handout of Slides

2023 OSW-C Program – Candidate KSA Assessment

2023 OSW-C Program – Initial Supervisor Attestation

2023 OSW-C Program – Renewal Supervisor Attestation

OSW-C Program Changes Poster Session at the 2023 AOSW Annual Conference – June 2023