Below, find relevant snippets of Michigan law and NASW guidance pertaining to CE designation requirements. The information on this page was last updated on October 22, 2025. For the most up-to-date information as it relates to Michigan law, please contact the Bureau of Professional Licensing in the Michigan Department of Community Health. To reach this office, please call 517-241-0199 or email BPLHelp@michigan.gov.

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GENERAL (applies to all CE designations)

Michigan Law: "Public Health Code"

Section 333.18516

(4) The department shall ensure that all approved continuing education courses include defined measurements of preknowledge and postknowledge or skill improvements, or both, as a result of the continuing education program.

Michigan Law: "Social Work - General Rules"

Section R 338.2921

(1) As used in these rules:

(c) "Continuing education contact hour" means a 60-minute clock hour of instruction for the first hour, with no less than 50 minutes of uninterrupted instruction for every hour following the first hour.

Section R 338.2961

(1) An applicant for license renewal who has been licensed for the 3-year period immediately preceding the expiration date of the license shall satisfy the requirements of R 338.7001 to R 338.7005, and accumulate not less than 45 continuing education contact hours that are approved by the board under R 338.2963 during the 3 years immediately preceding application for renewal.

Section R 338.2963

(4) The board approves... the following as acceptable continuing education:

(a) Attendance at a continuing education social work approved or offered by… The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) [or a] state chapter of the NASW. If audited, a licensee shall submit a copy of a letter or certificate of completion showing the licensee’s name, number of credits earned, sponsor name or the name of the organization that approved the program or activity for continuing education credit, and the date or dates on which the program was held or activity completed. Contact hours may be earned without limitation under this subrule.

(d) Presentation of a board-approved continuing education program that is not part of the licensee’s regular job description. Three continuing education contact hours continuing education program that is may be earned for each 60 minutes of presentation. Credit may be earned for the same program only once in each renewal period. A maximum of 15 continuing education contact hours may be earned per licensure cycle.

ETHICS

Michigan Law: "Social Work - General Rules"

Section R 338.2961

NASW CE Guidelines for the Development of Ethics Programs

Ethics courses must reflect the social work profession’s current code of ethics. Be sure to review the NASW Code of Ethics for more details and information when developing programs for social work ethics. Program content for social work ethics should address specific core areas:

• History and evolution of values and ethics in social work
• Ethics Theories
• Professional standards of social work practice, such as exhibited in the NASW Code of Ethics
• Professional values and self-awareness about ethical professional behavior
• Ethical decision-making processes and dilemma examples

While there are elements of ethical practice that apply to many health and mental health care professions, the relationship of these ethical principles to the practice of social work, and the integration of ethics into the core values of the profession, demands that presenters be members of the social work profession, and that they have extensive knowledge in broad ethical principles and theory, values and ethics within social work, and the practical application of these concepts. It is recommended that presenters should have the following qualifications:

• Degree in social work
• Knowledge of high-risk areas of practice
• Practice competence in course content

Additional Guidance

To be eligible for an "Ethics" CE designation, a Michigan-licensed social worker MUST be apart of the development and review of your event to be considered for approval. Additionally, the course must be characterized by an explicit reflection on the standards of professional practice in social work or related to social work ethics as defined by the NASW Code of Ethics. The course needs to specifically address the NASW Code of Ethics and not, for instance, general ethical behavior, medical ethics, etc.

PAIN AND SYMPTOM MANAGEMENT

Michigan Law: "Social Work - General Rules"

Section R 338.2961

(3) At least 2 of the 45 continuing education contact hours in each renewal period must be in pain and symptom management. Continuing education contact hours in pain and symptom management may include, but are not limited to, courses in behavior management, psychology of pain, behavior modification, and stress management.

Additional Guidance

To be eligible for a "Pain and Symptom Management" designation, a CE course must be characterized by presentation of practical skills in theoretical foundation for skills or practice wisdom pertaining to physical pain in at least one of the following:

• Behavioral methods relating to physical pain and symptom management
• Psychological methods relating to physical pain and symptom management
• Biological methods for relating to physical pain and symptom management
• Methods of behavior modification and stress management relating to physical pain and symptom management

The course needs to specifically address physical pain as opposed to psychological anguish. The course can discuss the related psychology, behavior management and/or modification, and stress management issues that go along with physical pain, but the central discussion must center around topics of physical pain.

HUMAN TRAFFICKING

Michigan Law: "Social Work - General Rules"

Section R 338.2929

(1) Pursuant to section 16148 of the code, MCL 333.16148, an individual seeking licensure or registration or who is licensed or registered shall have completed training in identifying victims of human trafficking that meets the following standards:

(a) Training content must cover all of the following:

(i) Understanding the types and venues of human trafficking in the United States.

(ii) Identifying victims of human trafficking in health care settings.

(iii) Identifying the warning signs of human trafficking in health care settings for adults and minors.

(iv) Resources for reporting the suspected victims of human trafficking.

(c) Acceptable modalities of training may include any of the following:

(i) Teleconference or webinar.

(ii) Online presentation.

(iii) Live presentation.

(iv) Printed or electronic media.

Section R 338.2961

(4) At least 2 of the 45 continuing education contact hours in each renewal period must be in human trafficking.

IMPLICIT BIAS

Michigan Law: "Public Health Code - General Rules"

Section R 338.7004

(5) The implicit bias training must be related to reducing barriers and disparities in access to and delivery of healthcare services and meet all of the following requirements:

(a) Training content must include, but is not limited to, 1 or more of the following topics:

(i) Information on implicit bias, equitable access to healthcare, serving a diverse population, diversity and inclusion initiatives, and cultural sensitivity.

(ii) Strategies to remedy the negative impact of implicit bias by recognizing and understanding how it impacts perception, judgment, and actions that may result in inequitable decision making, failure to effectively communicate, and result in barriers and disparities in the access to and delivery of healthcare services.

(iii) The historical basis and present consequences of implicit biases based on an individual’s characteristics.

(iv) Discussion of current research on implicit bias in the access to and delivery of healthcare services.

(b) Training must include strategies to reduce disparities in access to and delivery of healthcare services and the administration of pre- and post-test implicit bias assessments.

(d) Acceptable modalities of training include any of the following:

(i) A teleconference or webinar that allows live synchronous interaction that provides for the opportunity for participants to interact with the instructor and other participants.

(ii) A live presentation that provides for the opportunity for participants to interact with the instructor and other participants.

(iii) An asynchronous teleconference or webinar.

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