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How NASW Membership Benefits Your Practice

person standing in front of their poster presentation at recent NASW conference

Clinical social work is one of the key core areas of the profession. Whether you provide therapy in health care settings, schools, or private practice, clinical social workers address complex needs, advance mental health and wellness, and ensure patients receive the support needed. Yet today’s practice environments bring new challenges—growing caseloads, shifting reimbursement structures, evolving technologies, and ethical dilemmas that can test even the most experienced clinicians.

NASW is here to stand with you. Membership connects you to the tools, resources, and advocacy that make it possible to deliver the highest quality care to patients, while strengthening your career and protecting the profession.


Tools to Strengthen Your Clinical Practice

Clinical work is about much more than one-on-one time with clients. Effective practice requires systems, protections, and guidance that allow you to serve clients confidently. NASW equips members with resources to help you stay organized, protected, and effective:

  • Practice Tools and Resources – Access tip sheets, sample forms, and detailed practice updates that address billing, telehealth, HIPAA compliance, supervision requirements, and more. NASW makes sure you have the latest guidance as laws, technology, and best practices evolve.
  • Ethics & Legal Guidance – Ethical dilemmas and legal issues are part of clinical practice. As a member, you have free access to consult directly with NASW staff for guidance about real-world situations through our Ethics Consultations and Legal Helpdesk—from handling a subpoena to knowing what to do if your client shows up in your yoga class.
  • NASW Practice Standards and Guidelines – Membership gives you access to NASW’s nationally recognized Practice Standards and Guidelines across a wide range of clinical areas. These resources help ensure your work aligns with the highest professional benchmarks, supports quality outcomes for patients, and strengthens your credibility with employers, payers, and colleagues.


Advocacy That Impacts Clinical Practice

Clinical social workers often see firsthand how policies affect their ability to deliver care. Decisions made at the federal and state levels shape everything from how much you are reimbursed for services, to whether you can meet clients through telehealth, to how easily you can practice across state lines. NASW ensures that clinical social workers have a strong and unified voice in these conversations, fighting for the policies that make your work possible and sustainable.

  • Fair Reimbursement – We’re committed to increasing reimbursement for clinical social workers and we’ll continue to champion the Improving Access to Mental Health Act, and we’re committed to advocating for the bill’s reintroduction in the 119th Congress. The bill would raise Medicare reimbursement from 75% to 85% of the physician fee schedule and expand covered services, strengthening financial sustainability and client access.
  • Telehealth Access – NASW secured critical telehealth flexibilities during the pandemic, and we’ve successfully pushed for continuous extensions. NASW is dedicated to establishing permanent telehealth implementation, ensuring that we can serve clients in rural and underserved communities, maintain continuity of care, and meet clients where they are.
  • Licensure Compact – The Social Work Licensure Compact is driven and led by NASW chapters and is paving the way for social workers to practice across state lines. Built as a legally binding agreement between participating states, the Compact allows licensed social workers at all levels to deliver services across borders without obtaining multiple licenses. This groundbreaking policy solution addresses workforce shortages, improves access to care, and strengthens the profession’s ability to respond to urgent needs across state boundaries.
  • Workforce and Equity – NASW also works to advocate for loan forgiveness programs and funding for school-and community-based mental health services—investments that support you as a practitioner while strengthening the systems in which you work.


Professional Growth and Continuing Education

As a clinical social worker, you must know how important but difficult it is to stay current with new therapies, evidence-based practices, and evolving regulations to provide the best possible care. Continuing education is also needed for maintaining licensure requirements, which can be difficult to manage. An NASW membership ensures that your professional growth is supported with resources that are both high-quality and accessible.

  • Continuing Education (CEs) – The majority of our CE opportunities are discounted for members. Our variety of CEs cover a wide range of topics such as ethics, clinical supervision, trauma-informed interventions, substance use treatment, cultural competency, and more. The savings from CEs alone can often cover the cost of membership.
  • CE Tracker – NASW’s CE Tracker tells you exactly what you need to renew your social worker license in your state — everything from the amount and type of CE’s needed, to renewal deadlines. NASW members get more than 35% off the CE tracker subscription.
  • Journals and Publications – Membership includes access to NASW’s peer-reviewed journals—Social Work, Health & Social Work, Social Work Research, and Children & Schools. These publications keep you connected to the latest evidence-based approaches and policy developments. Members also receive Practice Perspectives and Social Work Advocates, which provide practical guidance and timely updates on issues affecting your day-to-day clinical work, and have free unlimited access to The NASW Research Library of 25 international databases with thousands of documents from leading research institutions, think tanks and advocacy groups.
  • Specialty Practice Sections (SPS) – Specialty Practice Sections (SPS) are topic-specific exclusive communities offering practice-specific insights, continuing education, and access to an online community of like-minded social workers in their area of work. The Private Practice Section is tailored specifically for clinicians that have or are looking to start their own private practice. Members receive exclusive newsletters, access to curated practice tools, and opportunities to connect with peers who are in your field and share your clinical challenges and interests.


A Community of Support

Clinical social work can be demanding, and at times, isolating. Many clinicians work independently, balance heavy caseloads, or serve in high-stress environments. NASW ensures you never have to navigate these challenges alone by connecting you to a professional community that understands your work and stands beside you.

  • Local Chapters – Chapters are key for engaging with the social work community locally through trainings, networking, advocacy events, and continuing education events. Chapters also keep you updated on state-specific practice laws and regulatory changes that affect your day-to-day work.
  • Member Forums & Groups – NASW built MyNASW as a free online community for members to conveniently connect with one another nationwide. With new posts every single day, members help to bring new points of view to discussions, share useful resources, and add to the collective knowledge base. It’s also a great resource for new social workers who want to find mentors and for seasoned professionals who want to share their years of experience. There are also specific communities for the state you live in so you can connect with local social workers.
  • National Network – NASW connects you to colleagues across settings and specialties. Many members use NASW connections to find mentors, supervision opportunities, and collaborative partnerships that enrich their professional lives and open new doors in their careers.


Supporting You, Supporting the Profession

Your work as a clinical social worker is vital to your clients, community, and society, and we’re proud to stand with you and support your professional journey. With advocacy that fights for fair pay and access, tools that strengthen clinical practice, and a supportive network of peers, NASW is here to help you thrive in today’s complex practice environment. By being an NASW member, you’re investing in your career and supporting the advancement of clinical social work.