If you’re a licensed social worker in the District of Columbia, staying up to date with continuing education (CE) requirements is essential for renewal. DC social workers must complete 40 hours of approved CE credits every two years, with specific coursework required in ethics, LGBTQ topics, and public health priorities.
DC Social Work CE Requirements for License Renewal
At the time of renewal, all licensed social workers in DC must complete the following CE requirements:
✅ 40 total CE hours from an approved provider
✅ 6 CE hours in Ethics (must be face-to-face; live webinars count)
✅ 2 CE hours in LGBTQ+ topics (can be completed online)
✅ 4 CE hours in DC Health Public Health Priorities
✅ A maximum of 12 CE hours can be completed as self-paced, pre-recorded online courses
Live Webinars Accepted for In-Person CE Requirement
Notably, live webinars are considered face-to-face learning under DC’s post-COVID CE regulations.
What Are DC’s Public Health Priorities?
Social workers must complete at least 4 CE hours in topics that align with DC Health’s Public Health Priorities, which are updated every five years. These include:
Implicit bias, cultural competence, and Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS)
Ethics and professional boundaries (including patient privacy and telehealth)
Emergency preparedness and crisis support
Identifying and reporting abuse, neglect, and human trafficking
Sexual health and reproductive health topics
Opioid prescribing and pain management
Smoking, vaping, and tobacco cessation
Social workers must ensure at least four hours of CE coursework align with one or more of these priorities. View the full list of the DC Health priorities requirements HERE.
Live Webinars That Meet DC’s CE Requirements
Elevate Continuing Education offers several live trainings that fulfill DC’s Public Health Priorities and Ethics requirements. Here are some upcoming options:
Courses That Meet the Public Health Priorities Requirement
Beyond Cultural Competence: Cultural Humility in Clinical Practice (4 Hours)
📅 Date: May 9, 2025 | ⏳ 4.0 CE Hours
✅ Fully meets DC’s 4-hour Public Health Priorities requirement
Relevant Priority: Implicit bias, cultural competence, and CLAS in health and health care
Disaster Mental Health: Supporting Survivors and Meeting the Growing Demand for Crisis Support
📅 Date: May 16, 2025 | ⏳ 3.0 CE Hours (3 of 4 hours towards requirement)
Relevant Priority: Emergency preparedness and crisis response
Cultivating Cultural Humility for Mental Health Providers 3-Hour Training
📅 Date: August 8, 2025 | ⏳ 3.0 CE Hours (3 of 4 hours towards requirement)
Relevant Priority: Implicit bias, cultural competence, and CLAS in health and health care
3-Hour Implicit Bias Training: Increasing Understanding Towards Justice in Mental Health Care
📅 Two Course Dates:
⏳ 3.0 CE Hours (3 of 4 hours towards requirement)
Relevant Priority: Implicit bias, cultural competence, and CLAS in health and health care
Ethics Courses That Meet DC’s 6-Hour Ethics Requirement
Exploring Ethical Obligations: Boundaries, Confidentiality, and Mandated Reporting
📅 Date: July 24, 2025 | ⏳ 3.0 CE Hours
Relevant Priority: Ethics and appropriate patient interactions
Ethical Decision-Making: Navigating Complex Cases
📅 Date: July 24, 2025 | ⏳ 3.0 CE Hours
Relevant Priority: Ethics and appropriate patient interactions
📌 Both courses on July 24 can be combined to fulfill the full 6-hour Ethics requirement!
LGBTQ Courses That Meet DC's 2-Hour LGBTQ Requirement
In addition to ethics and public health priorities training, DC social workers must complete 2 hours of LGBTQ-specific continuing education, a unique requirement that sets the jurisdiction apart. Elevate Continuing Education offers two courses that fulfill this mandate:
Live Webinar on May 9, 2025: Emotional Intelligence and LGBTQ+ Inclusive Care: Cultivating Empathy, Awareness, and Affirming Practices which counts as face-to-face training.
On Demand/Recorded Webinar: A Mental Health Professional’s Guide to LGBTQ Allyship & Gender Pronouns, which is accepted for this requirement but applies toward the 12-hour self-paced CE limit.
Self-Paced Recorded Online Courses
Remember, DC allows up to 12 hours of self-paced (on-demand) training for CE renewal. These courses below can be use do to fulfill the Public Health Priorities requirement but CANNOT be used towards the DC Ethics requirement (ethics must be fulfilled in-person/live webinar):
Digital Dilemmas: Ethical Use of Technology in Mental Health (3.0 CE Hours)
Relevant Priority: Ethics, patient privacy, and telehealth
Where’s the Line? Navigating Ethics of Dual Relationships and Boundaries (3.0 CE Hours)
Relevant Priority: Ethics, patient privacy, and professional boundaries
Plan Ahead for Your DC Social Work CE Renewal
Staying compliant with DC’s social work CE requirements can feel overwhelming, but with Elevate Continuing Education’s live and recorded trainings, you can easily fulfill your requirements before your renewal deadline.
🔹 Need Ethics? Take one of our live 3-hour ethics courses or choose from our on-demand ethics webinars.
🔹 Need Public Health Priorities CEs? Join our May 9 training for 4 hours of Cultural Humility CEUs, or explore other live and on-demand options.
💡 Register now to secure your spot in a live training or access an on-demand course today!