{"data":{"id":"us-ky/krs-335.010","jurisdiction":"us-ky","citation":"KRS 335.010","heading":"Purposes -- Exemptions -- Amnesty period.","body":"(1) It is the purpose and policy of the Commonwealth of Kentucky to protect the public\nfrom being misled by incompetent and unauthorized persons, and from\nunprofessional conduct on the part of qualified social workers by providing\nregulatory authority over per sons who hold themselves out to the public as social\nworkers.\n(2) The purpose of KRS 335.010 to 335.160 and KRS 335.990 is to promote high\nstandards of professional performance for those engaged in the profession of social\nwork by regulating the title and practice of social work, and by setting standards of\nqualification, training, and experience for those who seek to engage in the practice\nof social work.\n(3) KRS 335.010 to 335.160 and KRS 335.990 shall not be applicable to employees of\nthe State Departmen t of Education or local boards of education who meet the\ncertification requirements in the area of social work as established, or which may be\nestablished, by the Kentucky Board of Education. KRS 335.010 to 335.160 and\nKRS 335.990 shall not be construed to  apply to, limit, or restrict the regulation of\nthe title, setting of standards, qualifications, training, or experience of those who\nseek to engage in the practice of social work and who have been, or will be,\ncertified by the Kentucky Board of Education for the position for which they have\nbeen employed.\n(4) KRS 335.010 to 335.160 and KRS 335.990 shall not require persons employed by\nthe Commonwealth of Kentucky, the director or administrative head of a social\nservice agency or division of a city, county,  or urban -county government, or\napplicants for such employment to be licensed.\n(5) (a) KRS 335.010 to 335.160 and KRS 335.990 shall not require persons\nemployed by an organization that is exempt from federal income taxation\nunder Section 501(c)(3) of the I nternal Revenue Code, and provides evidence\nof its tax-exempt status, to be licensed.\n(b) KRS 335.010 to 335.160 and KRS 335.990 shall not be construed to apply to,\nlimit, or restrict the regulation of the title, setting of standards, qualifications,\ntraining, and experience of those engaged as employees of a tax -exempt\norganization in the practice of social work.\n(c) The exemption provided in this subsection shall not apply to the practice of\nclinical social work, which shall be undertaken only by a certif ied social\nworker licensed in accordance with KRS 335.080 or a licensed clinical social\nworker licensed in accordance with KRS 335.100.\n(6) (a) KRS 335.010 to 335.160 and 335.990 shall not require persons employed by\nchild-caring facilities and child -placing agencies, as defined in KRS 199.011,\nthat are contracted with the Commonwealth of Kentucky for foster care\nservices, or applicants for such employment, to be licensed.\n(b) The exemption provided in paragraph (a) of this subsection shall not apply to\nthe practice of clinical social work, which shall be undertaken only by a\ncertified social worker licensed in accordance with KRS 335.080 or a licensed\nclinical social worker licensed in accordance with KRS 335.100.\n(7) KRS 335.010 to 335.160 and 335.990 shall not prohibit volunteer health\npractitioners from providing services under KRS 39A.350 to 39A.366.\n(8) (a) KRS 335.010 to 335.160 and 335.990 shall not be construed to apply to the\nactivities and services of a student intern or trainee in social work who is\npursuing a program of studies in social work at an accredited institution of\nhigher learning if these activities are performed under supervision and\nconstitute a part of the program of study.\n(b) If the student intern or trainee in social work is studying or training in the\npractice of clinical social work, the board shall promulgate administrative\nregulations in accordance with KRS Chapter 13A to define supervision\nstandards for student involvement in clinical social work to ensure public\nsafety. Before promulgating administrative regulations under this paragraph,\nthe board shall consult with a working group of social work professionals and\neducators that includes at least one (1) practicum education director.","path":["KRS Chapter 335"],"source_url":"https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=57510","current_through":"Includes enactments through the 2026 Regular Session","vintage":"09/05/2026","retrieved_at":"2026-09-05T20:58:24Z","sha256":"943927fd2bbf96ac0af40bd47bcd107fba03e9424506fbe5f28d43fad97b8892","source_id":"us-ky","stale":false,"prev":"us-ky/krs-334a.990","next":"us-ky/krs-335.020"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}