Kansas LBSW Requirements: Hours, Exams & Step-by-Step Guide

Licensure as a Licensed Baccalaureate Social Worker (LBSW) in Kansas is regulated by the Kansas Behavioral Sciences Regulatory Board (BSRB) under the Social Workers Licensure Act, K.S.A. 65‑6301 et seq., and the Board’s regulations in K.A.R. 102‑2‑1 et seq. This entry‑level license is built around specific education, field‑practice hours, references, and examination requirements—but, importantly, it does not require post‑degree supervised practice hours in the way the clinical license does.

Below is a structured guide, with emphasis on the exact types of hours and the Board’s own terminology.

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1. Statutory baseline for LBSW licensure

Kansas law provides that the Board “shall issue a license as a baccalaureate social worker” to an applicant who has:(sos.ks.gov)

1. A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university, including completion of a social work program recognized and approved by the board (per rules and regulations).
2. Passed an examination approved by the Board.
3. Satisfied the board that the applicant is a person who merits the public trust.

The Board’s social work page restates these in practical terms for the LBSW.(ksbsrb.ks.gov)

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2. Educational requirement and field‑education (practicum) hours

2.1 Type of degree

For LBSW, the Board summarizes the education requirement as:(ksbsrb.ks.gov)

• “Bachelors degree in Social Work from a CSWE accredited program or meets the requirements of K.A.R. 102‑2‑6.”

If your bachelor’s program is not accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), it must instead meet the Board’s “program approval” standards in K.A.R. 102‑2‑6.

2.2 Required field‑education (practicum) hours

K.A.R. 102‑2‑6 is the regulation the Board uses to approve undergraduate (baccalaureate) and graduate social work programs that are not already CSWE‑accredited. It sets a minimum requirement for the field education program:

• The field education program must be “an integral component of the curriculum and the social work degree requirements,” engaging the student in supervised social work practice in the field setting.(sos.ks.gov)
• The field education component must include “a minimum of 400 clock‑hours successfully completed in the field setting.”(sos.ks.gov)
• Each student in field education must be “directly supervised by an individual either licensed or academically eligible for licensure in social work” in the jurisdiction where the field placement occurs.(sos.ks.gov)

In other words, for the education to be acceptable for LBSW licensure:

• Minimum required hours:
  • 400 clock‑hours of field education / practicum as part of the bachelor’s social work degree.
• Type of hours:
  • Practicum/field‑education hours in supervised social work practice, not generic volunteer work.
• Supervision requirement for those hours:
  • Direct supervision by a person who is licensed or academically eligible for licensure in social work.

These 400 clock‑hours are the only explicit hour requirement tied to obtaining the initial LBSW license. They occur within the BSW program, not after graduation.

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3. References and the “merits the public trust” requirement

The statute requires that an applicant “merits the public trust.”(sos.ks.gov) The Board operationalizes that requirement through references:

For a Licensed Bachelor Social Worker, the BSRB lists:(ksbsrb.ks.gov)

• “References completed on Board provided forms from at least 2 social workers licensed at or above the Bachelors level, and a third reference from an on-site practicum supervisor (merits public trust).”

Key points:

• Number of references: 3.
• Who they must be:
  • At least 2 social workers licensed at or above the bachelor’s level (LBSW, LMSW, LSCSW, etc.).
  • 1 on‑site practicum supervisor—this is someone who directly oversaw your field‑education (those 400+ hours).
• Purpose: These references are how the Board documents that you are a person who “merits the public trust.”

No additional hour count is attached to the reference requirement itself; the Board focuses on who is providing the reference and their supervisory relationship to you.

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4. Examination requirement

Both the statute and the Board’s website require passing a Board‑approved exam. The BSRB uses the ASWB Bachelors examination:

For LBSW, the Board lists:(ksbsrb.ks.gov)

• “Passing the Bachelors Level competency exam. The ASWB exam is offered daily once registered with the BSRB.”

In practice:

1. You apply to the Board (using the LBSW/LMSW Application Packet).
2. Once the Board processes your eligibility, you register for the ASWB Bachelors exam.
3. You must pass that exam before the Board issues the LBSW license.

There is no separate hour requirement attached to the exam beyond the educational/practicum hours already described.

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5. Application process and fees (LBSW‑specific)

From the Board’s social work page:(ksbsrb.ks.gov)

• Application packet: “LBSW/LMSW Application Packet” (used for both bachelor’s and master’s level initial licensure).
• Fees related to LBSW:
  • Application fee – $50
  • Examination fee – $230 (for BSW & MSW level exams)
  • Original license fee – $100 (LBSW; LMSW and LSCSW are higher)

A typical sequence:

1. Complete an approved BSW program, ensuring it includes at least 400 clock‑hours of supervised field education.
2. Arrange for official transcripts to be sent to the BSRB showing the degree granted.(ksbsrb.ks.gov)
3. Obtain three references on Board forms:
   • Two from licensed social workers at or above the bachelor’s level.
   • One from your on‑site practicum supervisor.(ksbsrb.ks.gov)
4. Submit the LBSW/LMSW Application Packet, required documentation, and application fee to the BSRB.
5. Once approved to test, register for and pass the ASWB Bachelors exam (exam fee applies).(ksbsrb.ks.gov)
6. After you pass, pay the original license fee for LBSW; the Board then issues your license.

The Board may also require fingerprinting/background checks under separate Board‑wide statutes, but those are not LBSW‑specific in terms of hour counting.

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6. Clarifying hour requirements: LBSW vs. clinical licensure

6.1 What is required for LBSW (hours)

For LBSW in Kansas, the hour‑related requirements are:

1. 400 clock‑hours of field education / practicum, as part of the BSW program, in supervised social work practice, directly supervised by a person licensed or academically eligible for licensure in social work.(sos.ks.gov)

There are no additional statutory or regulatory requirements that you complete a certain number of post‑baccalaureate supervised practice hours (such as 1,500 supervised hours or similar) in order to obtain the LBSW itself.

6.2 What belongs to LSCSW (clinical) level—not LBSW

The kind of hour breakdown you referenced in your example (e.g., numbers of direct vs. supervised experience hours) appears in Kansas for the Licensed Specialist Clinical Social Worker (LSCSW), not for LBSW.

For LSCSW, K.A.R. 102‑2‑12 requires that an applicant (among other things):(sos.ks.gov)

• Complete “at least 3,000 hours of satisfactorily evaluated postgraduate, supervised clinical social work practice experience” under a qualified LSCSW.
• Of those 3,000 hours, “at least 1,500 hours … shall be direct client contact conducting psychotherapy and assessments with individuals, couples, families, or groups.”
• Participate in clinical supervision at the rate of “at least one hour of clinical supervision for each 15 hours of direct client contact”, totaling 100 hours of clinical supervision, of which at least 50 hours must be individual supervision.

These 3,000 total hours, 1,500 direct client‑contact hours, and 100 hours of supervision apply only to LSCSW clinical licensure and occur after you are already licensed at the master’s level—not to initial LBSW licensure.

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7. Summary

For Kansas LBSW licensure through the BSRB:

• Education: BSW from a CSWE‑accredited program or one that meets K.A.R. 102‑2‑6 program‑approval standards.(ksbsrb.ks.gov)
• Practicum hours:
  • At least 400 clock‑hours of field education in supervised social work practice, with supervision by someone licensed or academically eligible for licensure in social work.(sos.ks.gov)
• References (public trust):
  • 2 references from licensed social workers (bachelor’s level or above) and 1 from your on‑site practicum supervisor, documenting that you “merit the public trust.”(ksbsrb.ks.gov)
• Exam: Pass the ASWB Bachelors exam approved by the Board.(ksbsrb.ks.gov)
• Fees: $50 application fee, $230 exam fee, $100 original LBSW license fee.(ksbsrb.ks.gov)

There is no Kansas requirement for LBSW that you accrue post‑degree supervised practice hours such as “1,500 hours of direct experience and 1,500 hours of supervised experience.” Those kinds of quantified, post‑graduate hour requirements belong to the clinical LSCSW license, not to initial baccalaureate licensure.