Since 1960, the Academy of Certified Social Workers has served as a mark of distinction for the committed social work professional. In the earliest days of the Academy, the ACSW was the only credential of the profession, and it served to designate the credential holder as competent for independent practice. Before individual states enacted licensing regulations for the social work profession, the Academy served as the sole source of designating social workers qualified for social work practice.
The 50th Anniversary of the Academy of Certified Social Workers is noteworthy around the world because it recognizes past and present social workers who have made significant contributions to humanity.
Academy holders continue to create and inform innovative practices to improve the quality of life for current and future generations of people around the world.
Today, members of the Academy of Certified Social Workers (ACSW) represent the thought leadership of the profession. In case management and clinical settings; in courtrooms, communities, government agencies, and medical facilities; at university and at policy levels, ACSWs span the range of social work practice from direct service to research and systems analysis for individuals, families, groups, and communities.
ACSWs are those social workers who have a strong sense of professional identity and commitment to the core values outlined in the NASW Code of Ethics. Academy members fully support and embrace the duality of purpose in the NASW Mission Statement through their membership and involvement in the National Association of Social Workers.
Being credentialed by the Academy of Certified Social Workers is a voluntary pursuit. This elite group of NASW members adhere to
national standards of excellence in social work achievement. The premier credential and standard-bearer for the profession, the ACSW enjoys worldwide recognition as the professional social worker’s mark of distinction. Building on a rich history of commitment to improving social conditions, embracing new knowledge and technology to address a changing environment, social entrepreneurs and program innovators join the Academy of Certified Social Workers.
The ACSW is a leadership credential and a symbol of social work excellence. The ACSW holder enjoys worldwide recognition from peers, clients, and employers. Employers and agencies have recognized the merits of engaging ACSW social workers as the most highly qualified to staff key leadership positions within their organizations.
