How Do I Renew My Social Worker License in Michigan?

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the U.S. employed more than 689,000 social workers in 2022. Of those, over 30,000 licensees work in Michigan. If you are one of those 30,000 and looking to renew your Michigan social worker license, here’s a quick summary of what’s required for social work license renewal. 

Explore online CE courses for Michigan social workers 

What’s required for Michigan social worker license renewal? 

The Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) requires licensed social workers to complete 45 total CE hours every three years. Nine of these hours are mandatory and include: 

  • 5 hours of Ethics 
  • 2 hours of Pain and Pain Symptom Management  
  • 2 hours of Training on Identifying Victims of Human Trafficking 

Up to half of the 45 total hours may be completed online. Meet 23 of your hours, including all mandatory courses, with the Michigan Social Work CE 23-Hour Package. 

What is the Implicit Bias Training requirement in Michigan? 

New applicants for a Michigan social worker license must complete two hours of implicit bias training within the five years immediately preceding the issuance of their license or registration. 

Any social workers renewing their Michigan social worker license must subsequently complete one hour of implicit bias training each year of their license or registration cycle. This is in addition to any continuing education requirements needed for renewal. 

Meet the Implicit Bias Training requirement with the Understanding, Recognizing, and Mitigating Implicit Biases in Healthcare course from Elite Learning. 

Why Implicit Bias training? 

Research shows that unconscious biases often affect clinicians’ perceptions of others, influencing decisions and actively contributing to health inequalities. Typically, implicit biases are negative and unintentionally lead to disparities in interactions, treatment decisions, and overall access to care.  

The purpose of implementing implicit bias training is to make social workers aware of this modifiable risk, which plays a role in the causation of health disparities. Elite’s interactive online course meets Michigan’s standards for this requirement. 

How do I renew my social worker license in Michigan?

Michigan has set up an online system to help social workers renew their licenses quickly and simply once they’ve met their CE requirements. The Michigan Professional Licensing User System (MiPLUS) contains a licensing and regulatory database application for all health and occupational professionals in Michigan. To renew your social worker license, follow the guidelines below: 

  1. Visit the MiPLUS website at www.michigan.gov/miplus. 
  2. Log in or create an account. 
  3. Click the Licenses tab. 
  4. Select the link “Click here to Renew License.” 
  5. Fill in all required information. 
  6. Pay fee. 
  7. Confirm your license status in the “My Records” tab. 

Where can I complete my CE hours? 

Browse dozens of social work CE courses, accessible 24/7 in Elite’s online library, and meet up to half of your required 45 hours of CE for your Michigan social worker license. 

Click here to learn more about Michigan continuing education requirements. 

Colibri Healthcare, LLC (formerly Elite Professional Education, LLC), Provider Number 1147, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 5/5/2023 – 5/5/2026.