CSW-G

It is a NASW Advanced Practice Specialty Credential in gerontology, administered by the NASW Credentialing Center. NASW states that advanced practice specialty credentials are available to all qualified social workers, while its professional social work credentials require membership. It signals specialty practice with older adults; it does not replace state licensure.

NASW's public credential pages do not publish item counts, question format, or delivery mode for this specialty credential, so treat any specific claim you see elsewhere with suspicion. Confirm the current format directly with the NASW Credentialing Center before you build a study plan around it. We mark these details as unverified rather than guess.

Neither the time limit nor the passing score is stated in NASW's published credential information, so no reliable figure can be given here. Candidates should request the current handbook or candidate guide from NASW and plan timing and target scores from that document rather than from secondhand summaries.

Fees and retake rules are not included in the public credential pages we can verify. Because NASW notes that some employers factor voluntary credentials into salary scales, it is worth confirming total cost, any membership requirement, and retake windows with the Credentialing Center before applying, then budgeting for the renewal cycle.

NASW states that specialty credentials are renewed every two years, and email reminders are sent before the expiration date. Renewal is separate from the ACSW, which renews annually with payment of NASW dues. Track your expiration date from the day you are approved, not from the day you sit the exam.

Expect applied, scenario-based difficulty rather than trivia. Start with the NASW Code of Ethics and the application of self-determination, capacity, and confidentiality with older adults, then move to biopsychosocial assessment, dementia and chronic illness, elder mistreatment reporting, and payer systems such as Medicare and Medicaid.

Sequence it: ethics and standards first, assessment and diagnosis second, systems and policy third, then settings such as home care, assisted living, nursing homes, and hospice. Finish with timed mixed practice so you rehearse prioritizing competing risks, which is where most experienced practitioners lose points.

Three recur: answering from agency habit instead of the Code of Ethics, missing safety and capacity red flags hidden in a long scenario stem, and confusing payer rules for Medicare, Medicaid, and private long-term care coverage. A fourth is under-preparing on guardianship, advance directives, and end-of-life decision making.

No. This is independent study material and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to NASW. Only NASW's Credentialing Center can award the CSW-G. Use this material for review, and verify every requirement, fee, and deadline with NASW directly before you apply.