How Does The Professional Matrix Help Minnesota Social Workers Find Licensure Supervision?

Updated

The Professional Matrix (TheProfessionalMatrix.com) is a network and resource for Minnesota social workers who need supervision for licensure, and for the supervisors who provide it. It is run by The Professional Matrix.com, Inc., a Social Work Professional Firm registered with the Minnesota Board of Social Work. It is aimed at helping supervisors and supervisees connect, offering affordable resources, and making it easier to meet the state's supervision and continuing education requirements. It is a matching and resource service, not a licensing body — licensure rules and approval remain with the Minnesota Board of Social Work.

What the organization is

The site describes itself as "an affordable network and resource for obtaining supervision required for licensure for social work professionals in the state of Minnesota." Its stated goals, set out by founder and Executive Director Sarah Anderson (MSW, LICSW), are to:

  • Help supervisors and supervisees find each other.
  • Offer affordable resources for supervision and continuing education.
  • Help members meet the new supervision and continuing education requirements that followed the legislation raising licensure standards in Minnesota.
  • Make the supervision process easier and more user-friendly.

The organization was started in 2008. Anderson writes that the idea grew out of her concern, shared by others, about how new graduates would meet the higher standards — specifically how they would find supervisors and how they could afford supervision.

How the network connects supervisees and supervisors

The model is a two-sided directory-style network. The site's navigation lists Supervisors, Join, Seeking Supervision, and Providing Supervision, which reflects the two audiences it serves:

You are… What the site offers What to expect
A social worker who needs licensure supervision A "Seeking Supervision" path and a network of supervisors A way to find supervisors and affordable supervision resources
A qualified professional able to supervise A "Providing Supervision" path and a "Supervisors" listing A way to be found by supervisees and to support the supervision resource pool

The site does not publish a public list of individual supervisor credentials or fees in the material available, so treat the directory as a starting point and confirm a supervisor's qualifications and rates directly with them.

Who it is for

The network is built around Minnesota social workers at the point of licensure. The welcome letter notes there are roughly 11,000 social workers in Minnesota and frames the whole profession as the resource: experienced members sharing knowledge with newer ones. That means:

  • New graduates and licensure candidates who need to locate and afford supervision.
  • Experienced social workers who are able to supervise and want to expand the supervision resource.
  • Anyone in the Minnesota social work community looking for continuing education resources tied to the state's requirements.

If you are outside Minnesota or seeking supervision for a different profession, this network is not designed for you.

How to get started

  1. Decide which side you are on. If you need supervision, start from the "Seeking Supervision" area. If you can supervise, start from "Providing Supervision" or "Supervisors."
  2. Review the About and Welcome Letter pages to understand the organization's purpose and how it frames the supervision requirement.
  3. Use the Join path to become part of the network. The site presents joining as the way to access its resources and connections; check the Join page for what membership involves before committing.
  4. Contact potential supervisors or supervisees directly through the network, and confirm credentials, availability, and cost with them.
  5. Verify requirements with the Minnesota Board of Social Work. The Professional Matrix is a registered Social Work Professional Firm, but the Board sets and enforces licensure and supervision rules. Use the Board as the authority for what your license requires.

Practical cautions

  • Affordability is a stated goal, not a published price. The site calls its resources affordable, but no fees or pricing are listed in the available material. Ask about cost before you rely on it.
  • Registration is not endorsement. Being registered with the Minnesota Board of Social Work as a professional firm is a status, not a guarantee that every supervisor in the network fits your license type or your schedule.
  • The site is a connector. The quality and fit of a supervision arrangement depend on the individual supervisor and on the Board's requirements, so do your own due diligence.

For a Minnesota social worker who needs supervision, The Professional Matrix is a reasonable first stop for finding supervisors and affordable resources — then confirm the details with the supervisor and the Board.