Healing arts.

Existing law provides for the licensure and regulation of various healing arts licensees by boards within the Department of Consumer Affairs. (1) Existing law, the Dental Practice Act, provides for the licensure and regulation of registered dental hygienists, registered dental hygienists in alternative practice, and registered dental hygienists in extended functions by the Dental Hygiene Committee of California within the Dental Board of California. Existing law requires applicants for licensure to provide fingerprint images for submission to governmental agencies, in order to, among other things, establish the identity of the applicant. This bill would require applicants to submit electronic fingerprint images. Existing law requires the committee to license as a registered dental hygienist, a registered dental hygienist in extended functions, or a registered dental hygienist in alternative practice a person who meets certain educational, training, and examination requirements. This bill would additionally require these applicants to complete an application and pay required application fees. Existing law, until January 1, 2012, requires the committee to license as a registered dental hygienist a 3rd- or 4th-year dental student who is in good standing at an accredited California dental school, who satisfactorily performs on a clinical examination and an examination in California law and ethics as prescribed by the committee, and who satisfactorily completes a national written dental hygiene examination approved by the committee. This bill would extend those provisions until January 1, 2014. Under existing law, a licensee may have his or her license revoked or suspended, or may be reprimanded or placed on probation by the committee, for conviction of a crime substantially related to the licensee's qualifications, functions, or duties. Existing law authorizes the committee to order a license suspended or revoked or to decline to issue a license if certain procedural events occur. This bill would additionally authorize the committee to reprimand a licensee or order a license placed on probation. Under existing law, a licensee or health care facility that fails to comply with a specified request from the committee for a patient's dental hygiene records is subject to a $250 per day civil penalty for each day that the records have not been produced, as specified. This bill would additionally require licensees and health care facilities to comply with a request for a patient's dental records and would make them subject to a civil or administrative penalty or fine up to a maximum of $250 per day for each day that the records have not been produced, as specified. (2) Existing law, the Nursing Practice Act, provides for the licensure and regulation of registered nurses by the Board of Registered Nursing. Existing law requires applicants for licensure as a registered nurse to meet certain educational requirements, to have completed specified courses of instruction, and to not be subject to denial of licensure under specified circumstances. Existing law authorizes applicants who have served on active duty in the medical corps in the United States Armed Forces to submit a record of specified training to the board for evaluation in order to satisfy the courses of instruction requirement. Under existing law, if the applicant satisfies the other general licensure requirements and if the board determines that both education and experience establish competency to practice registered nursing, the applicant shall be granted a license upon passing a certain examination. This bill would limit that board determination to be based on education only. (3) Existing law, the Physician Assistant Practice Act, provides for the licensure and regulation of physician assistants by the Physician Assistant Committee. Existing law requires the committee to issue a license to a physician assistant applicant who, among other things, provides evidence of either successful completion of an approved program, as defined, or a resident course of professional instruction meeting certain requirements. This bill would instead require applicants to provide evidence of successful completion of an approved program, as defined. (4) Existing law provides for the registration and regulation of polysomnographic technologists by the Medical Board of California. Existing law requires the board to promulgate regulations relative to the qualifications for the registration of individuals as certified polysomnographic technologists. Existing law specifies that the qualifications for a certified polysomnographic technologist includes meeting certain educational requirements and the passage of a national certifying examination. Existing law authorizes, for a specified period, the examination requirement to be satisfied if the applicant submits proof that he or she has been practicing polysomnography for at least 5 years, as specified. This bill would authorize, for a specified period, all of these qualifications to be satisfied if the applicant submits proof that he or she has been practicing polysomnography for at least 5 years, as specified. (5) Existing law, the Veterinary Medicine Practice Act, until January 1, 2012, authorizes a registered veterinary technician and an unregistered assistant to administer a drug, including, but not limited to, a drug that is a controlled substance, except for the induction of anesthesia, under the direct or indirect supervision of a licensed veterinarian when done pursuant to the order, control, and full professional responsibility of the veterinarian. This bill would extend the operation of that provision to January 1, 2013. (6) Under existing law, the Board of Behavioral Sciences is responsible for the licensure, registration, and regulation of, among others, marriage and family therapists, licensed clinical social workers, and licensed professional clinical counselors. (A) Existing law, the Marriage and Family Therapist Act, provides for the licensure and regulation of marriage and family therapists and makes a violation of the act a crime. Existing law, with respect to marriage and family therapists and marriage and family therapist interns, requires an applicant to possess a doctoral or master's degree in any of various disciplines, including, but not limited to, marriage, family, and child counseling. This bill would add couple and family therapy to that list of acceptable disciplines. Existing law requires that degree to contain a specified number of units of instruction that includes practicum involving direct client contact of a specified number of hours of face-to-face experience counseling individuals, couples, families, or groups and authorizes a portion of those hours to be gained performing client centered advocacy, as defined. This bill would revise and recast that requirement and would authorize that portion of hours to be gained performing either client centered advocacy, as defined, or face-to-face experience counseling individuals, couples, families, or groups. Existing law authorizes a licensed professional in private practice meeting certain requirements to supervise or employ no more than a total of 2 individuals registered as either a marriage and family therapist intern or associate clinical social worker. This bill would authorize such a licensed professional to supervise or employ no more than a total of 3 individuals and would add clinical counsel interns to that list. Because the bill would change the definition of a crime, it would thereby impose a state-mandated local program. Under existing law, a marriage and family therapy corporation may employ no more than a total of 2 individuals registered as either a marriage and family therapist intern or associate clinical social worker for each employee. Existing law prohibits the corporation from employing more than 10 individuals registered as either a marriage and family therapist intern or associate clinical social worker. This bill would authorize the corporation to employ no more than a total of 3 individuals and would add clinical counsel interns to that list. The bill would also authorize the corporation to employ no more than 15 registered interns and would include clinical counsel interns. (B) The Clinical Social Worker Practice Act provides for the licensure and regulation of social workers and makes a violation of the act a crime. Under existing law, qualified members of other professional groups may do work of a psychosocial nature consistent with the standards and ethics of their respective professions. This bill would specify that licensed professional clinical counselors may do such work. Existing law authorizes a licensee in private practice meeting certain requirements to supervise or employ no more than a total of 2 individuals registered as either a marriage and family therapist intern or associate clinical social worker. This bill would authorize that licensed professional to supervise or employ no more than a total of 3 individuals and would add clinical counsel interns to that list. Under existing law, a licensed clinical social workers' corporation may employ no more than a total of 2 individuals registered as either a marriage and family therapist intern or associate clinical social worker for each employee who has satisfied certain requirements. Existing law prohibits the corporation from employing more than 10 individuals registered as either a marriage and family therapist intern or associate clinical social worker. This bill would authorize the corporation to employ no more than a total of 3 individuals and would add clinical counsel interns to that list. The bill would also authorize the corporation to employ no more than 15 registered interns and would include clinical counsel interns. By changing the definition of crimes, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (C) Existing law, the Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor Act, provides for the licensure and regulation of professional clinical counselors and makes a violation of the act a crime. Existing law generally authorizes the board to take certain enforcement actions against licensees for a violation of the act. This bill would authorize the board to deny any application, or to suspend or revoke any license or registration, for specified reasons. The bill would also authorize a licensee in private practice meeting certain requirements to supervise or employ no more than a total of 3 individuals registered as a marriage and family therapist intern, clinical counselor intern, or associate clinical social worker. The bill would authorize professional clinical counselor corporation to employ no more than a total of 3 individuals registered as a marriage and family therapist intern, clinical counselor intern, or associate clinical social worker for each employee. The bill would prohibit the corporation from employing more than 15 individuals registered as a marriage and family therapist intern, clinical counselor intern, or associate clinical social worker. Because a violation of these requirements would constitute a crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would make other conforming and technical changes, including technical changes to the Psychology Licensing Law and the Pharmacy Law. (7) This bill would incorporate changes to Sections 4980.36 and 4980.42 of the Business and Professions Code proposed by SB 363 and changes to Section 4999.90 of the Business and Professions Code proposed by SB 946, if these bills are also enacted and this bill is chaptered last. (8) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.