Healing arts: licensure and certification requirements: military experience.

Existing law provides for the licensure and regulation of various healing arts professions and vocations by boards within the Department of Consumer Affairs. Existing law requires the rules and regulations of these healing arts boards to provide for methods of evaluating education, training, and experience obtained in military service if such training is applicable to the requirements of the particular profession or vocation regulated by the board. Under existing law, specified other healing arts professions and vocations are licensed or certified and regulated by the State Department of Public Health. In some instances, a board with the Department of Consumer Affairs or the State Department of Public Health approves schools offering educational course credit for meeting licensing or certification qualifications and requirements. This bill would require the State Department of Public Health, upon the presentation of evidence by an applicant for licensure or certification, to accept education, training, and practical experience completed by an applicant in military service toward the qualifications and requirements to receive a license or certificate for specified professions and vocations if that education, training, or experience is equivalent to the standards of the department. If a board within the Department of Consumer Affairs or the State Department of Public Health accredits or otherwise approves schools offering educational course credit for meeting licensing and certification qualifications and requirements, the bill would, not later than January 1, 2015, require those schools seeking accreditation or approval to have procedures in place to evaluate an applicant's military education, training, and practical experience toward the completion of an educational program that would qualify a person to apply for licensure or certification, as specified. Under existing law, the Department of Veterans Affairs has specified powers and duties relating to various programs serving veterans. Under existing law, the Chancellor of the California State University and the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges have specified powers and duties relating to statewide health education programs. With respect to complying with the bill's requirements and obtaining specified funds to support compliance with these provisions, this bill would require the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Chancellor of the California State University, and the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges to provide technical assistance to the healing arts boards within the Department of Consumer Affairs, the State Department of Public Health, and to the schools offering, or seeking to offer, educational course credit for meeting licensing qualifications and requirements.