Healing arts.

(1) Existing law, the Dental Practice Act, establishes the Dental Board of California, which was formerly known as the Board of Dental Examiners of California. Existing law requires the board to have and use a seal bearing its name. Existing law creates, within the jurisdiction of the board, a Dental Hygiene Committee of California, that is responsible for regulation of registered dental hygienists, registered dental hygienists in alternative practice, and registered dental hygienists in extended functions. This bill would amend those provisions to remove an obsolete reference to the former board and to make other technical changes. (2) Existing law, the Optometry Practice Act, provides for the licensure and regulation of optometrists by the State Board of Optometry. That act refers to the authorization to practice optometry issued by the board as a certificate of registration. This bill would instead refer to that authorization issued by the board as an optometrist license and would make other technical and conforming changes. (3) Existing law, the Pharmacy Law, governs the business and practice of pharmacy in this state and establishes the California State Board of Pharmacy. Existing law prohibits the board from issuing more than one site license to a single premises except to issue a veterinary food-animal drug retailer license to a wholesaler or to issue a license for compound sterile injectable drugs to a pharmacy. This bill would additionally authorize the board to issue more than one site license to a single premises to issue a centralized hospital packaging license. The bill would also establish a definition for the term "correctional pharmacy." Existing law authorizes the board to issue a license as a designated representative to provide supervision in a wholesaler or veterinary food-animal drug retailer. Existing law requires an individual to meet specified requirements to obtain and maintain a designated representative license, including a minimum of one year of paid work experience related to the distribution or dispensing of dangerous drugs or devices or meet certain prerequisites. The bill would require the one year of paid work experience to obtain a designated representative license to be in a licensed pharmacy, or with a drug wholesaler, drug distributor, or drug manufacturer. The bill would also make related, technical changes. (4) Existing law provides for the licensure and regulation of marriage and family therapists, licensed educational psychologists, licensed clinical social workers, and licensed professional clinical counselors by the Board of Behavioral Sciences. Existing law makes various changes to the licensing and associated eligibility and examination requirements for marriage and family therapists, licensed clinical social workers, and licensed professional clinical counselors, effective January 1, 2014. This bill would delay the implementation of these and other related changes until January 1, 2016. Existing law requires all persons applying for marriage and family therapist or licensed professional clinical counselor licensure examinations to have specified hours of experience, including experience gained by an intern or trainee as an employee or volunteer. This bill would specify that experience shall be gained by an intern or trainee only as an employee or volunteer. Existing law establishes a $75 delinquent renewal fee for a licensed educational psychologist and for licensed clinical social workers. This bill would instead specify that $75 is the maximum delinquent renewal fee. Existing law requires an applicant for registration as an associate clinical social worker to meet specified requirements. Existing law also defines the application of social work principles and methods. This bill would additionally require that all applicants and registrants be at all times under the supervision of a supervisor responsible for ensuring that the extent, kind, and quality of counseling performed is consistent with the training and experience of the person being supervised, and who is responsible to the board for compliance with all laws, rules, and regulations governing the practice of clinical social work. The bill would also specify that the practice of clinical social work includes the use, application, and integration of the coursework and experience required. Existing law requires a licensed professional clinical counselor, to qualify for a clinical examination for licensure, to complete clinical mental health experience, as specified, including no less than 1,750 hours of direct counseling with individuals or groups in specified settings and not more than 250 hours of experience providing counseling or crisis counseling on the telephone. This bill would specify that the hours of direct counseling may be with individuals, groups, couples or families and would instead require not more than 375 hours of experience providing personal psychotherapy, crisis counseling, or other counseling services via telehealth. (5) The bill would also make other technical, nonsubstantive changes.