(a) Criteria for acceptance into the rehabilitation program shall include all of the following:
(1) The applicant shall be licensed as a physical therapist or as a physical therapist assistant by the board and shall be a resident of California.
(2) The applicant shall be found to abuse dangerous drugs or alcoholic beverages in a manner that may affect his or her ability to practice physical therapy safely or competently.
(3) The applicant shall have voluntarily requested admission to the program or shall be accepted into the program in accordance with terms and conditions resulting from a disciplinary action.
(4) The applicant shall agree to undertake any medical or psychiatric examination ordered to evaluate the applicant for participation in the program.
(5) The applicant shall cooperate with the program by providing medical information, disclosure authorizations, and releases of liability as may be necessary for participation in the program.
(6) The applicant shall agree in writing to cooperate with all elements of the treatment program designed for him or her.
Any applicant may be denied participation in the program if the board, the program manager, or a rehabilitation evaluation committee determines that the applicant will not substantially benefit from participation in the program or that the applicant’s participation in the program creates too great a risk to the public health, safety, or welfare.
(b) A participant may be terminated from the program for any of the following reasons:
(1) The participant has successfully completed the treatment program.
(2) The participant has failed to comply with the treatment program designated for him or her.
(3) The participant fails to meet any of the criteria set forth in subdivision (a) or (c).
(4) It is determined that the participant has not substantially benefited from participation in the program or that his or her continued participation in the program creates too great a risk to the public health, safety, or welfare. Whenever an applicant is denied participation in the program or a participant is terminated from the program for any reason other than the successful completion of the program, and it is determined that the continued practice of physical therapy by that individual creates too great a risk to the public health, safety, and welfare, that fact shall be reported to the executive officer of the board and all documents and information pertaining to and supporting that conclusion shall be provided to the executive officer. The matter may be referred for investigation and disciplinary action by the board. Each physical therapist or physical therapy assistant who requests participation in a rehabilitation program shall agree to cooperate with the recovery program designed for him or her. Any failure to comply with that program may result in termination of participation in the program.
The rehabilitation evaluation committee shall inform each participant in the program of the procedures followed in the program, of the rights and responsibilities of a physical therapist or physical therapist assistant in the program, and the possible results of noncompliance with the program.
(c) In addition to the criteria and causes set forth in subdivision (a), the board may set forth in its regulations additional criteria for admission to the program or causes for termination from the program.
(Amended by Stats. 2013, Ch. 389, Sec. 66. (SB 198) Effective January 1, 2014.)