Treatment reasonably required to cure or relieve from the effects of an injury shall include the services of marriage and family therapists, professional clinical counselors, and clinical social workers licensed by California state law and within the scope of their practice as defined by California state law if the injured person is referred to the marriage and family therapist, the professional clinical counselor, or the clinical social worker by a licensed physician and surgeon, with the approval of the employer, for treatment of a condition arising out of the injury. This section does not authorize marriage and family therapists, professional clinical counselors, or clinical social workers to determine disability for the purposes of Article 3 (commencing with Section 4650) of Chapter 2 of Part 2. The requirement of this section that the employer approve the referral by a licensed physician or surgeon shall not be construed to preclude reimbursement for self-procured treatment, found by the appeals board to be otherwise compensable pursuant to this division, if the employer has refused to authorize any treatment for the condition arising from the injury treated by the marriage and family therapist, professional clinical counselor, or clinical social worker.
(Amended by Stats. 2018, Ch. 389, Sec. 18. (AB 2296) Effective January 1, 2019.)