32-3253. Powers and duties

A. The board shall:

1. Adopt rules consistent with and necessary or proper to carry out the purposes of this chapter.

2. Administer and enforce this chapter, rules adopted pursuant to this chapter and orders of the board.

3. Issue a license by examination, endorsement or temporary recognition to, and renew the license of, each person who is qualified to be licensed pursuant to this chapter. The board must issue or deny a license within one hundred eighty days after the applicant submits a completed application.

4. Establish fees by rule.

5. Collect fees and spend monies.

6. Keep a record of all persons who are licensed pursuant to this chapter, actions taken on all applications for licensure, actions involving renewal, suspension, revocation or denial of a license or probation of licensees and the receipt and disbursal of monies.

7. Adopt an official seal for attestation of licensure and other official papers and documents.

8. Conduct investigations and determine on its own motion whether a licensee or an applicant has engaged in unprofessional conduct, is incompetent or is mentally or physically unable to engage in the practice of behavioral health.

9. Conduct disciplinary actions pursuant to this chapter and board rules.

10. Establish and enforce standards or criteria of programs or other mechanisms to ensure the continuing competence of licensees.

11. Establish and enforce compliance with professional standards and rules of conduct for licensees.

12. Engage in a full exchange of information with the licensing and disciplinary boards and professional associations for behavioral health professionals in this state and other jurisdictions.

13. Subject to section 35-149, accept, expend and account for gifts, grants, devises and other contributions, money or property from any public or private source, including the federal government. Monies received under this paragraph shall be deposited, pursuant to sections 35-146 and 35-147, in special funds for the purpose specified, which are exempt from the provisions of section 35-190 relating to lapsing of appropriations.

14. Adopt rules regarding the application for and approval of educational curricula of regionally accredited colleges or universities with a program not otherwise accredited by an organization or entity recognized by the board that are consistent with the requirements of this chapter and maintain a list of those programs. Approvals are valid for a period of five years if no changes of curricula are made that are inconsistent with the requirements of this chapter or board rule.

15. Maintain a registry of licensees who have met the educational requirements to provide supervision as required pursuant to this chapter to applicants in the same profession.

16. Adopt rules to allow approval of persons who wish to provide supervision pursuant to this chapter and who are not licensed by the board and who are licensed in a profession other than the profession in which the applicant is seeking licensure.

17. Recognize not more than four hundred hours of psychoeducation for work experience required pursuant to sections 32-3293, 32-3301, 32-3311 and 32-3321.

18. Adopt rules regarding the use of telepractice.

19. If an applicant is required to pass an examination for licensure, allow the applicant to take the examination three times during a twelve-month period.

B. The board may join professional organizations and associations organized exclusively to promote the improvement of the standards of the practice of behavioral health, protect the health and welfare of the public or assist and facilitate the work of the board.

C. The board may enter into stipulated agreements with a licensee for the confidential treatment, rehabilitation and monitoring of chemical dependency or psychiatric, psychological or behavioral health disorders in a program provided pursuant to subsection D of this section. A licensee who materially fails to comply with a program shall be terminated from the confidential program. Any records of the licensee who is terminated from a confidential program are no longer confidential or exempt from the public records law, notwithstanding any law to the contrary. Stipulated agreements are not public records if the following conditions are met:

1. The licensee voluntarily agrees to participate in the confidential program.

2. The licensee complies with all treatment requirements or recommendations, including participation in approved programs.

3. The licensee refrains from professional practice until the return to practice has been approved by the treatment program and the board.

4. The licensee complies with all monitoring requirements of the stipulated agreement, including random bodily fluid testing.

5. The licensee's professional employer is notified of the licensee's chemical dependency or medical, psychiatric, psychological or behavioral health disorders and participation in the confidential program and is provided a copy of the stipulated agreement.

D. The board shall establish a confidential program for the monitoring of licensees who are chemically dependent or who have psychiatric, psychological or behavioral health disorders that may impact their ability to safely practice and who enroll in a rehabilitation program that meets the criteria prescribed by the board. The licensee is responsible for the costs associated with rehabilitative services and monitoring. The board may take further action if a licensee refuses to enter into a stipulated agreement or fails to comply with the terms of a stipulated agreement. In order to protect the public health and safety, the confidentiality requirements of this subsection do not apply if a licensee does not comply with the stipulated agreement.

E. The board shall audio record all meetings and maintain all audio and video recordings or stenographic records of interviews and meetings for a period of three years from when the record was created.