(a) The board of occupational therapy has the power and it is its duty to deny, suspend or revoke the license of or to otherwise lawfully discipline a licensee whenever the licensee is guilty of violating any of this part or is guilty of any of the following acts or offenses:

(1) Unprofessional, dishonorable or unethical conduct;

(2) Violation or attempted violation, directly or indirectly, or assisting in or abetting the violation of, or conspiring to violate, any provision of this part or any lawful order of the board issued pursuant thereto or any criminal statute of this state;

(3) Making false or misleading statements or representations, being guilty of fraud or deceit in obtaining admission to practice or being guilty of fraud or deceit in the licensee's practice;

(4) Gross health care liability or a pattern of continued or repeated health care liability, ignorance, negligence or incompetence in the course of professional practice;

(5) Habitual intoxication or personal misuse of any drugs or the use of intoxicating liquors, narcotics, controlled substances, controlled substance analogues or other drugs or stimulants in such a manner as to adversely affect the person's ability to practice;

(6) Conviction of a felony, conviction of any offense under state or federal drug laws or conviction of any offense involving moral turpitude;

(7) Making or signing in one's professional capacity any certificate that is known to be false at the time one makes or signs such certificate;

(8) Engaging in practice when mentally or physically unable to safely do so;

(9) Solicitation by agents or persons generally known as “cappers” or “steerers” of professional patronage or profiting by the acts of those representing themselves to be agents of the licensee;

(10) Division of fees or agreeing to split or divide fees received for professional services with any person for bringing or referring a patient;

(11) Conducting practice so as to permit, directly or indirectly, an unlicensed person to perform services or work that, under this part, can be done legally only by persons licensed to practice;

(12) Professional connection or association with any person, firm or corporation in any manner in an effort to avoid and circumvent this part or lending one's name to another for illegal practice;

(13) Payment or acceptance of commissions, in any form or manner, on fees for professional services, references, consultations, pathological reports, prescriptions or on other services or articles supplied to patients;

(14) Giving of testimonials, directly or indirectly, concerning the supposed virtue of secret therapeutic agents or proprietary preparations, such as remedies, or other articles or materials that are offered to the public, claiming radical cure or prevention of diseases by their use;

(15) Violating the code of ethics adopted by the board;

(16) Any other unprofessional or unethical conduct that may be specified by the rules duly published and promulgated by the board or the violation of any provision of this part;

(17) On behalf of the licensee, the licensee's partner, associate or any other person affiliated with the licensee or the licensee's facility, use or participate in the use of any form of public communication containing a false, fraudulent, misleading or deceptive statement or claim; or

(18) Disciplinary action against a person licensed to practice occupational therapy by another state or territory of the United States for any acts or omissions that would constitute grounds for discipline of a person licensed in this state. A certified copy of the initial or final order or other equivalent document memorializing the disciplinary action from the disciplining state or territory shall constitute prima facie evidence of violation of this section and be sufficient grounds upon which to deny, restrict or condition licensure or renewal and/or discipline a person licensed in this state.

(b) In enforcing this section, the board of occupational therapy shall, upon probable cause, have the authority to compel an applicant or licensee to submit to a mental or physical examination, or both, by a designated board of at least three (3) practicing physicians, including a psychiatrist, where a question of mental condition is involved. The applicant or licensee may have an independent physical or mental examination, which examination report shall be filed with the board for consideration. The physicians' board shall submit a report of its findings to the board for use in any hearing that may thereafter ensue.

(c) The board, on its own motion, may cause to be investigated any report indicating that a licensee is or may be in violation of this part. Any licensee, any occupational therapist or occupational therapy-related society or association or any other person who in good faith reports to the board any information that a licensee is or may be in violation of any provisions of this part shall not be subject to suit for civil damages as a result thereof.

(d) An action taken under this section shall be subject to the applicable provisions of the Fresh Start Act that are compiled in chapter 1, part 1 of this title.