Meeting of the Board of Regents | February 2008

SUMMARY

Issue for Discussion

Periodic update and discussion of the resolution of professional discipline cases, including the handling of complaints, adjudications, summary suspensions and illegal practice.

Reason(s) for Consideration

              For Information.

              The Professional Practice Committee is responsible for reviewing all disciplinary actions and proceedings prior to their recommendation to the Board of Regents for final action. It is the responsibility of the Office of Professional Discipline (OPD) to provide information on a regular basis regarding all activities of the office and to seek the committee’s guidance in establishing the priorities and goals of the office.

               

Proposed Handling

This discussion will take place at the February 2008 meeting of the Professional Practice Committee.

Procedural History

N/A

Background Information

The Director of the Office of Professional Discipline will share information and provide statistical data on all OPD activity for the last three years to include complaints, administrative warnings, violation committee settlements, corrective action letters, consents, discipline hearings, direct referrals, moral character proceedings, restorations and fine monies collected.

This update will provide a detailed account to the Committee of all of the actions that occur in the discipline process but do not directly involve the Committee. It is important to note that a significant number of minor and technical cases are appropriately resolved each year, using administrative warnings, violations committee actions, and corrective action letters, and that only the most serious cases require action by the Committee.

Because of continuous improvement in the resolution of Regents actions, we have by design transferred capacity to a renewed emphasis on the use of the summary suspension process.  That process is an expedited procedure to determine whether the public health, safety, or welfare imperatively requires emergency action to prohibit continued practice by a licensed professional. If ordered by the Board of Regents, the suspended professional is prohibited from practicing pending completion of a full disciplinary hearing, and steps are taken to offer a prompt hearing.

The Committee will also be updated on the implementation of the illegal practice regulations, and will be provided with information on recent significant illegal practice cases that are being criminally prosecuted and on how the regulations may impact these types of cases in the future.

Recommendation

N/A

Timetable for Implementation

N/A