4860. It is the intent of the Legislature that the Veterinary Medical Board seek ways and means to identify and rehabilitate veterinarians and registered veterinary technicians with impairment due to abuse of dangerous drugs or alcohol, affecting competency so that veterinarians and registered veterinary technicians so afflicted may be treated and returned to the practice of veterinary medicine in a manner that will not endanger the public health and safety.
4861. One or more diversion evaluation committees is hereby authorized to be established by the board. Each diversion evaluation committee shall be composed of five persons appointed by the board.
Each diversion evaluation committee shall have the following
composition:
(a) Three veterinarians licensed under this chapter. The board in making its appointments shall give consideration to recommendations of veterinary associations and local veterinary societies and shall consider, among others, where appropriate, the appointment of veterinarians who have recovered from impairment or who have knowledge and expertise in the management of impairment.
[Ed; "Have Recovered?" DSM Psychiatric 'Mental Illness'/"impairment due to abuse of dangerous drugs or alcohol" can NOT be 'Recovered' from in consumers Without State Legislatures Authorizing their 'Recovery'. Skip down to Sec 4871 where it says that after a Veterinarian "has been rehabilitated" .... "SHALL PURGE AND DESTROY ALL RECORDS]
(b) Two public members.
Each person appointed to a diversion evaluation committee shall have experience or knowledge in the evaluation or management of persons who are impaired due to alchohol or drug abuse.
It shall require the majority vote of the board to appoint a person to a diversion evaluation committee. Each appointment shall be at the pleasure of the board for a term not to exceed four years. In its discretion the board may stagger the terms of the initial
members appointed.
The board may appoint a program director and other personnel as necessary to carry out provisions of this article.
4862. Each member of a diversion evaluation committee shall receive per diem and expenses as provided in Section 103.
4863. Three members of a diversion evaluation committee shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at any meeting. Any action requires the majority vote of the diversion evaluation committee.
4864. Each diversion evaluation committee shall elect from its membership a chairperson and a vice chairperson.
4865. The board shall administer the provisions of this article.
4866. (a) The board shall establish criteria for the acceptance, denial, or termination of veterinarians and registered veterinary technicians in a diversion program. Only those veterinarians and registered veterinary technicians who have voluntarily requested
diversion treatment and supervision by a diversion evaluation committee shall participate in a program.
(b) The board shall establish criteria for the selection of administrative physicians who shall examine veterinarians and registered veterinary technicians requesting diversion under a program. Any reports made under this article by the administrative physician shall constitute an exception to Sections 994 and 995 of the Evidence Code.
(c) The diversion program may accept no more than 100 participants who are licensees of the board.
4867. The diversion evaluation committee shall inform each veterinarian and registered veterinary technician who requests participation in a program of the procedures followed in the program, of the rights and responsibilities of the veterinarian and registered veterinary technician in the program, and of the possible results of noncompliance with the program.
4868. Each diversion evaluation committee shall have the following duties and responsibilities:
(a) To evaluate those veterinarians and registered veterinary technicians who request participation in the program according to the guidelines prescribed by the board and to consider the recommendation of the administrative physician on the admission of
the veterinarian or registered veterinary technician to the diversion program.
(b) To review and designate those treatment facilities to which veterinarians and registered veterinary technicians in a diversion program may be referred.
(c) To receive and review information concerning veterinarians and registered veterinary technicians participating in the program.
(d) To call meetings as necessary to consider the requests of veterinarians and registered veterinary technicians to participate in a diversion program, and to consider reports regarding veterinarians and registered veterinary technicians participating in a program from an administrative physician, or from others.
(e) To consider in the case of each veterinarian and registered veterinary technician participating in a program whether he or she may with safety continue or resume the practice of veterinary medicine or the assisting in the practice of veterinary medicine.
(f) To set forth in writing for each veterinarian and registered veterinary technician participating in a program a treatment program established for each such veterinarian and registered veterinary technician with the requirements for supervision and surveillance.
(g) To hold a general meeting at least twice a year, which shall be open and public, to evaluate the program's progress, to review data as required in reports to the board, to prepare reports to be submitted to the board, and to suggest proposals for changes in the diversion program.
4869. Notwithstanding the provisions of Article 9 (commencing with Section 11120) of Chapter 1 of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, relating to public meetings, a diversion evaluation committee may convene in closed session to consider reports pertaining to any veterinarian or registered veterinary technician requesting or participating in a diversion program. A diversion evaluation committee shall only convene in closed session to the extent that it is necessary to protect the privacy of a veterinarian or registered veterinary technician.
4870. Each veterinarian and registered veterinary technician who requests participation in a diversion program shall agree to cooperate with the treatment program designed by a diversion evaluation committee. Any failure to comply with the provisions of a treatment program may result in termination of the veterinarian's or registered veterinary technician's participation in a program.
4871. (a) After a diversion evaluation committee in its discretion has determined that a veterinarian or registered veterinary technician has been rehabilitated and the diversion program is completed, the diversion evaluation committee shall purge and destroy all records pertaining to the veterinarian's or registered veterinary technician's participation in a diversion program.
(b) All board and diversion evaluation committee records and records of proceedings pertaining to the treatment of a veterinarian or registered veterinary technician in a program shall be kept confidential and are not subject to discovery or subpoena.
4872. The board shall provide for the representation of any persons making reports to a diversion evaluation committee or the board under this article in any action for defamation.
4873. The board shall charge each veterinarian and registered veterinary technician who is accepted to participate in the diversion program a diversion program registration fee. The diversion program registration fee shall be set by the board in an amount not to exceed four thousand dollars ($4,000). In the event that the diversion program registration exceeds five hundred dollars ($500), the board may provide for quarterly payments.
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