2006 Minnesota Statutes

148C.09 DENIAL, SUSPENSION, OR REVOCATION OF LICENSE.
    Subdivision 1. Grounds. The board may refuse to grant a license to, or may suspend, revoke,
or restrict the license of an individual if the board determines that a licensee or applicant:
(1) is incompetent to engage in alcohol and drug counseling practice or is found to be engaged
in alcohol and drug counseling practice in a manner harmful or dangerous to a client or the public;
(2) has violated the rules of the board or the statutes the board is empowered to enforce; or
any law, rule order, stipulation and consent order, agreement, or settlement;
(3) has obtained or attempted to obtain a license or license renewal by bribery or fraudulent
misrepresentation;
(4) has knowingly made a false statement on the form required to be submitted to the board
for licensing or license renewal;
(5) has failed to obtain continuing education credits required by the board;
(6) has failed to demonstrate the qualifications or satisfy the requirements for a license
contained in this chapter or rules of the board. The burden of proof shall be upon the applicant
to demonstrate qualifications or satisfaction of requirements;
(7) has been convicted of a crime, including a finding or verdict of guilt, an admission of
guilt, or a no contest plea, in any court in Minnesota or any other jurisdiction in the United States,
reasonably related to the provision of alcohol and drug counseling services. Conviction, as used
in this subdivision, includes conviction of an offense which, if committed in this state, would
be deemed a felony or gross misdemeanor without regard to its designation elsewhere, or a
criminal proceeding where a finding or verdict of guilty is made or returned but the adjudication
of guilt is either withheld or not entered;
(8) has been convicted of a crime against another person. For purposes of this chapter, a crime
against another person means an offense listed in section 148B.68, subdivision 1, paragraph (b);
(9) has failed to comply with the self-reporting requirements of section 148C.095,
subdivision 7 ;
(10) has engaged in sexual contact with a client, or a former client, as defined in section
148A.01, or has engaged in conduct that may be reasonably interpreted by a client as sexual, or
has engaged in any verbal behavior that is seductive or sexually demeaning to the client, or has
engaged in sexual exploitation of a client or former client;
(11) has engaged in false, fraudulent, deceptive, or misleading advertising;
(12) has engaged in conduct likely to deceive, defraud, or harm the public; or has
demonstrated a willful or careless disregard for the health, welfare, or safety of a client; or any
other practice that may create unnecessary danger to any client's life, health, or safety, in any of
which cases, proof of actual injury need not be established;
(13) has been adjudicated as mentally incompetent, or as a person who has a psychopathic
personality, or who is dangerous to self, or has been adjudicated as a person who is chemically
dependent, mentally ill, developmentally disabled, or mentally ill and dangerous to the public
pursuant to chapter 253B;
(14) is unable to provide alcohol and drug counseling services with reasonable safety
to clients;
(15) has habitually overindulged in the use of or the dependence on alcohol within the
past two years;
(16) has engaged in the improper or unauthorized personal or other use of any legend drugs
as defined in section 151.01, any chemicals as defined in section 151.01, or any controlled
substance as defined in section 152.01 within the past two years;
(17) reveals a communication from, or relating to, a client except when required or permitted
by law;
(18) fails to comply with a client's request for health records made under section 144.335, or
to furnish a client record or report required by law;
(19) has engaged in fee splitting or promises to pay a portion of a fee to any other
professional other than for services rendered by the other professional to the client;
(20) has engaged in abusive or fraudulent billing practices, including violations of the federal
Medicare and Medicaid laws or state medical assistance laws;
(21) fails to make reports as required by section 148C.095, or cooperate with an investigation
of the board;
(22) obtains money, property, or services from a client, other than reasonable fees for services
provided to the client, through the use of undue influence, harassment, duress, deception, or fraud;
(23) undertakes or continues a professional relationship with a client in which the objectivity
of the alcohol and drug counselor may be impaired;
(24) engages in conduct that constitutes grounds for discipline as established by the board
in rule; or
(25) engages in bartering for services with a client.
    Subd. 1a. Background investigation. The applicant must sign a release authorizing the
board to obtain information from the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the Federal Bureau of
Investigation, the Office of Mental Health Practice, the Department of Human Services, the
Office of Health Facilities Complaints, and other agencies specified in the rules. After the board
has given written notice to an individual who is the subject of a background investigation, the
agencies shall assist the board with the investigation by giving the board criminal conviction data,
reports about substantiated maltreatment of minors and vulnerable adults, and other information
specified in the rules. The board may contract with the commissioner of human services to obtain
criminal history data from the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.
    Subd. 2. Appeal; restoring a license. If a license is denied, suspended, restricted, or
revoked, an applicant or licensee may request a hearing under the contested case provisions of
chapter 14. The board may, for good cause demonstrated by the applicant or counselor, grant
a license previously refused, restore a license that has been revoked, or reduce a period of
suspension or restriction of a license. The board may impose any conditions or limitations as
the board deems reasonable.
    Subd. 3.[Repealed, 1995 c 164 s 35]
    Subd. 4. Evidence. In disciplinary actions alleging violations of subdivision 1, paragraph (7),
(8), (13), or (14), a copy of the judgment or proceedings under the seal of the court administrator
or of the administrative agency that entered the judgment or proceeding is admissible into
evidence without further authentication and constitutes prima facie evidence of its contents.
History: 1992 c 559 art 2 s 10; 1995 c 164 s 17; 1996 c 451 art 4 s 43; 2000 c 460 s 47,48;
2002 c 221 s 5; 2003 c 118 s 28; 2004 c 279 art 5 s 9; 2005 c 56 s 1