(225 ILCS 15/15) (from Ch. 111, par. 5365)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2027)

Sec. 15. Disciplinary action; grounds.

(a) The Department may refuse to issue, refuse to renew, suspend, or revoke any license, or may place on probation, reprimand, or take other disciplinary or non-disciplinary action deemed appropriate by the Department, including the imposition of fines not to exceed $10,000 for each violation, with regard to any license issued under the provisions of this Act for any one or a combination of the following reasons:

(1) Conviction of, or entry of a plea of guilty or nolo contendere to, any crime that is a felony under the laws of the United States or any state or territory thereof or that is a misdemeanor of which an essential element is dishonesty, or any crime that is directly related to the practice of the profession.

(2) Gross negligence in the rendering of clinical psychological services.

(3) Using fraud or making any misrepresentation in applying for a license or in passing the examination provided for in this Act.

(4) Aiding or abetting or conspiring to aid or abet a person, not a clinical psychologist licensed under this Act, in representing himself or herself as so licensed or in applying for a license under this Act.

(5) Violation of any provision of this Act or the rules promulgated thereunder.

(6) Professional connection or association with any person, firm, association, partnership or corporation holding himself, herself, themselves, or itself out in any manner contrary to this Act.

(7) Unethical, unauthorized or unprofessional conduct as defined by rule. In establishing those rules, the Department shall consider, though is not bound by, the ethical standards for psychologists promulgated by recognized national psychology associations.

(8) Aiding or assisting another person in violating any provisions of this Act or the rules promulgated thereunder.

(9) Failing to provide, within 60 days, information in response to a written request made by the Department.

(10) Habitual or excessive use or addiction to alcohol, narcotics, stimulants, or any other chemical agent or drug that results in a clinical psychologist's inability to practice with reasonable judgment, skill or safety.

(11) Discipline by another state, territory, the District of Columbia or foreign country, if at least one of the grounds for the discipline is the same or substantially equivalent to those set forth herein.

(12) Directly or indirectly giving or receiving from any person, firm, corporation, association or partnership any fee, commission, rebate, or other form of compensation for any professional service not actually or personally rendered. Nothing in this paragraph (12) affects any bona fide independent contractor or employment arrangements among health care professionals, health facilities, health care providers, or other entities, except as otherwise prohibited by law. Any employment arrangements may include provisions for compensation, health insurance, pension, or other employment benefits for the provision of services within the scope of the licensee's practice under this Act. Nothing in this paragraph (12) shall be construed to require an employment arrangement to receive professional fees for services rendered.

(13) A finding that the licensee, after having his or her license placed on probationary status, has violated the terms of probation.

(14) Willfully making or filing false records or reports, including but not limited to, false records or reports filed with State agencies or departments.

(15) Physical illness, including but not limited to, deterioration through the aging process, mental illness or disability that results in the inability to practice the profession with reasonable judgment, skill and safety.

(16) Willfully failing to report an instance of suspected child abuse or neglect as required by the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act.

(17) Being named as a perpetrator in an indicated report by the Department of Children and Family Services pursuant to the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act, and upon proof by clear and convincing evidence that the licensee has caused a child to be an abused child or neglected child as defined in the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act.

(18) Violation of the Health Care Worker Self-Referral Act.

(19) Making a material misstatement in furnishing information to the Department, any other State or federal agency, or any other entity.

(20) Failing to report to the Department any adverse judgment, settlement, or award arising from a liability claim related to an act or conduct similar to an act or conduct that would constitute grounds for action as set forth in this Section.

(21) Failing to report to the Department any adverse final action taken against a licensee or applicant by another licensing jurisdiction, including any other state or territory of the United States or any foreign state or country, or any peer review body, health care institution, professional society or association related to the profession, governmental agency, law enforcement agency, or court for an act or conduct similar to an act or conduct that would constitute grounds for disciplinary action as set forth in this Section.

(22) Prescribing, selling, administering, distributing, giving, or self-administering (A) any drug classified as a controlled substance (designated product) for other than medically accepted therapeutic purposes or (B) any narcotic drug.

(23) Violating state or federal laws or regulations relating to controlled substances, legend drugs, or ephedra as defined in the Ephedra Prohibition Act.

(24) Exceeding the terms of a collaborative agreement or the prescriptive authority delegated to a licensee by his or her collaborating physician or established under a written collaborative agreement.

The entry of an order by any circuit court establishing that any person holding a license under this Act is subject to involuntary admission or judicial admission as provided for in the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Code, operates as an automatic suspension of that license. That person may have his or her license restored only upon the determination by a circuit court that the patient is no longer subject to involuntary admission or judicial admission and the issuance of an order so finding and discharging the patient and upon the Board's recommendation to the Department that the license be restored. Where the circumstances so indicate, the Board may recommend to the Department that it require an examination prior to restoring any license so automatically suspended.

The Department shall refuse to issue or suspend the license of any person who fails to file a return, or to pay the tax, penalty or interest shown in a filed return, or to pay any final assessment of the tax penalty or interest, as required by any tax Act administered by the Illinois Department of Revenue, until such time as the requirements of any such tax Act are satisfied.

In enforcing this Section, the Department or Board upon a showing of a possible violation may compel any person licensed to practice under this Act, or who has applied for licensure or certification pursuant to this Act, to submit to a mental or physical examination, or both, as required by and at the expense of the Department. The examining physicians or clinical psychologists shall be those specifically designated by the Department. The Board or the Department may order the examining physician or clinical psychologist to present testimony concerning this mental or physical examination of the licensee or applicant. No information shall be excluded by reason of any common law or statutory privilege relating to communications between the licensee or applicant and the examining physician or clinical psychologist. The person to be examined may have, at his or her own expense, another physician or clinical psychologist of his or her choice present during all aspects of the examination. Failure of any person to submit to a mental or physical examination, when directed, shall be grounds for suspension of a license until the person submits to the examination if the Department or Board finds, after notice and hearing, that the refusal to submit to the examination was without reasonable cause.

If the Department or Board finds a person unable to practice because of the reasons set forth in this Section, the Department or Board may require that person to submit to care, counseling or treatment by physicians or clinical psychologists approved or designated by the Department, as a condition, term, or restriction for continued, reinstated, or renewed licensure to practice; or, in lieu of care, counseling or treatment, the Board may recommend to the Department to file or the Department may file a complaint to immediately suspend, revoke or otherwise discipline the license of the person. Any person whose license was granted, continued, reinstated, renewed, disciplined or supervised subject to such terms, conditions or restrictions, and who fails to comply with such terms, conditions or restrictions, shall be referred to the Secretary for a determination as to whether the person shall have his or her license suspended immediately, pending a hearing by the Board.

In instances in which the Secretary immediately suspends a person's license under this Section, a hearing on that person's license must be convened by the Board within 15 days after the suspension and completed without appreciable delay. The Board shall have the authority to review the subject person's record of treatment and counseling regarding the impairment, to the extent permitted by applicable federal statutes and regulations safeguarding the confidentiality of medical records.

A person licensed under this Act and affected under this Section shall be afforded an opportunity to demonstrate to the Board that he or she can resume practice in compliance with acceptable and prevailing standards under the provisions of his or her license.

(b) The Department shall not revoke, suspend, place on probation, reprimand, refuse to issue or renew, or take any other disciplinary or non-disciplinary action against the license or permit issued under this Act based solely upon the licensed clinical psychologist recommending, aiding, assisting, referring for, or participating in any health care service, so long as the care was not unlawful under the laws of this State, regardless of whether the patient was a resident of this State or another state.

(c) The Department shall not revoke, suspend, place on prohibition, reprimand, refuse to issue or renew, or take any other disciplinary or non-disciplinary action against the license or permit issued under this Act to practice as a licensed clinical psychologist based upon the licensed clinical psychologist's license being revoked or suspended, or the licensed clinical psychologist being otherwise disciplined by any other state, if that revocation, suspension, or other form of discipline was based solely on the licensed clinical psychologist violating another state's laws prohibiting the provision of, authorization of, recommendation of, aiding or assisting in, referring for, or participation in any health care service if that health care service as provided would not have been unlawful under the laws of this State and is consistent with the standards of conduct for a licensed clinical psychologist practicing in Illinois.

(d) The conduct specified in subsections (b) and (c) shall not constitute grounds for suspension under Section 21.6.

(e) The Department shall not revoke, suspend, summarily suspend, place on prohibition, reprimand, refuse to issue or renew, or take any other disciplinary or non-disciplinary action against the license or permit issued under this Act to practice as a licensed clinical psychologist based solely upon the license of a licensed clinical psychologist being revoked or the licensed clinical psychologist being otherwise disciplined by any other state or territory other than Illinois for the referral for or having otherwise participated in any health care service, if the revocation or disciplinary action was based solely on a violation of the other state's law prohibiting such health care services in the state, for a resident of the state, or in any other state.

(f) The Department may adopt rules to implement the changes made by this amendatory Act of the 102nd General Assembly.

(Source: P.A. 102-1117, eff. 1-13-23.)