(225 ILCS 75/19) (from Ch. 111, par. 3719)
(Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2024)
Sec. 19. Grounds for discipline.
(a) The Department may refuse to issue or renew, or may revoke, suspend, place on probation, reprimand or take other disciplinary or non-disciplinary action as the Department may deem proper, including imposing fines not to exceed $10,000 for each violation and the assessment of costs as provided under Section 19.3 of this Act, with regard to any license for any one or combination of the following:
(1) Material misstatement in furnishing information
to the Department;
(2) Violations of this Act, or of the rules
promulgated thereunder;
(3) Conviction by plea of guilty or nolo contendere,
finding of guilt, jury verdict, or entry of judgment or sentencing of any crime, including, but not limited to, convictions, preceding sentences of supervision, conditional discharge, or first offender probation, under the laws of any jurisdiction of the United States that is (i) a felony or (ii) a misdemeanor, an essential element of which is dishonesty, or that is directly related to the practice of the profession;
(4) Fraud or any misrepresentation in applying for or
procuring a license under this Act, or in connection with applying for renewal of a license under this Act;
(5) Professional incompetence;
(6) Aiding or assisting another person, firm,
partnership or corporation in violating any provision of this Act or rules;
(7) Failing, within 60 days, to provide information
in response to a written request made by the Department;
(8) Engaging in dishonorable, unethical or
unprofessional conduct of a character likely to deceive, defraud or harm the public;
(9) Habitual or excessive use or abuse of drugs
defined in law as controlled substances, alcohol, or any other substance that results in the inability to practice with reasonable judgment, skill, or safety;
(10) Discipline by another state, unit of government,
government agency, the District of Columbia, a territory, or foreign nation, if at least one of the grounds for the discipline is the same or substantially equivalent to those set forth herein;
(11) Directly or indirectly giving to or receiving
from any person, firm, corporation, partnership, or association any fee, commission, rebate or other form of compensation for professional services not actually or personally rendered. Nothing in this paragraph (11) 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 (11) shall be construed to require an employment arrangement to receive professional fees for services rendered;
(12) A finding by the Department that the license
holder, after having his license disciplined, has violated the terms of the discipline;
(13) Wilfully making or filing false records or
reports in the practice of occupational therapy, including but not limited to false records filed with the State agencies or departments;
(14) Physical illness, including but not limited to,
deterioration through the aging process, or loss of motor skill which results in the inability to practice under this Act with reasonable judgment, skill, or safety;
(15) Solicitation of professional services other than
by permitted advertising;
(16) Allowing one's license under this Act to be used
by an unlicensed person in violation of this Act;
(17) Practicing under a false or, except as provided
by law, assumed name;
(18) Professional incompetence or gross negligence;
(19) Malpractice;
(20) Promotion of the sale of drugs, devices,
appliances, or goods provided for a patient in any manner to exploit the client for financial gain of the licensee;
(21) Gross, willful, or continued overcharging for
professional services;
(22) Mental illness or disability that results in the
inability to practice under this Act with reasonable judgment, skill, or safety;
(23) Violating the Health Care Worker Self-Referral
Act;
(24) Having treated patients other than by the
practice of occupational therapy as defined in this Act, or having treated patients as a licensed occupational therapist independent of a referral from a physician, advanced practice nurse or physician assistant in accordance with Section 3.1, dentist, podiatric physician, or optometrist, or having failed to notify the physician, advanced practice nurse, physician assistant, dentist, podiatric physician, or optometrist who established a diagnosis that the patient is receiving occupational therapy pursuant to that diagnosis;
(25) Cheating on or attempting to subvert the
licensing examination administered under this Act; and
(26) Charging for professional services not rendered,
including filing false statements for the collection of fees for which services are not rendered.
All fines imposed under this Section shall be paid within 60 days after the effective date of the order imposing the fine or in accordance with the terms set forth in the order imposing the fine.
(b) The determination by a circuit court that a license holder is subject to involuntary admission or judicial admission as provided in the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Code, as now or hereafter amended, operates as an automatic suspension. Such suspension will end only upon a finding by a court that the patient is no longer subject to involuntary admission or judicial admission and an order by the court so finding and discharging the patient. In any case where a license is suspended under this provision, the licensee shall file a petition for restoration and shall include evidence acceptable to the Department that the licensee can resume practice in compliance with acceptable and prevailing standards of their profession.
(c) The Department may refuse to issue or may suspend without hearing, as provided for in the Code of Civil Procedure, the license of any person who fails to file a return, to pay the tax, penalty, or interest shown in a filed return, or to pay any final assessment of 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 accordance with subsection (a) of Section 2105-15 of the Department of Professional Regulation Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois.
(d) In enforcing this Section, the Department, upon a showing of a possible violation, may compel any individual who is licensed under this Act or any individual who has applied for licensure to submit to a mental or physical examination or evaluation, or both, which may include a substance abuse or sexual offender evaluation, at the expense of the Department. The Department shall specifically designate the examining physician licensed to practice medicine in all of its branches or, if applicable, the multidisciplinary team involved in providing the mental or physical examination and evaluation. The multidisciplinary team shall be led by a physician licensed to practice medicine in all of its branches and may consist of one or more or a combination of physicians licensed to practice medicine in all of its branches, licensed chiropractic physicians, licensed clinical psychologists, licensed clinical social workers, licensed clinical professional counselors, and other professional and administrative staff. Any examining physician or member of the multidisciplinary team may require any person ordered to submit to an examination and evaluation pursuant to this Section to submit to any additional supplemental testing deemed necessary to complete any examination or evaluation process, including, but not limited to, blood testing, urinalysis, psychological testing, or neuropsychological testing.
The Department may order the examining physician or any member of the multidisciplinary team to provide to the Department any and all records, including business records, that relate to the examination and evaluation, including any supplemental testing performed. The Department may order the examining physician or any member of the multidisciplinary team to present testimony concerning this examination and evaluation of the licensee or applicant, including testimony concerning any supplemental testing or documents relating to the examination and evaluation. No information, report, record, or other documents in any way related to the examination and evaluation shall be excluded by reason of any common law or statutory privilege relating to communication between the licensee or applicant and the examining physician or any member of the multidisciplinary team. No authorization is necessary from the licensee or applicant ordered to undergo an evaluation and examination for the examining physician or any member of the multidisciplinary team to provide information, reports, records, or other documents or to provide any testimony regarding the examination and evaluation. The individual to be examined may have, at his or her own expense, another physician of his or her choice present during all aspects of the examination.
Failure of any individual to submit to mental or physical examination or evaluation, or both, when directed, shall result in an automatic suspension without hearing, until such time as the individual submits to the examination. If the Department finds a licensee unable to practice because of the reasons set forth in this Section, the Department shall require the licensee to submit to care, counseling, or treatment by physicians approved or designated by the Department as a condition for continued, reinstated, or renewed licensure.
When the Secretary immediately suspends a license under this Section, a hearing upon such person's license must be convened by the Department within 15 days after the suspension and completed without appreciable delay. The Department shall have the authority to review the licensee'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.
Individuals licensed under this Act that are affected under this Section, shall be afforded an opportunity to demonstrate to the Department that they can resume practice in compliance with acceptable and prevailing standards under the provisions of their license.
(e) The Department shall deny a license or renewal authorized by this Act to a person who has defaulted on an educational loan or scholarship provided or guaranteed by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission or any governmental agency of this State in accordance with paragraph (5) of subsection (a) of Section 2105-15 of the Department of Professional Regulation Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois.
(f) In cases where the Department of Healthcare and Family Services has previously determined a licensee or a potential licensee is more than 30 days delinquent in the payment of child support and has subsequently certified the delinquency to the Department, the Department may refuse to issue or renew or may revoke or suspend that person's license or may take other disciplinary action against that person based solely upon the certification of delinquency made by the Department of Healthcare and Family Services in accordance with paragraph (5) of subsection (a) of Section 2105-15 of the Department of Professional Regulation Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois.
(Source: P.A. 98-214, eff. 8-9-13; 98-264, eff. 12-31-13; 98-756, eff. 7-16-14.)
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Last modified: February 18, 2015