Bill > A03444

This bill authorizes licensed clinical social workers to provide services to injured employees under workers' compensation coverage. The key provisions include: 1. Allowing injured employees to be treated by licensed clinical social workers upon referral from an authorized physician, with the social workers being authorized by the chair of the workers' compensation board. 2. Establishing procedures for licensed clinical social workers to apply for authorization to provide services and conduct independent medical examinations under the program. 3. Specifying requirements for timely reporting and record-keeping by the authorized social workers. 4. Outlining the process for resolving disputes over the value of the social work services, including through a single arbitrator or the clinical social work practice committee. 5. Granting the chair of the workers' compensation board the authority to investigate and remove social workers from the authorized provider list for various forms of misconduct. The bill aims to expand the types of healthcare professionals that can provide services to injured workers under the state's workers' compensation system.