Bill > A06785

This bill authorizes licensed clinical social workers (LCSWs) to provide medical treatment services for employees injured in workers' compensation cases, subject to specific guidelines and oversight. Under the new law, an injured employee can receive treatment from an LCSW who has been specially authorized by the chair of the workers' compensation board, but only upon referral from an authorized physician. The LCSW must work within their specialized training and qualifications, and they are prohibited from performing independent medical examinations except those related to their specific social work services. The bill establishes a clinical social work practice committee to review and recommend LCSWs for authorization, creates detailed reporting requirements for treatment and billing, and outlines strict professional conduct standards. LCSWs must maintain patient records, submit reports to the board, and can be removed from the authorized list for various infractions such as professional misconduct, making false statements, or improperly soliciting patients. The bill also specifies fee structures, arbitration processes for billing disputes, and ensures that LCSWs can only be paid by employers, not directly by patients. Ultimately, this legislation aims to expand healthcare options for injured workers while maintaining rigorous professional standards and oversight.