2016 Colorado Revised Statutes
Title 12 - Professions and Occupations
Health Care
Article 43.7 - Speech-Language Pathologists
§ 12-43.7-115. Confidential agreement to limit practice - violation grounds for discipline

(1) If a speech-language pathologist suffers from a physical or mental illness or condition that renders the person unable to practice speech-language pathology or practice as a speech-language pathologist with reasonable skill and patient safety, the speech-language pathologist shall notify the director of the illness or condition in a manner and within a period of time determined by the director. The director may require the speech-language pathologist to submit to an examination to evaluate the extent of the illness or condition and its impact on the speech-language pathologist's ability to practice with reasonable skill and safety to patients.

(2) (a) Upon determining that a speech-language pathologist with a physical or mental illness or condition is able to render limited speech-language pathology services with reasonable skill and patient safety, the director may enter into a confidential agreement with the speech-language pathologist in which the speech-language pathologist agrees to limit his or her practice based on the restrictions imposed by the illness or condition, as determined by the director.

(b) The agreement must specify that the speech-language pathologist is subject to periodic reevaluations or monitoring as determined appropriate by the director.

(c) The parties may modify or dissolve the agreement as necessary based on the results of a reevaluation or of monitoring.

(d) By entering into an agreement with the director pursuant to this section to limit his or her practice, the speech-language pathologist is not engaging in activities that constitute grounds for discipline pursuant to section 12-43.7-110. The agreement is an administrative action and does not constitute a restriction or discipline by the director. However, if the speech-language pathologist fails to comply with the terms of an agreement entered into pursuant to this section, the failure constitutes grounds for disciplinary action under section 12-43.7-110 (2) (d), and the speech-language pathologist is subject to discipline in accordance with section 12-43.7-111.

(3) This section does not apply to a licensee subject to discipline under section 12-43.7-110 (2) (c).