(225 ILCS 110/16) (from Ch. 111, par. 7916)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2028)

Sec. 16. Refusal, revocation or suspension of licenses.

(1) The Department may refuse to issue or renew, or may revoke, suspend, place on probation, censure, reprimand or take other disciplinary or non-disciplinary action as the Department may deem proper, including fines not to exceed $10,000 for each violation, with regard to any license for any one or combination of the following causes:

(a) Fraud in procuring the license.

(b) (Blank).

(c) Willful or repeated violations of the rules of the Department of Public Health.

(d) Division of fees or agreeing to split or divide the fees received for speech-language pathology or audiology services with any person for referring an individual, or assisting in the care or treatment of an individual, without the knowledge of the individual or his or her legal representative. Nothing in this paragraph (d) 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 (d) shall be construed to require an employment arrangement to receive professional fees for services rendered.

(e) Employing, procuring, inducing, aiding or abetting a person not licensed as a speech-language pathologist or audiologist to engage in the unauthorized practice of speech-language pathology or audiology.

(e-5) Employing, procuring, inducing, aiding, or abetting a person not licensed as a speech-language pathology assistant to perform the functions and duties of a speech-language pathology assistant.

(f) Making any misrepresentations or false promises, directly or indirectly, to influence, persuade or induce patronage.

(g) Professional connection or association with, or lending his or her name to another for the illegal practice of speech-language pathology or audiology by another, or professional connection or association with any person, firm or corporation holding itself out in any manner contrary to this Act.

(h) Obtaining or seeking to obtain checks, money, or any other things of value by false or fraudulent representations, including but not limited to, engaging in such fraudulent practice to defraud the medical assistance program of the Department of Healthcare and Family Services (formerly Department of Public Aid).

(i) Practicing under a name other than his or her own.

(j) Improper, unprofessional or dishonorable conduct of a character likely to deceive, defraud or harm the public.

(k) Conviction by plea of guilty or nolo contendere, finding of guilt, jury verdict, or entry of judgment or sentencing, 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.

(1) Permitting a person under his or her supervision to perform any function not authorized by this Act.

(m) A violation of any provision of this Act or rules promulgated thereunder.

(n) Discipline by another state, the District of Columbia, territory, or foreign nation of a license to practice speech-language pathology or audiology or a license to practice as a speech-language pathology assistant in its jurisdiction if at least one of the grounds for that discipline is the same as or the equivalent of one of the grounds for discipline set forth herein.

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

(p) Gross or repeated malpractice.

(q) Willfully making or filing false records or reports in his or her practice as a speech-language pathologist, speech-language pathology assistant, or audiologist, including, but not limited to, false records to support claims against the public assistance program of the Department of Healthcare and Family Services (formerly Illinois Department of Public Aid).

(r) Professional incompetence as manifested by poor standards of care or mental incompetence as declared by a court of competent jurisdiction.

(s) Repeated irregularities in billing a third party for services rendered to an individual. For purposes of this Section, "irregularities in billing" shall include:

(i) reporting excessive charges for the purpose of obtaining a total payment in excess of that usually received by the speech-language pathologist, speech-language pathology assistant, or audiologist for the services rendered;

(ii) reporting charges for services not rendered; or

(iii) incorrectly reporting services rendered for the purpose of obtaining payment not earned.

(t) (Blank).

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

(v) Inability to practice with reasonable judgment, skill, or safety as a result of habitual or excessive use of or addiction to alcohol, narcotics, or stimulants or any other chemical agent or drug or as a result of physical illness, including, but not limited to, deterioration through the aging process or loss of motor skill, mental illness, or disability.

(w) Violation of the Hearing Instrument Consumer Protection Act.

(x) Failure by a speech-language pathology assistant and supervising speech-language pathologist to comply with the supervision requirements set forth in Section 8.8.

(y) Willfully exceeding the scope of duties customarily undertaken by speech-language pathology assistants set forth in Section 8.7 that results in, or may result in, harm to the public.

(z) Willfully failing to report an instance of suspected abuse, neglect, financial exploitation, or self-neglect of an eligible adult as defined in and required by the Adult Protective Services Act.

(aa) Being named as a perpetrator in an indicated report by the Department on Aging under the Adult Protective Services Act, and upon proof by clear and convincing evidence that the licensee has caused an eligible adult to be abused, neglected, or financially exploited as defined in the Adult Protective Services Act.

(bb) Violating Section 8.2 of this Act.

(cc) Violating Section 8.3 of this Act.

(2) (Blank).

(3) The entry of an order by a 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 automatically suspended under this subsection.

(4) The Department may refuse to issue or may 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 Department of Revenue, until such time as the requirements of any such tax Act are satisfied.

(5) In enforcing this Section, the Board upon a showing of a possible violation may compel an individual licensed to practice under this Act, or who has applied for licensure 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 Board. The individual 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 this examination. Failure of any individual to submit to a mental or physical examination, when directed, shall be grounds for suspension of his or her license until the individual submits to the examination if the Board finds, after notice and hearing, that the refusal to submit to the examination was without reasonable cause.

If the Board finds an individual unable to practice because of the reasons set forth in this Section, the Board may require that individual to submit to care, counseling, or treatment by physicians or clinical psychologists approved or designated by the Board, as a condition, term, or restriction for continued, restored, or renewed licensure to practice; or, in lieu of care, counseling, or treatment, the Board may recommend to the Department to file a complaint to immediately suspend, revoke, or otherwise discipline the license of the individual. Any individual whose license was granted, continued, restored, 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 individual 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 individual'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.

An individual 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.

(Source: P.A. 100-530, eff. 1-1-18; 100-872, eff. 8-14-18.)