The board shall establish and administer a diversion program for the rehabilitation of physician assistants whose competency is impaired due to the abuse of drugs or alcohol. The board may contract with any other state agency or a private organization to perform its duties under this article. The board may establish one or more diversion evaluation committees to assist it in carrying out its duties under this article. As used in this article, “committee” means a diversion evaluation committee. A committee created under this article operates under the direction of the diversion program manager, as designated by the executive officer of the board. The program manager has the primary responsibility to review and evaluate recommendations of the committee.

(Amended by Stats. 2012, Ch. 332, Sec. 67. (SB 1236) Effective January 1, 2013.)