(a) An employer, workers’ compensation insurer, self-insured employer, or agent of an employer, insurer, or self-insured employer may provide an employee with access to the services of a licensed clinical social worker acting within their scope of practice.

(b) Medical provider networks may add licensed clinical social workers to the physician providers listing in the networks established or modified pursuant to Section 4616.

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(c) For purposes of this section, “licensed clinical social worker” means a licensed clinical social worker with a master’s degree in clinical social work, or a degree deemed equivalent for licensure by the Board of Behavioral Sciences pursuant to Article 4 (commencing with Section 4996) of Chapter 14 of Division 2 of the Business and Professions Code, and who either has at least two years of clinical experience in a recognized health setting or has met the standards of the Association of Social Work Boards.

(d) This section does not authorize licensed clinical social workers to determine disability for the purposes of Article 3 (commencing with Section 4650) of Chapter 2 of Part 2, or under § 2708 of the Unemployment Insurance Code.

(e) This section authorizes a licensed clinical social worker to treat or evaluate an injured worker only upon referral from a physician as defined in Section 3209.3.

(Added by Stats. 2022, Ch. 609, Sec. 3. (SB 1002) Effective January 1, 2023.)