1. The committee may refuse to issue or renew any license required by the provisions of sections 337.600 to 337.689 for one or any combination of causes stated in subsection 2 of this section. The committee shall notify the applicant in writing of the reasons for the refusal and shall advise the applicant of the applicant’s right to file a complaint with the administrative hearing commission as provided by chapter 621.

2. The committee may cause a complaint to be filed with the administrative hearing commission as provided by chapter 621 against any holder of any license required by sections 337.600 to 337.689 or any person who has failed to renew or has surrendered the person’s license for any one or any combination of the following causes:

Terms Used In Missouri Laws 337.630

  • Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
  • Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
  • Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
  • following: when used by way of reference to any section of the statutes, mean the section next preceding or next following that in which the reference is made, unless some other section is expressly designated in the reference. See Missouri Laws 1.020
  • Fraud: Intentional deception resulting in injury to another.
  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • Nolo contendere: No contest-has the same effect as a plea of guilty, as far as the criminal sentence is concerned, but may not be considered as an admission of guilt for any other purpose.
  • person: may extend and be applied to bodies politic and corporate, and to partnerships and other unincorporated associations. See Missouri Laws 1.020
  • Plea: In a criminal case, the defendant's statement pleading "guilty" or "not guilty" in answer to the charges, a declaration made in open court.
  • Probation: A sentencing alternative to imprisonment in which the court releases convicted defendants under supervision as long as certain conditions are observed.
  • State: when applied to any of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the territories, and the words "United States" includes such district and territories. See Missouri Laws 1.020
  • United States: includes such district and territories. See Missouri Laws 1.020

(1) Use of any controlled substance, as defined in chapter 195, or alcoholic beverage to an extent that such use impairs a person’s ability to engage in the occupation of social work licensed under this chapter; except that the fact that a person has undergone treatment for past substance or alcohol abuse and/or has participated in a recovery program, shall not by itself be cause for refusal to issue or renew a license;

(2) The person has been finally adjudicated and found guilty, or entered a plea of guilty or nolo contendere, in a criminal prosecution pursuant to the laws of any state, of the United States, or of any country, for any offense directly related to the duties and responsibilities of the occupation, as set forth in section 324.012, regardless of whether or not sentence is imposed;

(3) Use of fraud, deception, misrepresentation or bribery in securing any license issued pursuant to the provisions of sections 337.600 to 337.689 or in obtaining permission to take any examination given or required pursuant to the provisions of sections 337.600 to 337.689;

(4) Obtaining or attempting to obtain any fee, charge, tuition or other compensation by fraud, deception or misrepresentation;

(5) Incompetency, misconduct, fraud, misrepresentation or dishonesty in the performance of the functions or duties of a social worker licensed pursuant to this chapter;

(6) Violation of, or assisting or enabling any person to violate, any provision of sections 337.600 to 337.689, or of any lawful rule or regulation adopted pursuant to sections 337.600 to 337.689;

(7) Impersonation of any person holding a license or allowing any person to use the person’s license or diploma from any school;

(8) Revocation or suspension of a license or other right to practice social work licensed pursuant to this chapter granted by another state, territory, federal agency or country upon grounds for which revocation or suspension is authorized in this state;

(9) Final adjudication as incapacitated by a court of competent jurisdiction;

(10) Assisting or enabling any person to practice or offer to practice social work licensed pursuant to this chapter who is not licensed and currently eligible to practice pursuant to the provisions of sections 337.600 to 337.689;

(11) Obtaining a license based upon a material mistake of fact;

(12) Failure to display a valid license if so required by sections 337.600 to 337.689 or any rule promulgated hereunder;

(13) Violation of any professional trust or confidence;

(14) Use of any advertisement or solicitation which is false, misleading or deceptive to the general public or persons to whom the advertisement or solicitation is primarily directed;

(15) Being guilty of unethical conduct as defined in the ethical standards for clinical social workers adopted by the committee by rule and filed with the secretary of state.

3. Any person, organization, association or corporation who reports or provides information to the committee pursuant to the provisions of sections 337.600 to 337.689 and who does so in good faith shall not be subject to an action for civil damages as a result thereof.

4. After the filing of such complaint, the proceedings shall be conducted in accordance with the provisions of chapter 621. Upon a finding by the administrative hearing commission that the grounds, provided in subsection 2 of this section, for disciplinary action are met, the committee may censure or place the person named in the complaint on probation on such terms and conditions as the committee deems appropriate for a period not to exceed five years, or may suspend, for a period not to exceed three years, or revoke the license.

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