Mississippi Administrative Code
Title 24 - Mental Health
Part 7 - Rules, Regulations and Application Guidelines for the Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Therapist Program
Chapter 2 - Organization
Section 24-7-2-2 - Professional Licensure and Certification Review Board (Review Board)

(1) The Review Board shall be composed of five members. Through June 30, 1998, the Review Board shall be comprised of Department of Mental Health staff appointed by the Executive Director. Beginning July 1, 1998, the Review Board shall be comprised of DMH certified/licensed individuals in good standing, one of whom must also be a DMH central office staff representative.

(2) Beginning July 1, 1998, the term of office of Review Board members will be five (5) years. However, the term of office for initial Review Board appointees will be staggered in annual increments.

(3) A nomination list for appointment to the Review Board will be generated by the Division and the current Review Board for presentation to the Executive Director of the Department of Mental Health for consideration. Nominees to the Review Board must be DMH certificants or licensees in good standing. From the nomination list, the Executive Director of the Department of Mental Health will appoint members to the Review Board.

(4) A Chairperson shall be chosen by the Review Board from among its members. The term of office of the Chairperson shall be for one year. Other functions/ responsibilities shall be assigned to other Review Board members by the Chairperson as needed.

(1) The Review Board shall meet for the primary purpose of reviewing initial, upgrade and renewal applications for DMH professional certification/ licensure, including those for Provisionally Certified Mental Retardation Therapist, Certified Mental Retardation Therapist and Licensed Clinical Mental Retardation Therapist, and making recommendations to the Executive

Director regarding the awarding of certification/licensure.

(2) The Review Board shall also have the power to deny initial, upgrade and renewal applications for DMH professional certification/licensure, to investigate complaints, and to conduct disciplinary hearings and impose sanctions, if necessary.

(3) In addition, the Review Board shall have the power to receive and make decisions regarding requests for "Extended," "Inactive," "Relinquished," "Retired" and "Surrendered" status. The Review Board may verify the circumstances surrounding these requests. See Chapter 3, Section 7, pp. 15-18 for more information on status categories.

(4) Decisions of the Review Board relating to either the denial of professional certification/licensure application or disciplinary action may be appealed. See Chapter 4, Section 8, p. 28 and Chapter 8, Section 5, p. 46.

(5) The Review Board shall meet at least quarterly at a time and place determined by the Review Board, and at such other times as requested by the Division. Meetings may be called by the Division or Chairperson with ten (10) days notice. The requirement of a 10-day advance notice may be waived by agreement of a majority of the Review Board.

(6) The quorum for a meeting shall be a majority of the Review Board. If a quorum is not present, the meeting shall be adjourned until a date designated by the Chairperson or Division.

(7) The Review Board shall review only complete applications.

(1) A Review Board member may be removed from office if found to be in violation of any of the rules and/ or regulations contained herein.

(2) A Review Board member may be removed from office if his/her certification or licensure is no longer in good standing.

(3) A Review Board member must disqualify himself/herself from any Review Board business on which he/she may not make an objective evaluation and/ or decision.

(4) A Review Board member subject to disciplinary action, as defined in Chapter 8, pp. 44-46, shall disqualify himself/herself from any Review Board business until the complaint is resolved.

(5) Absence of a Review Board member from three consecutive meetings of the Review Board may constitute grounds for removal from office.

(6) Action by either the Executive Director of the Department of Mental Health or a majority of the Review Board members with the approval of the Executive Director is necessary to remove a Review Board member from office.