This law is about helping registered nurses in California who have problems with alcohol, drugs, or mental health issues. The goal is to support these nurses so they can get better and safely return to work without putting the public at risk. Instead of punishing them, the Board of Registered Nursing should set up a voluntary program to help them recover.

This part of the law explains some specific terms. 'Board' refers to the Board of Registered Nursing. 'Committee' means a special group called an intervention evaluation committee. 'Program manager' is the person in charge of the intervention program, who should have experience in substance abuse issues.

This law allows a committee to meet privately, instead of in a public meeting, when discussing reports about a registered nurse who is either asking for help or already involved in an intervention program. The privacy of the nurse involved is the key reason for having these closed-door meetings.

If a registered nurse wants to join an intervention program for rehabilitation, they must agree to follow the program designed for them. If they don't stick to the program, they may be kicked out and the board will be notified with their name and license number. If a nurse is denied entry or kicked out of the program and poses a risk to themselves or others, their information and program records will be sent to the board, which can then use these records in any future disciplinary actions.

This law section explains what happens with the records of a registered nurse who completes an intervention program. Once successfully finished, all related records are deleted. Any records about the nurse's participation in the program are confidential and can't be used in legal proceedings unless the nurse talks about them in a disciplinary process, sues the board, or claims that a delay in the board's actions caused harm. If the nurse does any of these, they give up their confidentiality rights about the intervention program to the extent needed to verify their claims.

This law ensures that if someone reports about a nurse's involvement in an intervention program and gets sued for defamation because of that report, the board is responsible for providing them with legal representation.

This law section requires the board to create reports about the cases they handle, including how many cases are accepted, denied, or completed with or without compliance. Additionally, the board must regularly analyze the costs of their program.

Members of a committee are entitled to a daily allowance and reimbursement for expenses as outlined in another law.

This law specifies that for a committee to conduct official business during a meeting, at least three members must be present. To make any decisions or take action, more than half of the committee members must agree.

This law section says that the board is responsible for managing and applying the rules and requirements outlined in the article.

This law explains how registered nurses in California can participate in an intervention program designed to address professional issues. Participation is voluntary and applies to nurses who ask to join. Nurses under investigation can enter the program but must acknowledge that ongoing investigations or disciplinary actions aren't necessarily stopped by their participation. The board can still look into past, present, or future misconduct regardless of the intervention program. If a nurse is removed from or leaves the program while being a threat to public safety, their treatment records can be used in future disciplinary actions. Lastly, nurses not complying with program rules are subject to disciplinary actions for any misconduct, and they will be reported to the board.

This section explains the responsibilities of a committee that helps with a program for registered nurses needing intervention. The committee, guided by an intervention program manager, evaluates nurses who want to join the program and recommends appropriate treatment services. They also review nurses' progress and determine if they can safely continue or return to nursing. Meetings are organized to discuss participation requests and make specific recommendations for the intervention plan, including necessary treatments and supervision.

This law requires that any registered nurse who wants to join a certain program must be informed about how the program works, what they need to do, and what could happen if they don't follow the rules.