This chapter is known and may be cited as the “Psychiatric Technicians Law.”

Protection of the public shall be the highest priority for the board in exercising its licensing, regulatory, and disciplinary functions. Whenever the protection of the public is inconsistent with other interests sought to be promoted, the protection of the public shall be paramount.

Notwithstanding any other law, the repeal of Section 4501 renders the successor entity to the board in Section 4501 subject to review by the appropriate policy committees of the Legislature.

As used in this chapter, “psychiatric technician” means any person who, for compensation or personal profit, implements procedures and techniques that involve understanding of cause and effect and that are used in the care, treatment, and rehabilitation of mentally ill or emotionally disturbed persons, or persons with intellectual disabilities, and who has one or more of the following:

interpersonal and technical skills in the observation and recognition of symptoms and reactions of recipients or patients, for the accurate recording of these symptoms and reactions, and for the carrying out of treatments and medications as prescribed by a licensed physician and surgeon or a psychiatrist.

The psychiatric technician in the performance of these procedures and techniques is responsible to the director of the service in which those duties are performed. The director may be a licensed physician and surgeon, psychiatrist, psychologist, rehabilitation therapist, social worker, registered nurse, or other professional personnel.

Nothing herein shall authorize a licensed psychiatric technician to practice medicine or surgery or to undertake the prevention, treatment, or cure of disease, pain, injury, deformity, or mental or physical condition in violation of the law.

A psychiatric technician, working in a mental health facility or developmental disability facility, when prescribed by a licensed physician and surgeon, may administer medications by hypodermic injection.

A psychiatric technician, when prescribed by a licensed physician and surgeon, may withdraw blood from a patient with a mental illness or developmental disability if the psychiatric technician has received certification from the board that the psychiatric technician has completed a prescribed course of instruction approved by the board or has demonstrated competence to the satisfaction of the board.

Notwithstanding any other law, the repeal of Section 4503 renders the successor entity to the board in Section 4503 subject to review by the appropriate policy committees of the Legislature.

of the Government Code).

Except as provided by Section 159.5, the board may employ whatever personnel is necessary for the administration of this chapter.

This chapter shall not apply to the following:

therapists, dance therapists, music therapists, and recreation therapists, as defined in Division 5 (commencing with Section 70001) of Title 22 of the California Code of Regulations, who are personnel of health facilities licensed pursuant to Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 1250) of Division 2 of the Health and Safety Code.

This chapter does not prohibit provisions of the services regulated herein with or without compensation or personal profit, when done by the tenets of any well-recognized church or denomination, so long as they do not otherwise engage in the practice set forth in the chapter.

Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to prevent persons from performing services described in Section 4502 for purposes of training to qualify for licensure under a program approved by the board or for training in another allied professional field.