An applicant for license by examination shall submit a written application in the form prescribed by the board. Provided that the application for licensure is received by the board no later than four months after completion of a board approved psychiatric technician program and approval of the application, the board may issue an interim permit authorizing the applicant to practice all skills included in the permittee’s basic course of study, pending the results of the first licensing examination, or for a period of nine months, whichever occurs first.

A permittee shall function under the supervision of a licensed psychiatric technician or a registered nurse, who shall be present and available on the premises during the time the permittee is rendering professional

services. The permittee may perform any function taught in the permittee’s basic psychiatric technician program.

If the applicant passes the examination, the interim permit shall remain in effect until an initial license is issued by the board or for a maximum period of six months after passing the examination, whichever occurs first. If the applicant fails the examination, the interim permit shall terminate upon notice by certified mail, return receipt requested, or if the applicant fails to receive the notice, upon the date specified in the interim permit, whichever occurs first. An interim permittee shall not use any title or designation other than psychiatric technician interim permittee or “P.T.I.P.”

An applicant for a psychiatric technician’s license shall have the following qualifications:

mentally disabled and the developmentally disabled, or (2) a course of study and training which, together with previously acquired training or experience, is determined by a school approved by the board to be equivalent in academic credits to its regular program for psychiatric technician training, or (3) have completed a course of study and training which in the opinion of the board is equivalent to the minimum requirements of an approved program for psychiatric technicians in the state. Clinical inpatient experience shall be an integral part of any such prescribed or equivalent course of study and training.

The board shall deny the application for approval made by, and shall revoke the approval given to, any psychiatric technician school that does not give to student applicants credit, in the fields of nursing and psychiatric technician practice, for previous education and the opportunity to obtain credit for other acquired knowledge by the use of challenge examinations or other methods of evaluation.

The board shall prescribe, by regulation, the education for which credit is to be given and the amount of credit that is to be given for each type of education, including the amount of credit to be given to a psychiatric technician assistant, a certified nurse assistant, a nurse assistant who has provided direct nursing services in

health facilities, and an applicant who has successfully completed equivalent courses offered by a secondary school that is accredited by the State Department of Education in any state or by a nationally recognized, regional accrediting body. These courses shall be assessed for equivalency by the psychiatric technician school.

An applicant for a psychiatric technician’s license shall, upon the filing of the application, pay to the board the application fee prescribed by this chapter.

Unless otherwise provided in this chapter, every applicant for a psychiatric technician’s license shall be examined by the board. The examination shall be held at least once a year and at the times and places determined by the board.

Upon written application and receipt of the required application fee the board may issue a license to any applicant who possesses a valid unrevoked license or certificate as a psychiatric technician issued by any other state or a foreign country, and who in the opinion of the board has the qualifications set forth in Section 4511.

Every person licensed under this chapter may be known as a licensed psychiatric technician and may place the letters P.T. after the licensee’s name.

The board may, in its discretion, provide for a continuing education program in connection with the professional functions and courses described in this chapter. The number of course hours that the board may require in a continuing education program shall not exceed the number of course hours prescribed for licensed vocational nurses pursuant to Section 2892.5.

In the event the board adopts a continuing education or blood withdrawal program, the board shall collect an initial approval and a biennial renewal fee as prescribed under Sections 4548 and 4518.1 from any provider of a course in continuing education or blood withdrawal who requests approval by the board of the course for purposes of continuing education or blood withdrawal requirements adopted by the board. The fee, however, shall in no event exceed the cost required for the board to administer the approval of continuing education or blood withdrawal courses by continuing education or blood withdrawal providers.

The board shall collect an initial approval and a biennial renewal fee in the amount of one hundred fifty dollars ($150) unless a higher fee, not to exceed two hundred fifty dollars ($250), is established by the board, from any provider of continuing education or a course to meet the certification requirements for blood withdrawal who requests approval by the board of the course for purposes of continuing education or blood withdrawal requirements under this chapter. That fee, however, shall not exceed the regulatory cost required for the board to administer the approval of continuing education or blood withdrawal by continuing education or blood withdrawal providers.