LIS

Virginia Law

Administrative Code

Creating a Report: Check the sections you'd like to appear in the report, then use the "Create Report" button at the bottom of the page to generate your report. Once the report is generated you'll then have the option to download it as a pdf, print or email the report.

Virginia Administrative Code
Title 18. Professional And Occupational Licensing
Agency 85. Board of Medicine
Chapter 150. Regulations Governing the Practice of Behavior Analysis
12/22/2024

18VAC85-150-160. Practitioner-client communication; termination of relationship.

A. Communication with clients.

1. Except as provided in § 32.1-127.1:03 F of the Code of Virginia, a practitioner shall accurately present information to a client or his legally authorized representative in understandable terms and encourage participation in decisions regarding the client's care.

2. A practitioner shall not deliberately make a false or misleading statement regarding the practitioner's skill or the efficacy or value of a treatment or procedure provided or directed by the practitioner.

3. Before an initial assessment or intervention is performed, informed consent shall be obtained from the client or his legally authorized representative. Practitioners shall inform clients or their legally authorized representative of the risks, benefits, and alternatives of the recommended procedure that a reasonably prudent practitioner would tell a client.

a. Informed consent shall also be obtained if there is a significant change to a therapeutic procedure or intervention performed on a client that is not part of routine, general care and that is more restrictive on the continuum of care.

b. In the instance of a minor or a client who is incapable of making an informed decision on his own behalf or is incapable of communicating such a decision due to a physical or mental disorder, the legally authorized person available to give consent shall be informed and the consent documented.

c. An exception to the requirement for consent prior to performance of a procedure or intervention may be made in an emergency situation when a delay in obtaining consent would likely result in imminent harm to the client.

4. Practitioners shall adhere to requirements of § 32.1-162.18 of the Code of Virginia for obtaining informed consent from clients prior to involving them as subjects in human research with the exception of retrospective chart reviews.

B. Termination of the practitioner-client relationship.

1. The practitioner or the client may terminate the relationship. In either case, the practitioner shall make the client record available, except in situations where denial of access is allowed by law.

2. A practitioner shall not terminate the relationship or make his services unavailable without documented notice to the client that allows for a reasonable time to obtain the services of another practitioner.

Statutory Authority

§§ 54.1-2400 and 54.1-2957.16 of the Code of Virginia.

Historical Notes

Derived from Virginia Register Volume 30, Issue 16, eff. May 7, 2014.

Website addresses provided in the Virginia Administrative Code to documents incorporated by reference are for the reader's convenience only, may not necessarily be active or current, and should not be relied upon. To ensure the information incorporated by reference is accurate, the reader is encouraged to use the source document described in the regulation.

As a service to the public, the Virginia Administrative Code is provided online by the Virginia General Assembly. We are unable to answer legal questions or respond to requests for legal advice, including application of law to specific fact. To understand and protect your legal rights, you should consult an attorney.