(a) Licensees do not abandon patients or clients.
(b) Withdrawal from a professional relationship in compliance with Council rules to avoid a prohibited dual relationship is not abandonment of a patient or client.
(c) Licensees terminate a professional relationship when it becomes reasonably clear that the patient or client no longer needs the service, is not benefiting or is being harmed by continued service.
(d) Prior to termination of a professional relationship for any reason, the licensee takes all reasonable steps to facilitate transfer of responsibility for the patient or client to a qualified service provider if necessary to prevent physical or emotional harm and, if not precluded by the patient or client's conduct, provides appropriate pre-termination counseling and referrals.
(e) Licensees who are required to interrupt services of a professional relationship for any reason shall make arrangements for provision of any services to all patients or clients required during the interruption.
(f) Termination of employment with agencies or organizations.
  (1) When entering into employment or contractual relationships, licensees provide for orderly and appropriate resolution of responsibility for patient or client care in the event that the employment or contractual relationship ends, with paramount consideration given to the welfare of the patient or client.
  (2) Licensees who are employed by an organization or agency to provide psychological services must, upon termination of that employment, work with the employer to facilitate access to records of all services provided by the licensee to patients or clients as otherwise required by Council rules and applicable law.
  (3) Licensees who are employed by an organization or agency to provide psychological services must, upon termination of that employment, work with the employer to facilitate transfer of clients or patients who are continuing to receive services from the agency or organization to another qualified service provider.
(g) Termination of employment with public schools.
  (1) A LSSP who is under contract as an employee of a public school to provide school psychological services must deliver to such public school a written resignation before terminating services or employment without cause. The resignation must be filed with the public school's board of trustees or designee not later than the 45th day before the first day of instruction of the following school year. A written resignation mailed by prepaid certified or registered mail to the president of the public school's board of trustees or designee at the post office address of the public school is considered delivered at the time of mailing.
  (2) A LSSP who is under contract as an employee of a public school may resign at any time if given written consent by the public school's board of trustees or designee or if such resignation is for cause.

Source Note: The provisions of this §465.21 adopted to be effective October 7, 2020, 45 TexReg 7013