Sec. 467.001.  DEFINITIONS.  In this chapter:
(1)  "Approved peer assistance program" means a program that is designed to help an impaired professional and that is:
(A)  established by a licensing or disciplinary authority; or
(B)  approved by a licensing or disciplinary authority as meeting the criteria established by the executive commissioner and any additional criteria established by that licensing or disciplinary authority.
(2)  "Department" means the Department of State Health Services.
(2-a)  "Executive commissioner" means the executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission.
(3)  "Impaired professional" means an individual whose ability to perform a professional service is impaired by chemical dependency on drugs or alcohol or by mental illness.
(4)  "Licensing or disciplinary authority" means a state agency or board that licenses or has disciplinary authority over professionals.
(5)  "Professional" means an individual who:
(A)  may incorporate under The Texas Professional Corporation Law as described by Section 1.008(m), Business Organizations Code; or
(B)  is licensed, registered, certified, or otherwise authorized by the state to practice as a licensed vocational nurse, social worker, chemical dependency counselor, occupational therapist, speech-language pathologist, audiologist, licensed dietitian, or dental or dental hygiene school faculty member.
(6)  "Professional association" means a national or statewide association of professionals, including any committee of a professional association and any nonprofit organization controlled by or operated in support of a professional association.
(7)  "Student" means an individual enrolled in an educational program or course of study leading to initial licensure as a professional as such program or course of study is defined by the appropriate licensing or disciplinary authority.
(8)  "Impaired student" means a student whose ability to perform the services of the profession for which the student is preparing for licensure would be, or would reasonably be expected to be, impaired by chemical dependency on drugs or alcohol or by mental illness.
Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 678, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1989.  Amended by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 570, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995;  Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 17, Sec. 27, eff. Sept. 1, 2003;  Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 892, Sec. 26, eff. Sept. 1, 2003.
Amended by: 
Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1373 (S.B. 155), Sec. 21, eff. September 1, 2007.
Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1 (S.B. 219), Sec. 3.1223, eff. April 2, 2015.