At its next meeting which is scheduled for November 8, 2011, the Board will consider the petition and any comment received to decide whether or not to initate the rule-making process.

 

 

At its meeting on November 8, 2011, the Board carefully considered and thoroughly discussed the petition. Its vote was to deny the petition because the Board has already proposed to extend the time limitation on relationships with clients from two to five years, which will provide greater separation between the termination of professional services and any initiation of a personal relationship. Notwithstanding the stated time prohibition, current regulations place the burden on the licensee to demonstrate that there has been no exploitation of a client in the initiation of a relationship after that time has passed. Additionally, the Board was concerned that documentation or differing interpretations of sexual abuse, etc. could make enforcement of a permanent prohibition difficult to enforce.