Medical Practice Act: health care providers: qualified autism service paraprofessionals.

Assembly Member Nguyen's proposal to expand California's Medical Practice Act would classify qualified autism service paraprofessionals as recognized health care providers, placing them under the same telehealth practice requirements and professional standards that currently apply to autism service providers and professionals. The amendment to Section 2290.5 of the Business and Professions Code would subject these paraprofessionals to existing regulations governing patient consent, confidentiality, and professional conduct in both in-person and telehealth settings.

The legislation maintains current telehealth practice requirements, under which providers must obtain and document patient consent before delivering remote services. These provisions preserve patients' rights to receive in-person care and ensure that all health information privacy laws apply equally to telehealth interactions. The bill excludes patients under Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation jurisdiction from these telehealth provisions.

While the amendment creates a state-mandated local program by expanding the scope of regulated providers, it includes no reimbursement requirement for local agencies or school districts. The bill's authors note this is because the changes only affect the definition and classification of regulated providers rather than imposing new costs on local entities.