A separate board regulation, 18VAC85-11, provides for involvement of the public in the development of all regulations of the Virginia Board of Medicine.

The practice of a behavior analyst includes:

1. Design, implementation, and evaluation of environmental modifications using the principles and methods of behavior analysis to produce socially significant improvement in human behavior, including the use of direct observation, measurement, and functional analysis of the relationship between environment and behavior; and

2. Supervision of licensed assistant behavior analysts and unlicensed personnel.

A. Practitioners shall comply with the provisions of § 32.1-127.1:03 of the Code of Virginia related to the confidentiality and disclosure of client records.

B. Practitioners shall provide client records to another practitioner or to the client or his personal representative in a timely manner in accordance with provisions of § 32.1-127.1:03 of the Code of Virginia.

C. Practitioners shall properly manage and keep timely, accurate, legible, and complete client records.

D. Practitioners who are employed by a health care institution, educational institution, school system, or other entity in which the individual practitioner does not own or maintain his own records shall maintain client records in accordance with the policies and procedures of the employing entity.

E. Practitioners who are self-employed or employed by an entity in which the individual practitioner owns and is responsible for client records shall:

1. Maintain a client record for a minimum of six years following the last client encounter with the following exceptions:

a. Records of a minor child shall be maintained until the child reaches the age of 18 years or becomes emancipated, with a minimum time for record retention of six years from the last client encounter regardless of the age of the child;

b. Records that have previously been transferred to another practitioner or health care provider or provided to the client or his legally authorized representative; or

c. Records that are required by contractual obligation or federal law may need to be maintained for a longer period of time.

2. Post information or in some manner inform all clients concerning the time frame for record retention and destruction. Client records shall only be destroyed in a manner that protects client confidentiality, such as by incineration or shredding.

3. When closing, selling, or relocating his practice, meet the requirements of § 54.1-2405 of the Code of Virginia for giving notice that copies of records can be sent to any like-regulated provider of the client's choice or provided to the client or legally authorized representative.

A practitioner shall not knowingly and willfully solicit or receive any remuneration, directly or indirectly, in return for referring an individual to a facility or institution as defined in § 37.2-100 of the Code of Virginia or hospital as defined in § 32.1-123 of the Code of Virginia.

Remuneration shall be defined as compensation, received in cash or in kind, but shall not include any payments, business arrangements, or payment practices allowed by 42 USC § 1320 a-7b(b), as amended, or any regulations promulgated thereto.