The board may discipline assisted living administrators and licensees, including fines up to $5,000 per violation, suspension, revocation, reprimand, censure, and other discipline, and must report final disciplinary actions to Public Health.
(a) The board may discipline its licensees by the adoption and collection of administrative fines, not to exceed five thousand dollars ($5,000) per violation, and may institute any legal proceedings necessary to effect compliance with this chapter. (b) The license of any person practicing or offering to practice assisted living administration may be revoked or suspended by the board, or the person may be reprimanded, censured, or otherwise disciplined in accordance with the provisions of this section upon decision and after due hearing in any of, but not limited to, the following cases: (1) Upon proof that the person has willfully or repeatedly violated any of the provisions of this chapter or the rules enacted in accordance with this chapter. (2) Conduct or practices deemed to be detrimental to the lives, health, safety, or welfare of the residents or patients of any assisted living facility or health care facility in this state or any other jurisdiction. (3) Conviction in this state or any other jurisdiction of a felony or any crime involving the physical, sexual, mental, or verbal abuse of an individual. (4) Conviction in this state or any other jurisdiction of any crime involving fraud. (5) Pleas of nolo contendere, nolo contender, no contender, no contest, or guilty in any case involving a lewd or lascivious act against a child or an adult, inappropriate sexual conduct with a child or an adult, or any other crime in which the punishment could include a sentence of imprisonment exceeding one year. (c) The board shall have the jurisdiction to hear all charges brought under this section against any person having been issued a license as an assisted living administrator or having been issued a license as a provisional assisted living administrator and, upon a hearing, shall determine the charges upon their merits. If the board determines that disciplinary measures should be taken, the board may revoke his or her license, suspend him or her from practice, or reprimand, censure, or otherwise discipline the person. (d) All proceedings under this section shall be conducted by the board, according to its administrative rules, and the Alabama Administrative Procedure Act. (e) Any party aggrieved by a final decision or order of the board suspending, revoking, or refusing to issue a license is entitled to a review of the decision or order by taking an appeal to the circuit court of the county in which the assisted living administrator or applicant resides. In such cases, the appeal shall be taken by filing notice thereof with the circuit court within 30 days of the date of notice by the board of its decision. Appeals from any order or judgment rendered thereon by the circuit court to the Supreme Court of Alabama shall be available as in other cases. (f) The board shall report to the Department of Public Health all final disciplinary actions taken under this section.