Section 3209.8 Of Chapter 1. General Provisions From California Labor Code >> Division 4. >> Part 1. >> Chapter 1.
3209.8
. Treatment reasonably required to cure or relieve from the
effects of an injury shall include the services of marriage and
family therapists and clinical social workers licensed by California
state law and within the scope of their practice as defined by
California state law if the injured person is referred to the
marriage and family therapist or the clinical social worker by a
licensed physician and surgeon, with the approval of the employer,
for treatment of a condition arising out of the injury. Nothing in
this section shall be construed to authorize marriage and family
therapists or clinical social workers to determine disability for the
purposes of Article 3 (commencing with Section 4650) of Chapter 2 of
Part 2. The requirement of this section that the employer approve
the referral by a licensed physician or surgeon shall not be
construed to preclude reimbursement for self-procured treatment,
found by the appeals board to be otherwise compensable pursuant to
this division, where the employer has refused to authorize any
treatment for the condition arising from the injury treated by the
marriage and family therapist or clinical social worker.