(a) To begin the approval process, the institution shall submit a completed Letter of Intent meeting the requirements of this section to the Board. A completed Letter of Intent shall include a completed “Letter of Intent to Submit Application for Initial Approval of New School or Program -- Vocational Nursing,” Form 55M-1 (New 04/2022), which is hereby incorporated by reference, and written narrative statements and documentation prepared by the director that include:

(b) The institution shall provide separate responses, including the provision of any applicable documents, to each item requested in subsection (a). The institution shall clearly identify their responses by placing the name of the institution at the top of each page that is provided and then using a simple naming convention that, at a minimum, links each response to the number and subject matter of the request in subsection (a), and provides the date of the response or document (e.g., “1. Philosophy of the program. 2/2/2022.”)

(c) Upon receipt of a completed Letter of Intent, the Board shall send written notice to the institution acknowledging receipt, informing the institution of the next steps in the approval process in accordance with section 2881.2 of the Code, and providing an estimated wait time until active assignment to a nursing education consultant. Within 60 days of the date of written notice by the Board of active assignment of a nursing education consultant, the institution shall submit a completed initial application for approval, which includes all of the following: (1) a completed “Application for Approval of New School or Program of Vocational Nursing”, Form 55M-2 (New 04/2022) which is hereby incorporated by reference; (2) a completed “Clinical Facility Verification Form -- VN,” Form 55M-3A (New 04/2022) for each applicable health care facility, which is hereby incorporated by reference; (3) a completed “Vocational Nursing or Psychiatric Technician Program Curriculum Content -- Instructional Plan,” Form 55M-2W (New 04/2022), which is hereby incorporated by reference; (4) a completed “Summary of Instructional Plan Program Hours Vocational Nursing Program,” Form 55M-2E (New 04/2022), which is hereby incorporated by reference; (5) “Verification of Faculty Qualifications Form,” Form 55M-10 (New 04/2022) for each faculty member as described in section 2529, which is hereby incorporated by reference; and, (6) the nonrefundable initial application fee required by section 2537.2.

(d) Within 30 days of the date the Board receives an initial application for approval, the Board shall provide written notice regarding whether the application is complete or what additional documents or fees are required to make the application complete. The written notice shall also specify that the institution has 60 days from the date of the Board's written notice (“60-day submission period”) to provide the missing information and the consequences of failing to submit the required fee or information as specified in section 2881.2 of the Code. If requested by the institution prior to the expiration of the 60-day submission period, the Board may provide an institution with an additional 30 days to complete its application for good cause shown as specified in section 2525.

(e) An institution may commence a new vocational nursing program upon Board approval.

(f) A Board representative shall complete an inspection or review prior to graduation of the initial class. A program shall not commence another class without prior Board approval.

(g) Approval will be granted by the Board when a vocational nursing program demonstrates that it meets all requirements as set forth in this Chapter and in Chapter 6.5, Division 2 of the Business and Professions Code and that no grounds for denial exist pursuant to this Chapter or section 480 of the Code.

(h) If, after the submission of any application required by this section, but prior to the Board's decision to approve or deny an application for approval or continuing approval, there is any material change in circumstances affecting any information contained in the application or submitted by the institution in support of the application, the institution shall immediately inform the Board in writing. For the purposes of this section, a change in circumstance is “material” if, without the inclusion of the new or different information into the application, the information contained in or the supporting documentation to the application would be false, misleading, or incomplete.

(i) The approval period shall be for a term of four years and shall expire at 12 midnight four years from the date of issuance by the Board unless the Board grants continuing approval or the approval period is extended as provided in this section. Provided that a completed application for continuing approval as set forth in subsection (j) is received by the Board prior to the expiration date of the approval, a current approval shall be automatically extended until the Board has acted upon the application in accordance with subsection (j). An institution that fails to apply for continuing approval prior to the expiration date of its approval period must apply as a new applicant in accordance with this section and section 2881.3 of the Code if they seek to again offer a course of instruction in vocational nursing as an approved school of vocational nursing.

(j) Six months prior to the date of approval expiration, a program may apply for continuing approval by submitting a completed application for continuing approval to the Board, which includes all of the following:

(k) Within 60 days of the date the Board receives a completed continuing approval application, the Board shall provide written notice regarding whether the application is complete or what additional information, documents or fees are required to make the application complete. For an institution that fails to submit a completed application, the institution shall be advised that the required information must be submitted within 30 days of the date of the written notice and that failure to submit a completed application prior to the expiration date of the approval will render the institution ineligible for continuing approval.

(l) Within 90 days of the date the Board provides written notice to the institution that its continuing approval application is complete, the Board shall act to approve, grant provisional approval in accordance with section 2526.1, or notify the institution that the application is denied and provide the effective date of such actions. The written notice shall also include the following:

(m) A material misrepresentation of fact by a vocational nursing program in any information submitted to the Board is cause for denial or revocation of approval or provisional approval.

(n) To obtain or maintain Board approval, an applicant or approved school of vocational nursing shall meet the following alternate student criteria if the institution elects to admit alternate students to its programs: