1. Upon the filing of a written and signed complaint that alleges that a licensee practicing in this state has engaged in conduct identified as grounds for disciplinary action under section 43-41-10, and which sets forth information upon which a reasonable and prudent person might believe that further inquiry should be made, the board shall cause the matter to be investigated. 2. The board may investigate a complaint on its own motion, without requiring the identity of the complainant to be made a matter of public record, if the board concludes that good cause exists for preserving the anonymity of the complainant. 3. If the investigation reveals no grounds to support the complaint, the board, three years following the date on which the complaint was filed, shall expunge the complaint from the social worker's individual record in the board's office. 4. If the investigation reveals grounds to support the complaint, the board shall initiate a disciplinary action by serving upon the licensee a notice of disciplinary action setting forth the allegations upon which the action is based, as well as a specification of the issues to be considered and determined. 5. If a written response contesting the allegations is not received by the board within twenty days of the date that the notice of disciplinary action was received or refused, the allegations must be deemed admitted and disciplinary sanctions deemed appropriate by the board must be imposed. 6. The board may at any time enter into an informal resolution to resolve the complaint or disciplinary action. 7. An appeal from the board's final decision may be taken in accordance with the provisions of section 28-32-42. 8. The board shall recover costs of the board resulting from a hearing or disciplinary process: a. If an order is issued in resolution of a disciplinary proceeding before the board, the board may request the administrative law judge to direct a licensee found as a result of the proceeding to have violated any laws or rules to pay to the board a sum not to exceed the costs of the investigation and fees of the attorneys representing the board in the matter. The costs to be assessed must be fixed by the administrative law judge and may not be increased by the board. b. If an order for recovery of costs is made and timely payment is not made as directed in the board's decision, the board may enforce the order for payment in the district court of Burleigh County. This right of enforcement is in addition to any other rights the board may have as to any person directed to pay costs. In any action for recovery of costs, proof of the board's decision is conclusive proof of the validity of the order of payment and the terms for payment.
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