Enforcement manager reports rising caseload and improved CE audit pass rate to 73%

Brad (enforcement manager) told the California State Board of Optometry that quarter 3 saw an increase in case intake: 105 optometry cases and 42 opticianry cases, with optometry cases projected to exceed 400 for the fiscal year, surpassing last year’s total. The board issued 26 citations in the quarter (21 optometry and 5 opticianry), and 12 cases were pending at the Attorney General’s Office.

“We’ve seen an increase in cases received,” Brad said, outlining that some drivers include subsequent arrests/convictions among registrants and stronger review of unlicensed activity. He said probation monitoring currently covers five optometrists and one optician.

The CE audit for the quarter showed a 73% pass rate, a marked improvement from prior quarters. Members asked whether the improvement could be attributed to increased reminders or outreach; staff said the increase is an encouraging early signal but that it is too soon to attribute causation to any single piece of outreach. Staff and members discussed using tracking tools to boost audit efficiency: the Arbo OE Tracker can provide useful course enrollment data where used, but staff noted the tracker is optional for California licensees and that switching to a pre‑renewal verification system like some smaller states use would be a significant operational change for a program that handles roughly 4,000–5,000 renewals each year.

Board members asked staff to return at a future meeting with options and cost estimates for automation or other process changes to increase audit coverage and efficiency.