(1) The treatment and pretreatment records of license holders referred to or voluntarily participating in approved monitoring programs shall be confidential, shall be exempt from RCW
42.17.250 through
42.17.450 and shall not be subject to discovery by subpoena or admissible as evidence except for monitoring records reported to the disciplinary authority for cause as defined in WAC
246-853-320. Records held by the board under this section shall be exempt from RCW
42.17.250 through
42.17.450 and shall not be subject to discovery by subpoena except by the license holder.