Police: Ex-head of child advocacy org stole $30K
The Associated Press
Posted: 08/13/2010 05:05:18 PM PDT
CARMICHAEL, Calif.—The one-time head of a Yolo County agency that advocates for neglected children is under arrest on suspicion of embezzling about $30,000 from the organization.
Claudean Medlock of Carmichael was released from Yolo County Jail on Thursday after posting $20,000 bail.
Woodland police said they booked the 54-year-old former executive director of the Court Appointed Special Advocate on charges of burglary, embezzlement, grand theft and petty theft.
Police said the organization tipped them off at the end of July about the possible embezzlement.
Authorities said Medlock spent the money by gambling at four different casinos
There was no answer at a phone number listed for Medlock. Authorities said they did not know whether she had retained an attorney.
http://www.mercurynews.com/california/ci_15772681?nclick_check=1
Isabella Brooke Knightly and Austin Gamez-Knightly
In Memory of my Loving Husband, William F. Knightly Jr. Murdered by ILLEGAL Palliative Care at a Nashua, NH Hospital
Saturday, August 14, 2010
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE Grants Management Unit GRANT PROGRAM BRIEF
PDF http://doj.nh.gov/grants/documents/grantsprogram.pdf
OR HTML
http://74.6.239.185/search/srpcache?ei=UTF-8&p=Victims+of+Crime+Compensation+Fund+nh,+Child+Advocacy+Centers&fr=crmas&u=http://cc.bingj.com/cache.aspx?q=Victims+of+Crime+Compensation+Fund+nh,+Child+Advocacy+Centers&d=5061855296818426&mkt=en-US&setlang=en-US&w=b938849c,36561868&icp=1&.intl=us&sig=0GfX4_u4grJos6t33P9szQ--
OR HTML
http://74.6.239.185/search/srpcache?ei=UTF-8&p=Victims+of+Crime+Compensation+Fund+nh,+Child+Advocacy+Centers&fr=crmas&u=http://cc.bingj.com/cache.aspx?q=Victims+of+Crime+Compensation+Fund+nh,+Child+Advocacy+Centers&d=5061855296818426&mkt=en-US&setlang=en-US&w=b938849c,36561868&icp=1&.intl=us&sig=0GfX4_u4grJos6t33P9szQ--
Maggie Bishop Director of the N.H. Destroyers of Children, Youth and Families
Articles full of bull!!!
It's difficult to find a pattern ...
www.cmonitor.com, 11 Feb 2009 [cached]
It's difficult to find a pattern between age and rates of child abuse among new parents, said Maggie Bishop, director of the Division for Children, Youth & Families. Increased parental stress is about the only consistent factor across the board, she said, and each abuse case is circumstantial.
"We're always concerned with young parents. Sometimes they're just not educated enough to know what they're doing could be harmful," said Bishop, who has worked about 30 years in the family service field. "The biggest issue that leads to some type of child abuse and neglect obviously is the stress. . . . If there is stress and lack of support, there's more likelihood for it."
DCYF data from 2006 to 2008 indicates a reverse trend statewide: Parents over the age of 31 had the highest founded rates of abuse and neglect, as ruled on by the department or court system. That could be because most people have kids - and more of them - later in life, Bishop said.
Abuse rates among men under the age of 18, however, were markedly higher compared to women in the same range. In 2008, for example, 65 men were found guilty of abuse or neglect compared with 15 women. In 2007, it was 55 men versus 13 women; in 2006, 48 to 10.
Bishop said young women typically have built-in support systems, such as family members, to help relieve the stress of parenting. Men tend to have less outside resources and spend less time with the child on average, Bishop said.
Overall, founded cases of abuse and neglect have climbed in the past three years: In 2006, there were 911. In 2008, there were 1,315. That's due to increased awareness and better education standards, Bishop said.
"People are paying attention more. As a society, we're much more informed about child abuse concerns," she said.
Concord Monitor Online - Concord, NH 03301
www.cmonitor.com, 20 Dec 2004 [cached]
"We have people who definitely have committed to spend time to work with children and get to know them," said Maggie Bishop, child protection administrator for the Division of Children, Youth and Families.
Both CASA and DCYF advocate for children, "but in our advocacy to work for kids, we also have a responsibility to work for families,"she said.
DCYF Director Maggie Bishop ...
www.nhpr.org, 19 Aug 2008 [cached]
DCYF Director Maggie Bishop says, to the best of her knowledge, no one ever issued any sort of ultimatum.
Bishop says, up until that day, the state had bent over backwards to accommodate Michelle.
She says her staff delayed a termination hearing multiple times.
T.5421:22 to look back now and say, did we do everything she could, to make sure she had an opportunity, yes.B/c termination of parental rights was already going to happen.And so we stopped it to give her this ... extension ... to have some kind of contact.
But, as a rule, Bishop says there's no place for hardball negotiating tactics when it comes to mediated adoptions.
...
DCYF's Maggie Bishop says her office is investigating the matter.
T.5419:07 clearly the efficacy of these agreements have to be upheld.And with that said we have been working with Michelle, took her information and are looking into her concerns to assure that indeed the agreements are being followed.And if they are not we will assist Michelle and any parent to work through the process to make sure these agreements are enforced.
Bishop says mediated adoptions aren't worth much if the parties don't do what they've promised to do.
Just as important, Bishop says a birth parent deserves a chance to consider a mediated adoptions without fear of losing the option altogether.
She says she believes in the program, and that it's helping families.
But she says that doesn't mean there isn't room for improvement.
WBZ-AM: New Hampshire News
www.wbz1030.com, 24 Nov 2004 [cached]
But, according to Maggie Bishop, child protection administrator at DCYF, everyone in New Hampshire is a mandated reporter and must report any suspected abuse or neglect.
Maggie Bishop, director of ...
www.theunionleader.com, 16 June 2008 [cached]
Maggie Bishop, director of the Division for Children, Youth and Families, said the state becomes involved in families when a child-abuse or neglect complaint is filed.DCYF investigates about 7,000 complaints a year and between 9 and 11 percent warrant opening a case, Bishop said.
Even when abuse or neglect complaints are founded, Bishop said, keeping families together is a priority, with DCYF providing services aimed at keeping the child in the home.When it's determined children can't be safe at home, they enter the foster care system.But even then, Bishop said, the goal remains to correct the behavior that led to the abuse or neglect complaint and reunify the family.
For children who can never go home safely, state law requires the division to work quickly to reach agreements with parents or work through the courts to terminate parental rights and find the children permanent homes, Bishop said.
"We don't want children growing up in the child welfare system," she said."They deserve to have families and commitment."
Finding parents
About 1,000 New Hampshire children are in foster placement at any given time.Most will go home, but about a quarter of them will be adopted, Bishop said.The average foster care stay is 2.4 years, but that is decreasing all the time, she added.
Currently there are 35 to 40 children at some stage of recruitment for adopted homes; some will appear in the Heart Gallery, Bishop said.
Bishop said the division has shifted staff and resources to help locate adoptive parents, create more partnerships in the community, and make adoptions easier.
DCYF now actively looks for family members, foster parents or other caregivers who might be interested in becoming adoptive parents.The state provides post-adoption services to help parents after the adoption is finalized and also provides subsidies for adopted children who need special services, as many do.
The efforts are paying off, Bishop said.Finalized adoptions from foster care have increased dramatically in a decade, from 45 in 1998 to 143 last year.
Raymond attorney Jorel Booker, a former DCYF social worker and longtime division watchdog, said he has noticed a dramatic shift under Bishop's leadership.
...
Bishop said there are different types of adoptions: the more common model in which birth parents have no contact with the child; and voluntary mediated adoptions in which birth parents meet with adoptive parents and a court-appointed mediator to work out a plan for contact with the child after the adoption.
Some of the latter may involve visits, while others may be limited to a letter and photo every year, based on what the mediator determines to be in the best interest of the child.
Bishop said DCYF is changing and she hopes its image changes, as well, so that someday people having trouble parenting will call the division to help prevent child abuse and neglect.While the division's job is to protect children, she said, the process of providing family services could be less adversarial.
"The key is to be open to better ways of doing things," she said.
...
Bishop said the division has made many changes over the years, including reducing caseloads for social workers.
"All we want is for kids to be safe," she said.
http://www.zoominfo.com/search#search/profile/person?personId=318904050&targetid=profile
It's difficult to find a pattern ...
www.cmonitor.com, 11 Feb 2009 [cached]
It's difficult to find a pattern between age and rates of child abuse among new parents, said Maggie Bishop, director of the Division for Children, Youth & Families. Increased parental stress is about the only consistent factor across the board, she said, and each abuse case is circumstantial.
"We're always concerned with young parents. Sometimes they're just not educated enough to know what they're doing could be harmful," said Bishop, who has worked about 30 years in the family service field. "The biggest issue that leads to some type of child abuse and neglect obviously is the stress. . . . If there is stress and lack of support, there's more likelihood for it."
DCYF data from 2006 to 2008 indicates a reverse trend statewide: Parents over the age of 31 had the highest founded rates of abuse and neglect, as ruled on by the department or court system. That could be because most people have kids - and more of them - later in life, Bishop said.
Abuse rates among men under the age of 18, however, were markedly higher compared to women in the same range. In 2008, for example, 65 men were found guilty of abuse or neglect compared with 15 women. In 2007, it was 55 men versus 13 women; in 2006, 48 to 10.
Bishop said young women typically have built-in support systems, such as family members, to help relieve the stress of parenting. Men tend to have less outside resources and spend less time with the child on average, Bishop said.
Overall, founded cases of abuse and neglect have climbed in the past three years: In 2006, there were 911. In 2008, there were 1,315. That's due to increased awareness and better education standards, Bishop said.
"People are paying attention more. As a society, we're much more informed about child abuse concerns," she said.
Concord Monitor Online - Concord, NH 03301
www.cmonitor.com, 20 Dec 2004 [cached]
"We have people who definitely have committed to spend time to work with children and get to know them," said Maggie Bishop, child protection administrator for the Division of Children, Youth and Families.
Both CASA and DCYF advocate for children, "but in our advocacy to work for kids, we also have a responsibility to work for families,"she said.
DCYF Director Maggie Bishop ...
www.nhpr.org, 19 Aug 2008 [cached]
DCYF Director Maggie Bishop says, to the best of her knowledge, no one ever issued any sort of ultimatum.
Bishop says, up until that day, the state had bent over backwards to accommodate Michelle.
She says her staff delayed a termination hearing multiple times.
T.5421:22 to look back now and say, did we do everything she could, to make sure she had an opportunity, yes.B/c termination of parental rights was already going to happen.And so we stopped it to give her this ... extension ... to have some kind of contact.
But, as a rule, Bishop says there's no place for hardball negotiating tactics when it comes to mediated adoptions.
...
DCYF's Maggie Bishop says her office is investigating the matter.
T.5419:07 clearly the efficacy of these agreements have to be upheld.And with that said we have been working with Michelle, took her information and are looking into her concerns to assure that indeed the agreements are being followed.And if they are not we will assist Michelle and any parent to work through the process to make sure these agreements are enforced.
Bishop says mediated adoptions aren't worth much if the parties don't do what they've promised to do.
Just as important, Bishop says a birth parent deserves a chance to consider a mediated adoptions without fear of losing the option altogether.
She says she believes in the program, and that it's helping families.
But she says that doesn't mean there isn't room for improvement.
WBZ-AM: New Hampshire News
www.wbz1030.com, 24 Nov 2004 [cached]
But, according to Maggie Bishop, child protection administrator at DCYF, everyone in New Hampshire is a mandated reporter and must report any suspected abuse or neglect.
Maggie Bishop, director of ...
www.theunionleader.com, 16 June 2008 [cached]
Maggie Bishop, director of the Division for Children, Youth and Families, said the state becomes involved in families when a child-abuse or neglect complaint is filed.DCYF investigates about 7,000 complaints a year and between 9 and 11 percent warrant opening a case, Bishop said.
Even when abuse or neglect complaints are founded, Bishop said, keeping families together is a priority, with DCYF providing services aimed at keeping the child in the home.When it's determined children can't be safe at home, they enter the foster care system.But even then, Bishop said, the goal remains to correct the behavior that led to the abuse or neglect complaint and reunify the family.
For children who can never go home safely, state law requires the division to work quickly to reach agreements with parents or work through the courts to terminate parental rights and find the children permanent homes, Bishop said.
"We don't want children growing up in the child welfare system," she said."They deserve to have families and commitment."
Finding parents
About 1,000 New Hampshire children are in foster placement at any given time.Most will go home, but about a quarter of them will be adopted, Bishop said.The average foster care stay is 2.4 years, but that is decreasing all the time, she added.
Currently there are 35 to 40 children at some stage of recruitment for adopted homes; some will appear in the Heart Gallery, Bishop said.
Bishop said the division has shifted staff and resources to help locate adoptive parents, create more partnerships in the community, and make adoptions easier.
DCYF now actively looks for family members, foster parents or other caregivers who might be interested in becoming adoptive parents.The state provides post-adoption services to help parents after the adoption is finalized and also provides subsidies for adopted children who need special services, as many do.
The efforts are paying off, Bishop said.Finalized adoptions from foster care have increased dramatically in a decade, from 45 in 1998 to 143 last year.
Raymond attorney Jorel Booker, a former DCYF social worker and longtime division watchdog, said he has noticed a dramatic shift under Bishop's leadership.
...
Bishop said there are different types of adoptions: the more common model in which birth parents have no contact with the child; and voluntary mediated adoptions in which birth parents meet with adoptive parents and a court-appointed mediator to work out a plan for contact with the child after the adoption.
Some of the latter may involve visits, while others may be limited to a letter and photo every year, based on what the mediator determines to be in the best interest of the child.
Bishop said DCYF is changing and she hopes its image changes, as well, so that someday people having trouble parenting will call the division to help prevent child abuse and neglect.While the division's job is to protect children, she said, the process of providing family services could be less adversarial.
"The key is to be open to better ways of doing things," she said.
...
Bishop said the division has made many changes over the years, including reducing caseloads for social workers.
"All we want is for kids to be safe," she said.
http://www.zoominfo.com/search#search/profile/person?personId=318904050&targetid=profile
Success keeps them going-NH DCYF, The lies keep on coming
Success keeps them going
Old Article from 2003, but well worth the read if you'd like to have a good laugh!
By Karen Dandurant
kdandurant@seacoastonline.com
PORTSMOUTH - April is Child Abuse Prevention month and the staff at the Division of Children and Youth Services talked to the Herald about their dedication to keeping children and families together and a need to dispel misconceptions
"People think we get a call and swoop in to take their child," Maggie Bishop, child protection administrator said. "Nothing is further from the truth. There are many levels a report goes through, and all are focused on keeping families together if possible."
Currently there are 201 open family service cases. A look at the process, from the time a report is made to the decision, offers a better understanding of how it works.
For the entire article, go to:
http://archive.seacoastonline.com/2003news/04192003/news/24102.htm
Old Article from 2003, but well worth the read if you'd like to have a good laugh!
By Karen Dandurant
kdandurant@seacoastonline.com
PORTSMOUTH - April is Child Abuse Prevention month and the staff at the Division of Children and Youth Services talked to the Herald about their dedication to keeping children and families together and a need to dispel misconceptions
"People think we get a call and swoop in to take their child," Maggie Bishop, child protection administrator said. "Nothing is further from the truth. There are many levels a report goes through, and all are focused on keeping families together if possible."
Currently there are 201 open family service cases. A look at the process, from the time a report is made to the decision, offers a better understanding of how it works.
For the entire article, go to:
http://archive.seacoastonline.com/2003news/04192003/news/24102.htm
Latest Federal Abuse Statistics Indicate Bias
REGISTER EXCLUSIVES
Latest Federal Abuse Statistics Indicate Bias
Share BY RICH DALY, REGISTER CORRESPONDENT 08/10/2010
WASHINGTON — The latest federal data indicate child-protection agencies nationwide continue to target Christian families, according to Christian legal experts and advocates for reforming aggressive child-welfare agencies.
The Fourth National Incidence Study of Child Abuse and Neglect (NIS-4), released earlier this year, indicated a dramatic nationwide drop in the incidence of suspected child abuse and neglect. The report, mandated by Congress and issued once a decade by the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) in the Department of Health and Human Services, is considered the gold standard in estimating abuse and neglect rates nationwide and providing a point of comparison from previous years.
The study, which is based on reports between 2005 and 2006 from more than 10,000 “sentinels” who are connected in various ways to child protection, found that the estimated rate of all forms of maltreatment is down 26% since the last study in the mid-1990s. Drops included a 47% decrease in the rate of sexual abuse and a 29% decrease in physical abuse.
The recent national study was released with no public notice or press release, which contrasted with the Clinton administration’s highly touted release in 1996 of the previous NIS that had found large increases in child abuse and neglect.
http://www.ncregister.com/register_exclusives/latest-federal-abuse-statistics-indicate-ongoing-bias/
Latest Federal Abuse Statistics Indicate Bias
Share BY RICH DALY, REGISTER CORRESPONDENT 08/10/2010
WASHINGTON — The latest federal data indicate child-protection agencies nationwide continue to target Christian families, according to Christian legal experts and advocates for reforming aggressive child-welfare agencies.
The Fourth National Incidence Study of Child Abuse and Neglect (NIS-4), released earlier this year, indicated a dramatic nationwide drop in the incidence of suspected child abuse and neglect. The report, mandated by Congress and issued once a decade by the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) in the Department of Health and Human Services, is considered the gold standard in estimating abuse and neglect rates nationwide and providing a point of comparison from previous years.
The study, which is based on reports between 2005 and 2006 from more than 10,000 “sentinels” who are connected in various ways to child protection, found that the estimated rate of all forms of maltreatment is down 26% since the last study in the mid-1990s. Drops included a 47% decrease in the rate of sexual abuse and a 29% decrease in physical abuse.
The recent national study was released with no public notice or press release, which contrasted with the Clinton administration’s highly touted release in 1996 of the previous NIS that had found large increases in child abuse and neglect.
http://www.ncregister.com/register_exclusives/latest-federal-abuse-statistics-indicate-ongoing-bias/
Friday, August 13, 2010
Allegation claims Child Haven numbers falsified Former county administrator says she was asked to alter documents on how long children spend at center
Allegation claims Child Haven numbers falsified
Former county administrator says she was asked to alter documents on how long children spend at center
SAM MORRIS
A scene outside Child Haven, a shelter for abused and neglected children. Family Services denies it is moving children out of the facility too quickly.
By Joe Schoenmann (contact)
Friday, Aug. 13, 2010 | 2:01 a.m.
Related document
E-mail from Teresa Medina to County Manager Virginia Valentine
Sun archives
Clark County reviewing 82 cases of potential child harm (7-25-2010)
Federal class action suit filed against county child welfare system (4-14-2010)
County family services director: Cuts would cause chaos, cost jobs (2-10-2010)
Woman sentenced to 50 years in death of foster son (2-4-2010)
Budget cuts could thin the ranks of foster parents (10-30-2009)
Gains in child protection threatened (5-7-2009)
County Commission chairman rejecting child welfare cuts (11-19-2008)
A former Clark County child welfare administrator charges she was ordered to lie about the number of children at Child Haven to make it appear the county’s Family Services Department was doing a better job of placing children into foster care.
Teresa Medina said she quit her $65,000-a-year job because “I was asked to falsify documents relating to the time children arrived to the center and when they were pushed out into foster care,” she wrote in an e-mail to County Manager Virginia Valentine after she resigned.
“I was afraid of what I’d be asked to do next, what I’d be asked to lie about next,” she added, blaming Family Services Director Tom Morton for creating an “illusion that things are better for Clark County children.”
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2010/aug/13/allegation-claims-child-haven-numbers-falsified/
Former county administrator says she was asked to alter documents on how long children spend at center
SAM MORRIS
A scene outside Child Haven, a shelter for abused and neglected children. Family Services denies it is moving children out of the facility too quickly.
By Joe Schoenmann (contact)
Friday, Aug. 13, 2010 | 2:01 a.m.
Related document
E-mail from Teresa Medina to County Manager Virginia Valentine
Sun archives
Clark County reviewing 82 cases of potential child harm (7-25-2010)
Federal class action suit filed against county child welfare system (4-14-2010)
County family services director: Cuts would cause chaos, cost jobs (2-10-2010)
Woman sentenced to 50 years in death of foster son (2-4-2010)
Budget cuts could thin the ranks of foster parents (10-30-2009)
Gains in child protection threatened (5-7-2009)
County Commission chairman rejecting child welfare cuts (11-19-2008)
A former Clark County child welfare administrator charges she was ordered to lie about the number of children at Child Haven to make it appear the county’s Family Services Department was doing a better job of placing children into foster care.
Teresa Medina said she quit her $65,000-a-year job because “I was asked to falsify documents relating to the time children arrived to the center and when they were pushed out into foster care,” she wrote in an e-mail to County Manager Virginia Valentine after she resigned.
“I was afraid of what I’d be asked to do next, what I’d be asked to lie about next,” she added, blaming Family Services Director Tom Morton for creating an “illusion that things are better for Clark County children.”
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2010/aug/13/allegation-claims-child-haven-numbers-falsified/
Evaluator / Mental Health Professional Complaint Letter/CPS Caseworker
Evaluator / Mental Health Professional Complaint Letter
Use this form letter to file a complaint with the correct authority when you believe an evaluator other mental health professional has violated his or her ethical guidelines, or behaved improperly or negligently. This could include such acts as improperly releasing (or refusing to release) treatment records, becoming improperly involved with a patient or client, performing an incomplete or biased custody evaluation, or other behavior(s) which are illegal, inappropriate, or contrary to ethical standards. Make sure you have solid, documented evidence of the behavior or actions you detail in your complaint.
Each type of mental health professional has a different set ethical codes they must follow:
If the person is a psychologist, he or she must follow the ethical guidelines used by the American Psychological Association. You can find the code of ethics for the American Psychological Association online at www.apa.org/ethics/homepage.html. There are specific rules that pertain to evaluations as well as general conduct. You may also write the American Psychological Association and request a copy of their code of ethics. Write to:
APA Ethics Office
750 First St, NE
Washington, DC 20002
Telephone: 202-336-5930
If the person is a psychiatrist, he or she must follow the ethical guidelines used by the American Psychiatric Association. You can find the code of ethics for the American Psychiatric Association online at www.psych.org/apa_members/ethics.html. Like psychologists, psychiatrists also have specific rules that apply to cusody and/or parenting evaluations. You may also write the American Psychiatric Association and request a copy of their code of ethics. Write to:
American Psychiatric Association
1400 K Street, NW
Washington, DC 20005
Telephone 202-682-6000
If the person is a social worker, he or she is supposed to follow the code of ethics proposed by the National Association of Social Workers. You can find the code of ethics for the National Association of Social Workers at www.naswdc.org/CODE.HTM. You may also write the National Association of Social Workers and request a copy of their code of ethics. Write to:
National Association of Social Workers
750 First Street, NE, Suite 700
Washington DC 20002
Telephone: 202-408-8600
If the person is a Guardian Ad Litem (GAL) or Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA), he or she is supposed to follow the code of conduct for the State in which they perform their duties for the court. The code of conduct varies from State to State but most are fairly standardized. One example of GAL guidelines can be found on the South Carolina Bar Online pages (www.scbar.org/guidelines_for_guardian_ad_litem.htm). Standards for CASA's can be found on the National CASA Association site. You may also ask the GAL or the court for a copy of the GAL's code of conduct.
Modify the letter to fit your circumstances, then mail it 'Certified' with 'Return Receipt Requested' to the appropriate address. Send a copy to your attorney and make sure you keep a copy for your records as well.
COMPLAINT REGARDING [name of doctor, therapist, etc]
[Date]
TO: [fill in appropriate governing body]
[fill in appropriate address]
City, State, ZIP
RE: Violation Of Ethical Guidelines
I hereby lodge an official complaint against [name of doctor, therapist, etc] who is a licensed [psychologist / psychiatrist / therapist, etc], and is therefore subject to the Ethical Guidelines adopted and published by the [name of governing body].
Nature of the complaint:
[Name of doctor, therapist, etc] has violated the Ethical Guidelines of the [name of governing body] through the following actions:
[Detail the nature of the complaint. Be succinct and factual, do not enagage in any sarcasm or remarks of a personal nature. Offer to provide documentation or other proof upon request. You should also cite or paste in a copy of the specific guidelines that have been violated, or you can include it below.]
Date of Violation:___________________
Date Violation Discovered if different from above:________________
Other Relevant Information:
[Detail any other relevant information or event(s) here. This is a good place to cite or paste in a copy of the specific guidelines that have been violated, or you can include it above. Delete this section if your complaint is fully explained in the section above.]
It is my hope that this matter can be resolved without the necessity of legal action. I am sure the [name of governing body] will find this issue worthy of investigation, and I look forward to hearing from you as to the disposition of this matter.
Yours Truly,
[Your Name]
[Address]
[Phone number]
Modify the letter as necessary, then mail it (certified, with Return Receipt Requested) to the appropriate address.
http://www.deltabravo.net/custody/mhp-complaint.php
Use this form letter to file a complaint with the correct authority when you believe an evaluator other mental health professional has violated his or her ethical guidelines, or behaved improperly or negligently. This could include such acts as improperly releasing (or refusing to release) treatment records, becoming improperly involved with a patient or client, performing an incomplete or biased custody evaluation, or other behavior(s) which are illegal, inappropriate, or contrary to ethical standards. Make sure you have solid, documented evidence of the behavior or actions you detail in your complaint.
Each type of mental health professional has a different set ethical codes they must follow:
If the person is a psychologist, he or she must follow the ethical guidelines used by the American Psychological Association. You can find the code of ethics for the American Psychological Association online at www.apa.org/ethics/homepage.html. There are specific rules that pertain to evaluations as well as general conduct. You may also write the American Psychological Association and request a copy of their code of ethics. Write to:
APA Ethics Office
750 First St, NE
Washington, DC 20002
Telephone: 202-336-5930
If the person is a psychiatrist, he or she must follow the ethical guidelines used by the American Psychiatric Association. You can find the code of ethics for the American Psychiatric Association online at www.psych.org/apa_members/ethics.html. Like psychologists, psychiatrists also have specific rules that apply to cusody and/or parenting evaluations. You may also write the American Psychiatric Association and request a copy of their code of ethics. Write to:
American Psychiatric Association
1400 K Street, NW
Washington, DC 20005
Telephone 202-682-6000
If the person is a social worker, he or she is supposed to follow the code of ethics proposed by the National Association of Social Workers. You can find the code of ethics for the National Association of Social Workers at www.naswdc.org/CODE.HTM. You may also write the National Association of Social Workers and request a copy of their code of ethics. Write to:
National Association of Social Workers
750 First Street, NE, Suite 700
Washington DC 20002
Telephone: 202-408-8600
If the person is a Guardian Ad Litem (GAL) or Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA), he or she is supposed to follow the code of conduct for the State in which they perform their duties for the court. The code of conduct varies from State to State but most are fairly standardized. One example of GAL guidelines can be found on the South Carolina Bar Online pages (www.scbar.org/guidelines_for_guardian_ad_litem.htm). Standards for CASA's can be found on the National CASA Association site. You may also ask the GAL or the court for a copy of the GAL's code of conduct.
Modify the letter to fit your circumstances, then mail it 'Certified' with 'Return Receipt Requested' to the appropriate address. Send a copy to your attorney and make sure you keep a copy for your records as well.
COMPLAINT REGARDING [name of doctor, therapist, etc]
[Date]
TO: [fill in appropriate governing body]
[fill in appropriate address]
City, State, ZIP
RE: Violation Of Ethical Guidelines
I hereby lodge an official complaint against [name of doctor, therapist, etc] who is a licensed [psychologist / psychiatrist / therapist, etc], and is therefore subject to the Ethical Guidelines adopted and published by the [name of governing body].
Nature of the complaint:
[Name of doctor, therapist, etc] has violated the Ethical Guidelines of the [name of governing body] through the following actions:
[Detail the nature of the complaint. Be succinct and factual, do not enagage in any sarcasm or remarks of a personal nature. Offer to provide documentation or other proof upon request. You should also cite or paste in a copy of the specific guidelines that have been violated, or you can include it below.]
Date of Violation:___________________
Date Violation Discovered if different from above:________________
Other Relevant Information:
[Detail any other relevant information or event(s) here. This is a good place to cite or paste in a copy of the specific guidelines that have been violated, or you can include it above. Delete this section if your complaint is fully explained in the section above.]
It is my hope that this matter can be resolved without the necessity of legal action. I am sure the [name of governing body] will find this issue worthy of investigation, and I look forward to hearing from you as to the disposition of this matter.
Yours Truly,
[Your Name]
[Address]
[Phone number]
Modify the letter as necessary, then mail it (certified, with Return Receipt Requested) to the appropriate address.
http://www.deltabravo.net/custody/mhp-complaint.php
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