Licensed professional counselors work with the people of Texas—whether individually, in groups, or as a family—to contend with emotional, mental, behavioral, and social issues that arise for them, with the goal of improving their lives by accessing superior alternatives to unhealthy means of coping with the challenges of life. Professional counselors in Texas may work in any number of locations, from schools to hospitals, to agencies, to private practice—and they may even find themselves working with special populations such as veterans and the military. In order to rise to this profession, counselors must undergo a great deal of schooling, including a master’s or doctoral degree, internship, thousands of hours of supervised clinical work, the passage of an intensive examination. And all of this work can be wiped away by a single complaint against their license.
Complaints made against professional counselors are made to the Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council, which oversees the Texas State Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors. This Council regulates the licensure and practice of professional counseling within the state as of 2019.
Formal complaints made with the Council—the filing of which waives any right to confidentiality the complainant may have had as a result of the patient-counselor relationship—can be made by anyone, be they patient, family, of a patient, or another counselor. The Council first examines the complaint to determine whether it has jurisdiction over it. If so, an investigation is launched; and the licensee is simultaneously informed of the complaint and the investigation. The counselor is requested to supply the Council with information pertaining to the complaint (again—if the filer of the complaint has been a client, they have waived confidentiality) and to put forth their version of the events, or their denial that the claimed events even actually occurred. This response is a key part of the defense that can play a huge role in constraining the scope of the investigation and proceedings that follow. This is why a counselor who receives notice of a complaint should contact a professional license defense attorney as quickly as possible.
The experienced professional license defense attorneys at BERTOLINO LLP stand ready to represent you in any attempt to discipline your license.
BERTOLINO LLP represents licensed professionals across the entire State of Texas. To best serve our clients, we have offices in Austin, Houston, and San Antonio. Our honest, experienced attorneys will fight aggressively on behalf of your license and reputation.
Contact us today or call (512) 476-5757 and schedule a case evaluation.
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