California Board Of Psychology Lawyers
California psychologists are held to very high standards of conduct, patient confidentiality and trust by their patients and the California Board of Psychology.
Psychologists are an extremely valuable asset to the community, on both a personal and professional level. Their main role is helping individuals maintain their mental health and well-being, while providing a place of trust and safety in which to engage in therapy.
This considerable responsibility carries with it great stress and pressure for the psychologist, who can on occasion make a mistake or inadvertently err in treating a particular patient or patients. These small mistakes can sometimes become costly problems if an “Accusation” is filed against the psychologist. An Accusation is a formal legal document which alleges that certain acts or omissions occurred and usually seeks to suspend and/or revoke the psychologist’s license.
There is a strict timeline under which the accused psychologist must formally respond to the Accusation and request a formal hearing. Otherwise, the licensee may waive his or her right to that hearing and be revoked by default—or without him or her being present to defend the license at the hearing!
According to the California Board of Psychology, the Board regulates licensed psychologists, registered psychological assistants, and registered psychologists. In order to protect patients, the Board requires licensed psychologists to, at a minimum, possess a qualifying doctorate degree, complete a series of supervised hours, pass a national exam, and also complete a California law and ethics examination. The amount of education and time that goes into becoming a licensed psychologist is no small feat, and the risk of losing your career and license can be highly stressful.
Depending on the allegations against you, there are various forms of discipline that you may be subject to, and you only have a fifteen (15) day windows to file your “Notice of Defense” or “Request for Hearing” before your license may be subject to the previously mentioned default revocation proceeding by the Board. Fortunately, our attorneys are often successful in avoiding a default revocation due to failure to timely file a Notice of Defense and can negotiate with the Board to avoid such a devastating result for you and your license. Our experience is unmatched and we can assist you through this process, but you need to act quickly. Even if you have missed the 15-day window, do not despair—call us immediately so we may help avoid the loss of your license by default revocation.
Defense Against a Formal Complaint
The California Board of Psychology may end up filing a formal complaint against a psychologist, also called an “Accusation” which seeks to discipline or revoke the practitioner’s license. This is a very serious matter and one which requires experienced administrative law attorneys—this is precisely what our attorneys at Brown & Brown do every day. Before you handle a case of this magnitude on your own, which is never a wise idea, call the professionals at Brown & Brown to retain a highly experienced attorney who has practiced before the Psychology Board for many years.
Our attorneys are able to help in many cases, including:
- DUI or substance abuse
- Criminal charges or convictions
- Sexual misconduct
- Patient boundary issues
- Accusations of negligence
- Insurance fraud
- False advertising
- Engaging in conflicts of interest
- Providing unlicensed services
You Have Legal Rights
Many times, the California Board of Psychology will try to convince you that there is no chance of fighting the Accusation, and your license will be revoked. This is a common scare tactic to get licensed professionals to settle for a deal that isn’t in their favor at all, and many times their licenses end up being revoked unnecessarily.
It’s important to remember that you have legal rights. You have the ability to demand a hearing, or administrative “trial” before an Administrative Law Judge, and you don’t even have to talk to the board before you speak with a lawyer, which is actually what we recommend. If there is any inclination that a formal investigation or accusation is coming, talk with our experienced California Board of Psychology license defense lawyer immediately. The sooner you can get in front of it with help, the much better off you will be. These are not situations that you should try and navigate by yourself, as you may forfeit information or rights on accident due to simply now knowing all of the protocols, and regaining lost ground is much more difficult.
If you find yourself needing to defend your license, Brown & Brown has the knowledge to help you avoid revocation, suspension, or disciplinary action from the Board. We can also help with renewal rejections and any application for licensure problems you may encounter. We have seen it all and can assist you with practically any issue which may arise concerning your license or license application.
Experienced Psychology License Defense in California
Our founding partner, Donald B. Brown, practiced for over 67 years before retiring, and his son, Adam B. Brown, is now celebrating his 15th year of practice focused primarily on representing health care and other licensed professionals in California before most of the boards in the state.
Our firm is committed to providing you with the best information, resources, and representation needed in order to protect your professional license. We realize that every situation is different, so we will make every effort to make our approach focused, to best help you navigate through the many rules and regulations of the licensing system.
Call Brown & Brown today for your free consultation and let our highly experienced attorneys ease your worries and save your career and livelihood. We look forward to assisting you.