Bonuses for Keeping Patients in Treatment-Ethics Bombshell

[Troll Control]

I have received confirmation from an HLA staff member that these bonuses were paid out to several staff.

One is Cheryl Ballow.  

Who else has received these ill-gotten funds?

[Anonymous]

I have received confirmation from an HLA staff member that these bonuses were paid out to several staff.

One is Cheryl Ballow.  

Who else has received these ill-gotten funds?

http://www.hiddenlakeacademy.com/loadPr ... ?userID=17

Cheryl Ballow
Assistant Department Head

B.A. Psychology - University of West Florida M.S. Counseling and Psychology - Troy State University

Cheryl has been at HLA for seven years, as a Peer Group Counselor she has graduated three Peer Groups. Cheryl's interests are Arts and Crafts, painting, sewing, camping, hiking, cycling, interior design and photography.

[Anonymous]

Let's contact Congressman Charlie Norwood to see what he thinks of all this:

http://www.house.gov/norwood/
Washington, DC
2452 Rayburn Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-4101
Fax: (202) 226-0776

Augusta
1054 Claussen Road, Suite 316
Augusta, GA 30907
Phone: (706) 733-7066
Fax: (706) 733-7725

Toccoa
315 West Savannah Street
Toccoa, GA 30577
Phone: (706) 886-2776
Fax: (706) 886-2787

[Anonymous]

US Senator Saxby Chambliss - GA

http://chambliss.senate.gov/public/index.cfm

North Georgia Office:
100 Galleria Parkway
Suite 1340
Atlanta, GA 30339
Main: 770-763-9090
Fax: 770-226-8633

Washington D.C. Office:
416 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Main: 202-224-3521
Fax: 202-224-0103

[Anonymous]

US Senator Johnny Isakson - GA

http://isakson.senate.gov/

Washington, DC Office
120 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
(202) 224-3643
Fax: (202) 228-0724

Georgia Office
One Overton Park
3625 Cumberland Boulevard
Suite 970
Atlanta, GA 30339
(770) 661-0999
Fax: (770) 661-0768

[Anonymous]

Amos Amerson  - GA District 9

http://www.legis.state.ga.us/legis/2005 ... mosbio.htm

698 North Chestatee Street
Dahlonega, Georgia 30533
706.864.6589

Room 401 State Capitol
Atlanta, Georgia 30334
404.657.8534

Representative Amos Amerson Bio:  

 
Chairman Science and Technology
HD 9 (R- Dahlonega)

Representative Amos Amerson has led quite a full and exciting life. After being raised on a farm in Washington County, Georgia, he managed to see much of the world through 22 years of military service before retiring in 1978. His last tour of duty was with the Atomic Energy Commission with the Energy Department, during which he coordinated underground nuclear testing with the department of defense. The retired army Lt. Colonel actually has a degree in Nuclear Engineering with a specialty in Radiation Safety, a Master?s Degree in Quantitative Methods and a Ph D in Economics and Statistics. He has served in Vietnam as well as most of the Pacific Region from Korea to Thailand.He was assigned to the Joint Chief?s of Staff Joint Strategic Targeting Planning Staff, which analyzed intelligence to determine the Russian?s capabilities and afterwards planned targets for strategic nuclear delivery. Amos was also the Chief of the Strategic Analysis Section. After his retirement from the military, he taught at the Business Department of North Georgia College from 1982-1998.

The Dahlonega City Council is the group responsible for persuading Representative Amerson to run for his first office. Then, in 1999, a group of concerned citizens urged him to represent Lumpkin County?s needs which they felt were not being met. He ran against the incumbent and won in a runoff that November. For the 2005-2006 Session, Representative Amerson will serve as the Chairman for the Science and Technology Committee, which his background certainly seems to support. Speaker of the House, Glenn Richardson, recently appointed him to the Georgia Technology Oversight Committee. Amerson is also a member of the following committees: Appropriations, Higher Education and Public Utilities and Telecommunications.

Chairman Amerson married his college sweetheart Anne in 1956, the couple met at North Georgia College. Their 3 children later attended the same school. Sadly, the couple?s middle child was taken from them in 1988 from a mountain climbing accident. They now have 2 grandsons who were Pages on the opening day of the new session. His wife Anne is a writer who has kept an oral record of the history of Dahlonega through 4 novels. She has also written for several magazines. Chairman Amerson is a member of the Chamber of Commerce and the Board of Lumpkin County Literacy Coalition. When he isn?t busy representing the needs of his constituents, he enjoys golfing, hunting and fishing.

[Anonymous]

Just wondering but wouldn't you have to actually be licensed to have to worry about ethical questions? I see all the crapola degrees a lot of these so called counselors have but are any of them actually licensed by any governing board?

[odie]

sorry...last post was mine. :wave:

[Troll Control]

Just wondering but wouldn't you have to actually be licensed to have to worry about ethical questions? I see all the crapola degrees a lot of these so called counselors have but are any of them actually licensed by any governing board?

The head man (no pun intended) has a license and has self-proclaimed to be overseeing the "therapy" at HLA.  Unfortunately most of his actions run afoul of the law as well as ethics.  He will be dealt with accordingly by the legal system and the licensing board.

Even though all but one of the counselors are not permitted to practice therapy due to licencing status, they are all still responsible for what happens on their watch.  The chickes are coming home to roost.

[Anonymous]

If memory serves me correctly the GA Board of Psychologists is having a meeting this Friday. What topics could be on the agenda......  

[RobertBruce]

How about unqualified staff members at an unlicensed theraputic boarding school???

[Troll Control]

Hello Ms. Kirkman,



I am writing you this letter to inform you about an unethical practice at Hidden Lake Academy (HLA).



Dr. Leonard Buccellato has instituted a "bonus structure" at HLA to combat poor retention of its attendees.  Because of rampant attrition, HLA is offering cash "bonuses" to its "Peer Group Counselors" (unlicensed, largely uneducated staff providing therapy to HLA attendees) if they are able to retain members on their case lists.  This is highly unethical, if not illegal.



Let me explain.  These counselors make about $40k per year to provide therapy for two "peer groups" consisting of 14 or more attendees each.  If the counselors can retain attendees, they recieve a financial bonus for doing so, regardless of whether or not those particular attendees are appropriate for treatment or even need treatment at all.  This is quite clearly an abhorrent conflict of interest.



Let's have a look at the structure of the bonuses, shall we?



No. of Students...............Bonus..................Rentention
14....................................25.0%....................93% -100%
13....................................22.5%....................86% - 92%
12....................................20.0%....................79% - 85%
11....................................17.5%....................72% - 78%
10....................................10.0%....................65% - 71%
9.......................................7.5%.....................58% - 64%
8.......................................5.0%.....................51% -57%
7 and below....................0.0%.....................50% or below




As you can see from the chart, a $40k, untrained, unlicensed, uncertified "counselor" can receive up to a TWENTY THOUSAND DOLLAR BONUS to keep his/her caseload at HLA, whether the children require HLA's services or not.  What incentive does that counselor have to address the real needs of those clients?



Let's suppose a violent child is two weeks away from graduation and viciously assaults another child, who reports the assault to his counselor. What incentive does a counselor with a ten thousand dollar bonus riding on that kid have for reporting it up the chain of command or calling the police, or recommending expulsion, or seeking proper medical care, or telling the childrens' parents, or ANY OF THE RIGHT THINGS TO DO???   This is only one potential scenario for keeping inappropriate clients in treatment against their will.



Ms. Kirkman, I strongly urge you to initiate a full and thorough investigation of this extremely disturbing practice (and many others as well) at HLA.  It is incumbent upon you and your organization to put a stop to the abuses suffered by innocent children and to choke off the ill-gotten proceeds from the perpetrators of such abuses.



Should you require further supporting evidence of this practice I will gladly put you in touch with former administrators from HLA who will testify to these facts.



Best Regards,

****** * *****




Please send any information you have to:

Ms. Dena Kirkman
[email protected]
478.207.1671

She will be spear-heading one of the state investigations into HLA.