State psychologist board reprimands Matthew Israel

[Ursus]

Canton Journal
State psychologist board reprimands head of Canton center
By Staff reports
Thu Oct 08, 2009, 03:53 PM EDT

CANTON -

The Board of Registration of Psychologists announced an enforcement action against Dr. Matthew Israel, the executive director of the Judge Rotenberg Center, a residential treatment center for autistic children in Canton.

In its final decision, the board ordered that Israel pay a $29,600 fine. The board also imposed a reprimand on Israel's license. The board ruled that Israel knowingly permitted unlicensed clinicians at the Center to use the title "psychologist" when they were not licensed by the board.

Consumers can visit the Division of Professional Licensure's Web site at www.mass.gov/dpl and check a license option to determine whether a professional is licensed and in good standing.

The Division of Professional Licensure is a regulatory agency within the Patrick Administration's Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation.


Copyright 2006-2007 GateHouse Media, Inc. Some Rights Reserved.

[Ursus]

Here's a piece from a few years ago for some background on the "practicing without a license" issue:

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Canton Journal
Center's 'shrinks' legal? State investigates youth facility
By Kevin Rothstein
Thu May 04, 2006, 08:00 PM EDT

CANTON - The state is probing accusations that psychologists at the controversial Judge Rotenberg Center in Canton for troubled kids are practicing without a license, officials confirmed last week.

And they acknowledged that a second investigation has been launched into burns that a nonverbal autistic youth received on his legs, arms and torso after repeatedly getting shocked by a device the center uses to alter the behavior of its clients.

New York lawyer Ken Mollins sparked the first probe after complaining to the state that 14 of the 17 psychologists listed on the school's Web site are not licensed, according to a state Web site. Mollins is trying to block New York kids from being sent to the center.

"Judge Rotenberg (Center) is not only torturing and abusing kids, they're committing fraud by promising New York parents and parents all over the country that their kids are going to be overseen by psychologists, which means licensure," Mollins said.

But the center's attorney, Michael Femmia, disputed that, saying four of the facility's shrinks are licensed in the Bay State. "It is not necessary for all of the center's psychologists to be licensed," Femmia insisted. He also called allegations regarding the burned child "false."

"No one has been hurt by the device," Femmia said.

The state Division of Professional Licensure reviewed the names of 17 workers listed on the school's Web site as psychologists and found that 14 did not appear to be licensed, officials said.

"We have opened investigations regarding a number of people who have held themselves as psychologists," said George K. Weber, director and general counsel of the Division of Professional Licensure. The board can seek criminal charges or file a civil complaint, which can lead to a fine of up to $1,000.

Rotenberg founder Dr. Matthew Israel said psychologists are not required to have a license to work at the center.

But Weber appeared to dispute that claim, saying that in general, anyone offering themselves as a psychologist must be licensed.

The Herald reported last week that the state Department of Early Education and Care has opened a probe into a former employee's charges that a then-12-year-old autistic girl had become emaciated under the school's strict, near-vegan diet.

Israel denied those charges, saying the student had since gained weight and that students have their choice of foods.

A separate probe also has been opened this week into allegations from another ex-employee that a different autistic student became badly burned from the electric shocks used to try to control his behavior, DEEC general counsel Constantia Papanikolaou said. The former employee said the electrodes were not moved daily as they were supposed to be.


Copyright 2006-2007 GateHouse Media, Inc. Some Rights Reserved.

[Anonymous]

Looks like Matty boy couldn't find enough real professionals to play along with his sick game.

Isn't psychology like any other kind of medicine? If you don't have a psychology license in Massachusetts, you can't fucking practice psychology in Massachusetts, and you can't call yourself a psychologist either, so this idiot's statement that their psychologists don't need to be licensed is bullshit on its face. Why is this so hard to understand? You'd think that an organization so preoccupied with consequences would get basic law.

Of course, the real problem is that the licensed three still have their licenses after helping him do this shit.

He also called allegations regarding the burned child "false."

"No one has been hurt by the device," Femmia said.

Uh, yeah. What, do you think they didn't look for the burns to confirm the allegations before they got started with the investigation? Are you maybe suggesting that a nonverbal autistic somehow put electrode-shaped burns on himself?

[Ursus]

Isn't psychology like any other kind of medicine? If you don't have a psychology license in Massachusetts, you can't fucking practice psychology in Massachusetts, and you can't call yourself a psychologist either, so this idiot's statement that their psychologists don't need to be licensed is bullshit on its face.

Well, the Massachusetts Board of Registration of Psychologists agreed with you, and fined and reprimanded Matthew Israel for his deceit. From the Canton Journal article in the OP:

In its final decision, the board ordered that Israel pay a $29,600 fine. The board also imposed a reprimand on Israel's license. The board ruled that Israel knowingly permitted unlicensed clinicians at the Center to use the title "psychologist" when they were not licensed by the board.[/list]

I like how they noted that he knowingly permitted this misrepresentation. So much for Israel's arrogance.

Of course, $29,600 is chump change when you rake in over $200,000 per student per year.

[Ursus]

Here's the Boston Globe's coverage of this:

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BOSTON & BEYOND. NOW.
METRODESK

State fines center for allowing clinicians to call themselves 'psychologists'

October 6, 2009 08:06 PM
By Abbie Ruzicka, Globe Correspondent

The director of the Judge Rotenberg Center in Canton has been fined by the state's Division of Professional Licensure for allowing 14 unlicensed clinicians at the school to use the title "psychologist," the Massachusetts Board of Registration of Psychologists announced today.

Dr. Matthew Israel was fined $29,600 and a reprimand was placed on his license, according to the board. Israel has been licensed to practice psychology in Massachusetts since 1974, according to state records.

The Rotenberg center ceased using the title of "psychologist" in 2006 after the Board of Registration of Psychologists first brought forth its concern over the misuse of the title, and changed their titles to "clinicians," Rotenberg spokesman Ernie Corrigan said.

The center's use of "psychologist" for clinicians prior to 2006 was consistent with what it believed the word meant at the time.

"There's genuine confusion," Corrigan said, citing a 1996 change in state law that requires psychologists to be licensed by the state. Before 1996, doctorate and master's degree-level clinicians trained in psychology were allowed to use the psychologist title.

"These were highly educated people," he said.

The Rotenberg center, which treats adults and children from across the country with autism, mental retardation, and emotional problems, is believed to be the only facility in the country that uses electric shock therapy to curb its students' behaviors.

In the past, the center has been the target of numerous government investigations and legislators have put forth efforts to limit the use of skin shock and aversion therapy.

In total, Israel and the Rotenberg center have paid over $200,000 to the state in fines, according to a court settlement in July of this year.


© 2009 NY Times Co.

[Anonymous]

Whoa! good.....a little relief...for a minute there I thought this article was about  present day event(s).....what with the electro-shock devices. good to know that this article is like a reprint from the 1940's-'50's-'60's, maybe as late as the 1960's-'70's-'80's...trained 'psychologists'  still using such methods today?.....come on