Staff Members with Phony Degrees?

[Anonymous]

According to the State of Georgia Licensing Bureau, it is illegal to place
M.D. after your name if your license to practice medicine was revoked..It is fraud and misleading, done for marketing purposes to attract families..
I think this is what was meant...

That's exactly what was meant.... very deceptive indeed.

[Anonymous]

Sure - it's illegal to practice if your license has been revoked. But you're still a "doctor." Lots of people confuse this. "Doctor" is only a degree and unrelated to having a license to practice, although, of course, one cannot be a Licensed Physician without the degree. First comes the degree and then you are a doctor. THEN you have to do a lot of hours of residency and pass a test to be licensed to practice medicine.

Removing the license does not remove the M.D. No one can ever remove a degree from a person. So no matter what a jackass he may be, no matter if he goes to prison and has his license permanently revoked, he did the work and earned the M.D. degree and will always be a "medical doctor." I think when people say "doctor" they are thinking license to practice. Two different things.

Now - if I earned an M.D. in Russia and it wasn't recognized in the U.S., I could not legally even call myself a "doctor" in the U.S. This is because there are legal requirements to calling yourself "doctor." Laura Schlessenger (sp?) is a "doctor" but not of psychology. Her degree is in some kind of biology or something. She has a master's and a license as a psychotherapist under her master's. What's interesting is that if she was doing therapy and calling herself "doctor" she would lose her license - forever. She still would have her Ph.D. in whatever it is. I think it's deceptive of her to call herself "doctor" because people assume she's a psychologist. But a psychologist has to have a Ph.D. or Psy.D. or Ed.D. and earn a license in psychology - and you have to get a separate license in whatever state you are practicing int. She is really offensive to me because she's horrible - and people think she's a psychologist. But because she is only giving advice and legally, her show is entertainment, she can call herself "doctor." In fact, in entertainment, anyone can call himself "doctor." Like Dr. Seus - he wrote children's books and never earned a doctorate.

[Anonymous]

Fucking semantics.  What do you think the parents assume?   Are they aware that this guy had his license revoked?  Do they know that he's been turned down time and again for re-instatement?  You can play all the fucking word games you want with this but what it comes down to is who is qualified and licensed to do what at HLA.

[Anne Bonney]

Fucking semantics.  What do you think the parents assume?   Are they aware that this guy had his license revoked?  Do they know that he's been turned down time and again for re-instatement?  You can play all the fucking word games you want with this but what it comes down to is who is qualified and licensed to do what at HLA.

^^ me.

[Anonymous]

Anne, I'm sorry if I seem to be trying to fight with you. I'm just telling you guys something you might not know. It doesn't matter if he's the biggest asshole in the universe. Frankly, I despise these hell holes. I worked two weeks at one and when I saw what they were doing to the kids, I got the hell out of there. Two weeks and I'm still bothered by it. I'm delighted when these places fail.

I thought you all would like to know the difference between a degree and a license. It's not semantics - it's just a fact. No offense intended - at all. Truly. A lot of people don't know the difference and I'm trying to provide information. Knowledge is power! I want everyone here (except for Ottawa, of course!) top have power.

[Anonymous]

Sure - it's illegal to practice if your license has been revoked. But you're still a "doctor." Lots of people confuse this. "Doctor" is only a degree and unrelated to having a license to practice, although, of course, one cannot be a Licensed Physician without the degree. First comes the degree and then you are a doctor. THEN you have to do a lot of hours of residency and pass a test to be licensed to practice medicine.

Removing the license does not remove the M.D. No one can ever remove a degree from a person. So no matter what a jackass he may be, no matter if he goes to prison and has his license permanently revoked, he did the work and earned the M.D. degree and will always be a "medical doctor." I think when people say "doctor" they are thinking license to practice. Two different things

Correct, the medical degree cannot be removed. However, having a medical degree doesn't mean you can use "M.D." as part of your title because of what it implies. Check your facts:

http://www.legis.state.ga.us/cgi-bin/gl ... e=43-34-26

43-34-26.
(a) If any person shall hold himself out to the public as being engaged in the diagnosis or treatment of disease or injuries of human beings, or shall suggest, recommend, or prescribe any form of treatment for the palliation, relief, or cure of any physical or mental ailment of any person, with the intention of receiving therefor, either directly or indirectly, any fee, gift, or compensation whatsoever, or shall maintain an office for the reception, examination, or treatment of diseased or injured human beings, or shall attach the title 'M.D.,' 'Oph.,' 'D.,' 'Dop.,' 'Surgeon,' 'Doctor,' 'D.O.,' 'Doctor of Osteopathy,' either alone or in connection with other words, or any other word or abbreviation to his name indicative that he is engaged in the treatment of diseased, defective, or injured human beings, and shall not in any of these cases then possess a valid license to practice medicine under the laws of this state, he shall be deemed to be practicing medicine without complying with this chapter and shall be deemed in violation of this chapter.
(b) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to prohibit:
(1) Gratuitous services in cases of emergency;
(2) The practice of the religious tenets or general beliefs of any church whatsoever;
(3) The requiring of a fee for examination by opticians, at their established places of business, who do not prescribe or use drugs or medicines or attach to their names titles indicative that any such persons are engaged in the practice of medicine, as defined in this chapter;
(4) The performance of their duties for the federal government by federal physicians, both military and civilian;
(5) The consultation on special cases in this state of regularly licensed physicians from other states or territories;
(6) The licensed practice of dentistry, optometry, psychology, or chiropractic;
(7) The licensed practice of midwifery or nursing;
( The utilization of a physicia?s assistant to perform tasks approved by the board, and the performance of such tasks by the physicia?s assistant; the delegation by a physician to a qualified person other than a physicia?s assistant of any acts, duties, or functions which are otherwise permitted by law or established by custom; and the performance of such acts, duties, or functions by such a person other than a physicia?s assistant; or
(9) The performance of:
(A) Any medical task by a student enrolled in a medical college, osteopathic college, or physicia?s assistant training program approved by the board; or
(B) Any dental task by a student enrolled in a dental college approved by the Georgia Board of Dentistry where either type task is performed under the supervision of an authorized instructor lawfully licensed in this state to perform such tasks.
(c) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed as preventing any person holding a valid license as a Doctor of Osteopathy on March 16, 1970, from engaging in the practice of osteopathy as the same was practiced by such person at such time, subject to biennial renewal of his license. Such limited renewal licenses shall not authorize the practice of obstetrics or surgery other than the minor suturing of cuts.

[Anonymous]

Clay Erickson
Director of Addiction Services
B.A. - Pacific Southern University. M.A. ? Antioch University
http://www.hiddenlakeacademy.com/loadPr ... ?userID=35

So, they removed the MD. Under who's order?
Still don?t see any credentials that qualify him to hold the position of Director of Addiction Services.
http://wwf.fornits.com/viewtopic.php?t= ... c&start=30

[Anonymous]

"Director of Addicton Services" isn't a state designation - it's a position the company created. He can do that with a B.A. or a master's. Is he good at it? Doesn't sound like it! But they can call him by that title and give him the job.

[Anonymous]

"Director of Addicton Services" isn't a state designation - it's a position the company created. He can do that with a B.A. or a master's. Is he good at it? Doesn't sound like it! But they can call him by that title and give him the job.

Sorry, but this nonsense that the title "Director of Addiction Services" (or any other title at HLA) being "a position the company created" is a sorry excuse for covering up for unqualified people at HLA. ESPECIALLY given the fact that childrens' well-being and futures are at stake - and that, according to HLA's own advertising and literature, they are a Therapeutic Boarding School.

Because HLA is a Therapeutic Boarding School a title at HLA implies to parents there must be minimum qualifications, education, years of professional experience, legitimate accredidations, etc... in order for a person to be considered for the position, to be hired for the position, and to assume the roles and responsibilities of such a position.  

It's the responsibility of the hiring company to ensure the person applying for these types of positions is qualified by verifying any type of licensure requirements by the State or County and whether or not that person holds the appropriate licensure and meets the qualifications of said title. This is also accomplished by completing background checks, reference checks, and even criminal checks. (Obviously there are people out there who lie about their qualifications/backgrounds and those people should be fired immediately.)

In an HLA-type setting, I can't imagine one sane parent out there would believe it's okay to grant a person a title without the person being fully qualified to hold that title. It's disgusting and reprehensible that people keep making excuses for HLA's deceptive and manipulative business practices and in the meantime it's childrens' lives that will forever be impacted by the deception and manipulation.

[Deborah]

"Director of Addicton Services" isn't a state designation - it's a position the company created. He can do that with a B.A. or a master's. Is he good at it? Doesn't sound like it! But they can call him by that title and give him the job.

Your confusing the issue.

True, programs can do just about anything they want unless/until someone files a complaint.

Georgia indeed has requirements and regulations for any facility providing Addiction/Substance Abuse treatment or education, and the Director must be an MD or LPC who is a CAC.

In fact, it appears that HLA needs two licenses in order to continue operating as they currently do.
 
One: Residential Care Facility
http://rules.sos.state.ga.us/cgi-bin/pa ... x.html&d=1
 
Two: Drug Abuse Treatment and Education Program (Considered a "Health Care Program")
http://rules.sos.state.ga.us/cgi-bin/pa ... x.html&d=1
 
Ever wonder why the RCF regs don't stipulate anything about Addiction/SubAb treatment requirements. DATEP is a completely different license and set of regulations for programs providing treatment and/or education for Substance Abuse.
 
Did ORS know that HLA was providing Addictions Services? Surely if they ever bothered to look at their website they would've seen a "Dir of AS" and a "AC". That alone should've blown any hope of an exemption from the beginning.
 
From the DATEP Regs:
290-4-2-.02 Title and Purposes. These rules shall be known as the Rules and Regulations for Drug Abuse Treatment and Education Programs. The purpose of these rules is to provide minimal requirements for the licensing and inspection of drug abuse treatment and education programs, not subject to regulation as licensed hospitals, or approved Emergency, Receiving, Evaluation and/or Treatment (ERET) services or licensed Narcotic Treatment Programs monitored by the State Methadone Authority.

(d) "Drug abuse treatment and education program" or "program" means any system of treatment or therapeutic advice or counsel provided for the rehabilitation of drug dependent persons and shall include programs offered in residential and/or non-residential settings.

(e) "Drug dependent person" means a person who is in imminent danger of becoming dependent upon or addicted to the use of drugs or who habitually lacks self-control as to the use of drugs or who uses drugs to the extent that his health is substantially impaired or endangered or his social or economic function is substantially disrupted.

(f) "Drugs" means any substance defined as a drug by federal or Georgia law or any other chemical substance which may be used in lieu of a drug to obtain similar effects, with the exception of alcohol and its derivative.

(o) "Residential Intensive Treatment Program" means a residential program staffed by professional and paraprofessional persons which provide highly structured treatment and therapeutic activities that focus on stabilization, abstinence, and skills required for recovery; [and] are not classified as a "residential sub-acute detoxification program".

(r) "Special Program" means a program that provides therapeutic services to drug dependent persons which does not fit into existing program classifications.

290-4-2-.05 Licenses. No governing body shall operate a drug abuse treatment and education program in the state without first obtaining a license or provisional license. A licensed program may offer one or more of the program services described in these rules.

(4) Clinical Director. The governing body of the program shall designate a clinical director who is responsible for all treatment services provided.

(6) The clinical director must be either a doctor of medicine licensed to practice in this state, or a licensed practitioner who is licensed to provide treatment, therapeutic advice or counsel for the rehabilitation of drug dependent persons in compliance with state practice acts, or a certified addiction counselor.

[Anonymous]

How on Earth have they been able to get away with this for so long???

[Anonymous]

How on Earth have they been able to get away with this for so long???

The million dollar question.
Only two options. Dereliction of duty or Complicity on ORS's part?

[juniper2]

If alll letters to the ORS from parents were published, you would have your answer.....  If mundane,rhetorical ,skirting answers to parents from the ORS were published, you would have your answer..If letters from "Quirk and Quirk" to the ORSwere published, it would cement it all...It is my opinion that ORS had not only a duty, but a "MORAL OBLIGATION" to call CPS over the years...According to CPS, CPS was not informed.....  

To the underlings at ORS that did their investigations, they were not at fault....According to sources, it was the Supervisors that backed down...another question, Why?

[Anne Bonney]

Clay Erickson
Director of Addiction Services
B.A. - Pacific Southern University. M.A. ? Antioch University
http://www.hiddenlakeacademy.com/loadPr ... ?userID=35

Ok, that kind of creeped me out.  Antioch University??  Dr. Rev. Fr. Virgil Miller Cassian Newton's Antioch church??

So, they removed the MD. Under who's order?

Awww and here I thought they weren't paying any attention to us. ::bwahaha::

[Anonymous]

If alll letters to the ORS from parents were published, you would have your answer.....  If mundane,rhetorical ,skirting answers to parents from the ORS were published, you would have your answer..If letters from "Quirk and Quirk" to the ORSwere published, it would cement it all...It is my opinion that ORS had not only a duty, but a "MORAL OBLIGATION" to call CPS over the years...According to CPS, CPS was not informed.....  

To the underlings at ORS that did their investigations, they were not at fault....According to sources, it was the Supervisors that backed down...another question, Why?

That's a really good question. I hope the Supervisors at ORS have some answers.