Ohio mental health counselor disciplinary actions, December 2013

January 3, 2014

On December 30, 2013, the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker and Marriage & Family Therapist Board (“Board”) suspended counselor Deborah M. Zuercher for one year beginning January 19, 2014. The Board’s document states that in about 2011, Zuercher entered into a sexual relationship with a current client of the agency where she was employed. She then self-reported this conduct to the Board in 2013.

On November 27, 2013, counselor Raymond G. Carter surrendered his license to the Board. The Board received a complaint about Carter a month earlier, alleging improper record keeping, which Carter admitted to the Board.

On November 21, 2013, counselor John K. Scudder entered into a consent agreement with the Board to enter into counseling for one year and obtain continuing education in the area of continuing counseling education. The Board’s document states that Scudder blurred professional lines with a female patient with whom he discussed his personal medical procedures; accepting a gift of a painting from the client; giving the client a photo of himself and his daughter at the daughter’s graduation. The patient also gave Scudder photos of herself, which he did not enter in her patient records or give them back to the patient but destroyed them and could not return them if the patient requested them.

On November 21, 2013, the Board allowed counselor Elizabeth J. Kohls to surrender her license in lieu of further disciplinary action. The Board’s document states that Kohls failed to comply with the Board continuing education requirement.

On November 4, 2013, counselor Margery J. Shupe entered into a consent order with the Board, voluntarily agreeing to terms and conditions in lieu of further disciplinary actions. The Board and Shupe had entered into an earlier agreement on May 18, 2012, where Shupe was subject to practice monitoring every two weeks for a two-year period and was also required to complete a substance abuse assessment and obtain two toxicology screens per month. She did not comply with these requirements. This agreement is, in essences, a reiteration of the one issue in May 2012.

On September 23, 2013, the Board suspended counselor June L. Korte indefinitely. The Board’s document states that Korte failed to respond to the Board’s request for proof of her compliance with the Board’s requirements for continuing education. Her license will remain suspended until she can submit proof of having obtain the required amount of continuing education.

On September 20, 2103, the Board revoked the license of counselor Linda Crawford for her failure to comply with the Board’s March 15, 2013 order for her to obtain a mental health and substance abuse evaluation.