Psychologist Sally A. Wright loses second professional license following criminal conviction

June 11, 2012

On May 17, 2011, psychologist Sally Ann Wright surrendered her license to the state of New York, making it the second professional license Wright has lost.

In August 2009, the state of New Jersey suspended Wright’s license on an allegation of fraud. According to the New Jersey Board’s document, Wright, who operated a psychology practice called Wellspring Resources Unlimited, referred patients for treatment to another person at Wellspring who was not a licensed psychologist but then billed the patients’ insurance carriers for the services as if they’d been rendered by a psychologist.

In April 2010, Wright and her non-psychologist co-conspirator Lawrence Brotzen were criminally convicted of health care fraud. Both Wright and Brotzen admitted in federal court that between June 2004 and June 2009, they devised a scheme in which they misrepresented Brotzen’s qualifications to patient’s and to the health insurance companies of those patients. They also inflated the price and amount of services provided. Through these misrepresentations, the two defrauded the health insurance companies Aetna, Blue Cross/Blue Shield and United Healthcare.

On December 14, 2010, Wright was sentenced to 366 days in prison and Brotzen to three years in prison. They were also required to pay restitution in the amount of $74,962 as well as $25,000 in penalties to the state. The state of New Jersey also revoked Wright’s license in 2010. New York state documents show that she now resides in West Virginia.

Source: Summaries of Regents Actions of Professional Misconduct and Discipline, New York State Department of Education Office of the Professions, May 2011; “Somerset County psychologist agrees to license suspension,” press release of New Jersey Attorney General, June 2, 2010 and “Fake Branchburg psychologist and co-conspirator plead guilty to health care fraud,” press release of United State Department of Justice, U.S. Attorney, District of New Jersey, April 20, 2010.

IF YOU HAVE INFORMATION ABOUT A PSYCHIATRIST, PSYCHOLOGIST, MENTAL HEALTH FACILITY OR ITS EMPLOYEES COMMITTING FRAUD, YOU CAN REPORT IT TO CITIZENS COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS, WHO CAN ASSIST YOU IN FILING REPORTS, COMPLAINTS, ETC.  PLEASE CONTACT STEVE WAGNER, PUBLIC ADVOCACY SECRETARY AT [email protected]