State of Ohio disciplines mental heatlh counselors

January 25, 2012

The Ohio Counselor, Social Worker, Marriage & Family Therapist Board (“Board”) recently took disciplinary actions against the following professional clinical counselors:

On July 22, 2011, professional clinical counselor Richard Anderson entered into an agreement with the Board to submit to person counseling for a period of two years with a Board-approved practitioner at his own expense. The Board’s document states that Anderson, while employed at a mental health agency in Cincinnati, did not maintain the appropriate standards of care in treatment of an adult female client; did not document correctly the conversation within the session; did not maintain professional boundaries by texting with the client and not documenting the text messages and did not obtain peer review/supervision when issues presented that were problematic. Anderson admitted to these allegations.

Source: Consent Agreement between Richard Anderson and the State of Ohio Counselor, Social Worker, Marriage and Family Therapist Board, Professional Clinical Counselor license no. E-500635.

On September 15, 2011, the Board accepted the permanent surrender professional counselor Jimmy McKeller’s license. The Board’s document states that the Board received a complaint against McKeller “regarding his counselor license while employed in a corrections agency in Mansfield, Ohio.” The Board’s document does not provide any details on the nature of the allegations made against McKellar. However, the document states that McKeller admitted the allegations which were made against him and surrendered his license in lieu of potential disciplinary action against him.

Source: Consent Agreement between Jimmy McKeller and the State of Ohio Counselor, Social Worker, Marriage and Family Therapist Board, Professional Clinical Counselor license no. C-500253.

On July 22, 2011, license professional clinical counselor Diane J. Zieger entered into an agreement with the Board to complete substance abuse treatment. The Board’s document states that on November 19, 2010, Zieger was ordered by the Board to submit to an impairment evaluation and that the results found evidence of impairment. In addition to substance abuse treatment, Zieger is required to undergo weekly practice monitoring for two years when she has returned to work. 

Source: Consent Agreement between Diane J. Zieger and the State of Ohio Counselor, Social Worker, Marriage and Family Therapist Board, Professional Clinical Counselor license no. E-0008223.

On July 22, 2011, the Board required licensed professional clinical counselor Barbara Henry to obtain and complete 10 hours of continuing education (in addition to those which are required) in the areas of child custody and play therapy, at her own expense. The Board’s document states that Henry accepted a minor child for treatment without the consent of both parents, as stipulated in court documents. Henry also attempted to withhold the minor child’s records from the minor’s father without providing appropriate rationale and without documenting her rationale in the record. Henry admitted to the allegations.

Source: Consent Agreement between Barbara J. Henry and the State of Ohio Counselor, Social Worker, Marriage and Family Therapist Board, Professional Clinical Counselor license no. E-00002467.

On July 22, 2011, the Board accepted the surrender of the professional counselor Jerry Sedwick's license. The Board’s document states that Sedwick renewed his licensed through March 14, 2013 but that when he was audited in June 2011 for compliance with continuing education requirements, he stated in correspondence that the license had been renewed by mistake. Sedwick did not provide the Board with any evidence of continuing education compliance.

Source: Consent Agreement between Jerry N. Sedwick and the State of Ohio Counselor, Social Worker, Marriage and Family Therapist Board, Professional Clinical Counselor license no. C-0001482.