Psychologist Alane Miller Howell disciplined by licensing board for bilking parents for "psychoeducational" assessments

February 1, 2011

On March 27, 2010, The California Psychology Board placed Alane Miller Howell, Ph.D. on probation for five years with terms and conditions after finding she had committed unprofessional conduct, repeated negligent acts and multiple counts of gross negligence. 

According to the Board’s document, Howell accepted fees to conduct psychoeducational assessments of students and to provide written final reports but failed to provide the reports and failed to respond to repeated requests for the reports, providing only after the client’s had filed complaints with the Board of Psychology. 

Specifically, the document details three occasions with three different sets of parents in which Howell agreed to conduct the assessment and provide a written report, accepted timely payment of $2,500 for each assessment, conducted the assessments but then continuously failed to provide the report and failed to communicate professionally with the parents, despite their repeated requests. 

Further, the document states that reports Howell did provide (only after a Board investigation was started) contained inconsistencies or were provided so late as to be useless for the purpose for which they were intended (such as with regard to making accommodations for students taking the SAT).

Terms of Howell’s probation include the monitoring of her practice by a Board-approved monitor about which Howell is required to notify patients (as the monitor will review patient files), restitution of $2,500 to each of two sets of parents and $10,000 to the Board for the costs of its investigation.

Source: Stipulated Settlement and Disciplinary Order and First Amended Accusation in the Matter of the Accusation Against Alane Miller Howell, Ph.D., Psychologist License No. PSY 12102, Case No. 1F 2006 176054, California Board of Psychology.