NACOGDOCHES, TX (KTRE) -
Professional
and future counselors had a unique opportunity to see firsthand the
responsibilities of their job. When a complaint is filed it ends up before a
state board. This week, the "complaints committee" is at Stephen F. Austin
State University.
When
a complaint is filed against a professional counselor, whether it be against a
school, mental, or spiritual advisor, the dispute usually ends up here, before
the Texas State Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors.
The
governor appointed board may hear disputes over a termination or a
counselor-client grievance. An investigator seeks the facts of the case. Each
side presents their argument and then they're allowed to verbally address the
board for a limited amount of time.
"There's
over 20,000 licensed professional counselors," Dr. Le'Ann Solmonson, a
professional licensed counselor and an SFA professor. "And I think the board
will tell you that they hear about, they get about 200 complaints a year. Now
of those 200 complaints, that doesn't mean that they are all valid."
Some
rulings may result in only a reprimand.
The
professions code of ethics can be found online and the rules are quite lengthy.
A violation of the more serious ones can result in the loss of a license.
Attorneys
often provide the objective guidance.
"People
have been named a respondent in a complaint generally will have more of an
emotional involvement and the attorney can provide guidance," Joanna Miller, an
attorney with the Houston-based law firm of Miller, Scamardi, & Carrabba,
said.
These real life scenarios are beneficial to
professionals and students.
"That
it can be us before this board at anytime we have to dot our i's, and cross our
t's and make sure we are always engaging in ethical practice," Solmonson said.
The
ethic lesson is considered important. Individuals attending the board meetings
received credit for continuing education requirements.
The
complaints committee met today at SFA. Tomorrow the full board of examiners of
professional counselors is scheduled to meet at eleven at the SFA Theatre in
the Patillo Student Center.
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