In Texas, Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselors—also known as addiction counselors—are licensed to provide the people of Texas counseling services designed to address the scourge of substance abuse and dependence, as well as the impact it has on individuals. As such, in the throes of an opioid crisis, they are among the heroes we need to defeat it—and it can therefore come as a shock when they find there has been a formal complaint lodged against them with the Texas Health and Human Services Commission.
Any formal complaint lodged against an addiction counselor’s license is a risk to their professional livelihood. After having jumped through the hoops to gain licensure—including 4000 hours of supervised experience and the written chemical dependency counselor examination—not to mention the time they have put into their practice, nobody wants to face the possibility they may lose their right to engage in their profession.
Yet Health and Human Services is there to protect the public—and it takes its mandate seriously. As such, even when a complaint is filed anonymously, a member of the Commission’s staff—or even a trained investigator—will launch an investigation. These early investigations vary in their scope and in the methods they use to undertake them—whether by mail, telephone, or personal interview. Once the informational investigation has collected the documentation and fact-finding needed for the case, the investigator sends their report to the Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor Program for further action—whatever action the Program determines is appropriate to the situation, if they have determined there was wrongdoing. This may include such actions as issuing a reprimand, imposing an administrative penalty, suspending the counselor’s license or certification for a time, or even fully revoking the counselor’s right to practice under the Program.
But having an experienced professional license defense attorney to help may prevent the worst from happening, especially if the addiction counselor contacts us as soon after receiving notice of the investigation as possible. The sooner we are brought in, the sooner we can start crafting the right defense for their case, and even perhaps contain the scope of the investigation to prevent it from getting out of hand.
Professional License Defense
BERTOLINO LLP provides aggressive advocacy for professionals who are facing disciplinary action before a licensing body—for any reason. We know how to build a strong case to protect your license—and your livelihood. We highly recommend that no professional attempt to handle a complaint made against their license without the aid of a professional license defense attorney.
Our law firm helps professionals like you keep their licenses when those licenses are under attack by a state agency or board.
With offices in Austin, Houston, and San Antonio, we serve clients all over the state. As experienced attorneys, well-versed in state and federal laws, we know how to win. Our results speak for themselves!
If you are facing disciplinary action, contact us today or call (512) 476-5757 and schedule a case evaluation.
Call or text (512) 476-5757 or complete a Case Evaluation form
