informal administrative hearing defense attorney

Follow These Simple Rules To Keep Your License & Avoid Complaints If You Are a Counselor or Psychotherapists

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law

I represent many mental health counselors, social workers, psychologists, and professional counselors, defending them on complaints being investigated against their professional licenses. Many complaints and investigations arise because the therapist has strayed over the line and crossed the therapist-client boundary. In reviewing these cases, I have drawn up a list of a few simple “bright line” rules that can help save you many hours of stress and mental anguish as well as thousands of dollars […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T09:59:11-04:00February 21, 2024|Health Facilities Law Blog|

Tele-behavioral Health: Important Legal Considerations for Mental Health Providers

By Amanda I. Forbes, J.D.

Starting in 2020 and throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, tele-behavioral health services, also known as “e-counseling,” rapidly expanded. Because individuals were quarantined or fearful to venture out, remote mental health care services became very popular among patients. A study published in The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), including 36 million working-age individuals, revealed that tele-health services increased by 766% in the first three months of the pandemic.

Thanks to remote services like tele-behavioral health, the doctor’s “house call” is making a comeback; but instead of ringing the doorbell, your doctor will be ringing your smartphone.

What is Tele-behavioral Health?

The National Institute of Mental Health defines telebehavioral health […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T09:59:14-04:00January 2, 2024|Mental Health Law Blog|

Mental Health Counselors and Psychotherapists: Simple Rules for Keeping Your License and Avoiding Complaints

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law

I represent many mental health counselors, social workers, psychologists, and professional counselors, defending them on complaints being investigated against their professional licenses. Many complaints and investigations arise because the therapist has strayed over the line and crossed the therapist-client boundary. In reviewing these cases, I have drawn up a list of a few simple “bright line” rules that can help save you many hours of stress and mental anguish as well as thousands of dollars […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T09:59:15-04:00December 27, 2023|Mental Health Law Blog|

Additional Negative Consequences for Discipline on Your Professional License, Part 1 of 2

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law

Do you have a medical, pharmacist, counselor, or nursing license in more than one state? Do you have a license in more than one profession? Have you been notified that an investigation has been opened against your professional license? Are you thinking about resigning your professional license or voluntarily relinquishing (giving up) your license? Then you should be aware of some important facts you may not have known.

First, you should never voluntarily relinquish or resign your professional license after you know that an investigation has been opened or that disciplinary action has been […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T09:59:18-04:00October 5, 2023|Dental Law Blog|

Mental Health Counselors: Follow These Rules To Prevent Complaints and Keep Your Professional License

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law

Licensed mental health counselors, psychologists, and other mental health care professionals are potential targets of licensure complaints from clients in any practice setting. Many legal situations and cases arise because the therapist has strayed over the line and crossed the therapist-client boundary. In reviewing the many disciplinary complaints and lawsuits I have handled, I have put together a list of simple “straightforward” rules. Following these rules can help save you many hours of stress and mental anguish and thousands of dollars in attorney’s fees and costs defending yourself.

These rules may appear […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T09:59:21-04:00September 10, 2023|Mental Health Law Blog|

Mental Health Counselors and Psychotherapists: Follow These Simple Rules for Keeping Your License and Avoiding Complaints

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law

I represent many mental health counselors, social workers, psychologists, and professional counselors, defending them on complaints being investigated against their professional licenses. Many complaints and investigations arise because the therapist has strayed over the line and crossed the therapist-client boundary. In reviewing these cases, I have drawn up a list of a few simple “bright line” rules that can help save you many hours of stress and mental anguish as well as thousands of dollars […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T09:59:39-04:00May 21, 2021|Medical Education Law Blog|

Counselors and Psychotherapists: Simple Rules for Keeping Your License and Avoiding Complaints

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law

I represent many mental health counselors, social workers, psychologists, and professional counselors, defending them on complaints being investigated against their professional licenses. Many complaints and investigations arise because the therapist has strayed over the line and crossed the therapist-client boundary. In reviewing these cases, I have drawn up a list of a few simple “bright line” rules that can help save you many hours of stress and mental anguish as well as thousands of dollars […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T09:59:39-04:00May 21, 2021|Health Facilities Law Blog, In the Know|

11th Circuit Court of Appeals Rejects Florida Eye Doctor’s Request for New Medicare Fraud Trial

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law

On July 31, 2020, a panel of U.S. Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeal judges upheld a 17-year prison sentence for a Florida ophthalmologist found guilty of Medicare fraud. The three-judge panel rejected an appeal in which Salomon Melgen claimed prosecutors mishandled his 2017 criminal trial.

It upheld the conviction on all 67 counts, deemed the 17-year-sentence to be even-handed, and denied him a new trial.

Details of the Case and Why the Former Ophthalmologist Requested a New Trial.

To understand how the panel reached their decision, it helps to understand […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T09:59:42-04:00April 17, 2021|Nursing Law Blog|

Simple Rules for Keeping Your License and Avoiding Complaints for Counselors and Psychotherapists

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law

I represent many mental health counselors, social workers, psychologists, and professional counselors, defending them on complaints being investigated against their professional licenses. Many complaints and investigations arise because the therapist has strayed over the line and crossed the therapist-client boundary. In reviewing these cases, I have drawn up a list of a few simple “bright line” rules that can help save you many hours of stress and mental anguish as well as thousands of dollars in attorney’s […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T09:59:45-04:00March 26, 2021|In the Know, In the News, Mental Health Law Blog|

11th Circuit Court of Appeals Rejects Florida Eye Doctor’s Request for New Medicare Fraud Trial

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law

On July 31, 2020, a panel of U.S. Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeal judges upheld a 17-year prison sentence for a Florida ophthalmologist found guilty of Medicare fraud. The three-judge panel rejected an appeal in which Salomon Melgen claimed prosecutors mishandled his 2017 criminal trial.

It upheld the conviction on all 67 counts, deemed the 17-year-sentence to be even-handed, and denied him a new trial.

Details of the Case and Why the Former Ophthalmologist Requested a New Trial.

To understand how the panel reached their decision, it helps to understand the details of the scheme […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T09:59:46-04:00March 17, 2021|Medical Education Law Blog|