RI Counselor Discussed His “Polyamorous” Preferences With Adolescent Patient, Sanctioned by RIDOH

RI Counselor Discussed His “Polyamorous” Preferences With Adolescent Patient, Sanctioned by RIDOH

The Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) has placed Scott Greenspan, a licensed Mental Health Counselor, on probation after an investigation.

According to RIDOH a document, Greenspan “shared personal information to his minor client by identifying himself as polyamorous and discussing his (Respondent's) own sexual practices and relationship with his girlfriend."

Polyamorous is defined as a relationship style where people have more than one romantic or sexual partner at a time, with everyone's consent. 

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In a disciplinary document, RIDOH found that Greenspan’s conduct constitutes unprofessional conduct pursuant to R.I. Gen. Laws § 5-63.2-21(7), ("Grounds for Discipline" of Mental Health Counselors and Marriage and Family Therapists), because Greenspan "departed from and has failed to conform to the minimal standards of acceptable and prevailing practice of mental health counseling, as set forth in the National Board of Certified Counselors."

The incident took place while Greenspan was employed at CCAP in Cranston.

 

Greenspan agreed in a consent agreement with RIDOH, to the following disciplinary actions:

a) Counselor license will be subject to a two-year period of probation and Respondent's license shall reflect the status "Active Probation."

b) The probationary period will abate for the duration of any period in which Respondent ceases to be employed as a Mental Health Counselor.

c) Respondent will notify the Board of any lapse in employment and the probationary period will be extended until all conditions of probation, including the required two-year period of employment as a Mental Health Counselor, are completed.

d) Respondent must provide the Board with the name and address of the new employer(s) and the reason for said change.

e) Respondent shall complete a minimum of(40) continuing education units ("CEUs") approved in the State of Rhode Island, with at least (8) CEUs on each of the following topics:

(1) ethics; (2) documentation; (3) boundaries; (4) working with minors; and (5) self-disclosure. Respondent shall submit evidence that he has completed the aforementioned

CEUs in the aforementioned topics to RIDOH via [email protected] within twenty-four months of the Effective Date. The CEUs to be completed in this paragraph may apply to Respondent's required CEU license renewal requirements. See R.I. Gen. Laws§ 5-63.2-17; 216 R.I. Code R. 40-05-11.3.

f) Respondent shall complete a total of one hundred (100) hours of supervision during the probationary period, with a minimum of fifty (50) hours of supervision by a clinical peer supervisor who is a Rhode Island licensed Mental Health Counselor in good standing. Said supervision must occur regularly and on a weekly basis, meaning that no more than one (1) hour of supervision may be applied in any given week toward the total required one hundred (100) hours of supervision.

g) Respondent shall cause to be submitted to R!DOH quarterly supervision reports from his clinical peer supervisor, as referenced in above paragraph (i), on a form to be provided by RIDOH via [email protected] throughout the probationary period.

h) When the period of probation has expired, and if Respondent complies with the laws and regulations governing the practice of Mental Health Counselor during the period of probation and with the requirements of this Consent Order, Respondent may apply to the Board for an unrestricted license to practice as a Mental Health Counselor.

The consent agreement was on Tuesday, April 8.