Regulatory Complaints Case Scenarios MFCC/552 Version 2 1 University of Phoenix Material Regulatory Complaints Case Scenarios Discuss the following case scenarios and questions in your Learning Team to complete the Regulatory Complaints Summary Learning Team assignment due in Week 4. Case 1 Mariah B., an LMFT, worked with a client for over 2 years and no longer sees him. The client presented with generalized anxiety disorder, which reduced in frequency and severity of anxiety after working with Mariah B. Mariah B. was out in a busy part of town one weekend and saw the client. The client came up to her and thanked her for all the work that was done to help him better manage the disorder. Mariah B. accepted the thank you and told her former client, “If you ever need me again, do not hesitate to contact me.” After several weeks, Mariah B. received a phone call from her former client. She returned the call and found out that the client had a romantic interest in her. Mariah B. noticed that she felt the same way and initiated the personal relationship with the former client. For 2 years, she pursued this client through e-mails, phone calls, and meetings at a local coffee shop. · What are the potential legal issues that would apply? · What other extenuating circumstances might be relevant? · What other information would you need to know to make a decision on her conduct? · Could the client lodge a complaint? Case 2 Dominic A., an LMFT, had several discussions with a current client about the possibility of terminating the therapeutic relationship and the possibility of establishing a friendship after therapy. He said that the symptom presentation was minimal and that he treated the client more like a friend to begin with. Many times they talked about events in each other’s lives more than the minimal adjustment symptoms. After terminating therapy, Dominic A. began talking to the client on the phone socially. The two never saw each other in person, and the phone calls lasted for approximately 4 months. · What are the potential legal issues that would apply? · What other extenuating circumstances might be relevant? · What other information would you need to know to make a decision on his conduct? · Could the client lodge a complaint? Case 3 Jane Allen P., an LMFT, informed her client that the client’s health insurance was not covering her therapy fee. Jane already knew that the client could not afford to pay, so she got creative and ethical at the same time. To avoid a lapse in treatment and issues of client abandonment, Jane decided to allow the insurance company to continue to bill at the same rate and allow the client to discontinue the $10 co-pay. Jane considered this to fulfill her pro bono requirements. The client continued to bill her insurance company and Jane wrote off the remaining balance. This practice continued many months. Allegations of misconduct were reported to the licensing board. · What are the potential legal iss ...

1. Regulatory Complaints Case Scenarios
MFCC/552 Version 2
1
University of Phoenix Material
Regulatory Complaints Case Scenarios
Discuss the following case scenarios and questions in your
Learning Team to complete the Regulatory Complaints
Summary Learning Team assignment due in Week 4.
Case 1
Mariah B., an LMFT, worked with a client for over 2 years and
no longer sees him. The client presented with generalized
anxiety disorder, which reduced in frequency and severity of
anxiety after working with Mariah B. Mariah B. was out in a
busy part of town one weekend and saw the client. The client
came up to her and thanked her for all the work that was done to
help him better manage the disorder. Mariah B. accepted the
thank you and told her former client, “If you ever need me
again, do not hesitate to contact me.”
After several weeks, Mariah B. received a phone call from her
former client. She returned the call and found out that the client
had a romantic interest in her. Mariah B. noticed that she felt
the same way and initiated the personal relationship with the
former client. For 2 years, she pursued this client through e-
mails, phone calls, and meetings at a local coffee shop.
· What are the potential legal issues that would apply?
· What other extenuating circumstances might be relevant?
· What other information would you need to know to make a
decision on her conduct?

2. · Could the client lodge a complaint?
Case 2
Dominic A., an LMFT, had several discussions with a current
client about the possibility of terminating the therapeutic
relationship and the possibility of establishing a friendship after
therapy. He said that the symptom presentation was minimal and
that he treated the client more like a friend to begin with. Many
times they talked about events in each other’s lives more than
the minimal adjustment symptoms. After terminating therapy,
Dominic A. began talking to the client on the phone socially.
The two never saw each other in person, and the phone calls
lasted for approximately 4 months.
· What are the potential legal issues that would apply?
· What other extenuating circumstances might be relevant?
· What other information would you need to know to make a
decision on his conduct?
· Could the client lodge a complaint?
Case 3
Jane Allen P., an LMFT, informed her client that the client’s
health insurance was not covering her therapy fee. Jane already
knew that the client could not afford to pay, so she got creative
and ethical at the same time. To avoid a lapse in treatment and
issues of client abandonment, Jane decided to allow the
insurance company to continue to bill at the same rate and allow
the client to discontinue the $10 co-pay. Jane considered this to
fulfill her pro bono requirements.
The client continued to bill her insurance company and Jane

3. wrote off the remaining balance. This practice continued many
months. Allegations of misconduct were reported to the
licensing board.
· What are the potential legal issues that would apply?
· What other extenuating circumstances might be relevant?
· What other information would you need to know to make a
decision on her conduct?
· Does the client or the board have a legitimate complaint?
Case 4
Mike B., an LMFT, plead guilty to a wet and reckless offense,
which is a lesser offense than a DUI, and sought treatment for
it. He volunteered to attend DUI group classes although he was
not mandated to do so. Approximately 2 years later, he plead
guilty to a charge of illegal possession. He hired an expensive
attorney and ended up getting the illegal possession charge
dropped.
· What are the potential legal issues that would apply?
· What other extenuating circumstances might be relevant?
· What other information would you need to know to make a
decision on his conduct?
· Does the state have a legitimate interest?
· Could the board file a complaint?
Copyright © 2015, 2013 by University of Phoenix. All rights
reserved.
Claudia Rangel Due Monday 8-31-15 a.m.

4. Regulatory Complaints Summary
Read the four cases and the associated questions in the
Regulatory Complaints Case Scenarios.
Discuss the following topics as a team and how each topic
applies to the regulatory complaints case scenarios:
· Concepts of scope of practice and scope of competence
· Risk management strategies
Write a 350- to 700-word summary of your discussion.
Format your summary consistent with APA
Grading CriteriaRegulatory Complaints Summary
This assignment is due in Week 4.
Content
80 Percent
Points Available
3
Points Earned
X/3
Additional Comments:
· Discussed the following:
· Concepts of scope of practice and scope of competence
· Risk management strategies
· Potential legal and ethical violations in each scenario
· Identify the specific ethical code violations from the AAMFT
Code of Ethics
· Differences in legal and ethical standards for different work
settings for marriage and family therapists
· Decided what action the regulatory agency should take, if any,
for each scenario, including the learning team’s rationale

5. Organization/Development
10 Percent
Points Available
.5
Points Earned
X/5
Additional Comments:
· The paper is 350 to 700 words in length.
· The introduction provides sufficient background on the topic
and previews major points.
· The conclusion is logical, flows, and reviews the major points.
Mechanics
10 Percent
Points Available
.5
Points Earned
X/.5
Additional Comments:
· The paper—including the title page, reference page, tables,
and any appendixes—is consistent with APA guidelines as
directed by the facilitator. The paper is laid out with effective
use of headings, font styles, and white space.
· Rules of grammar, usage, and punctuation are followed;
spelling is correct.
Total Available
Total Earned
4