Other Health Care Licenses  >  Behavioral Sciences License Defense

The attorneys at Ray & Bishop, PLC, defend therapists, including social workers and counselors, from accusations filed by the Board of Behavioral Sciences. The attorneys also appeal the denial of therapist licenses, represent therapists in Board of Behavioral Sciences investigations, and guide therapists through the disclosure of adverse events on therapist license renewals and applications.

A California Therapist is licensed by the Board of Behavioral Sciences, a branch of the Department of Consumer Affairs. The Board of Behavioral Sciences is responsible for the licensing, regulating, and disciplining of all therapists under the authority of the Board of Behavioral Sciences. Through its enforcement staff and the Division of Investigation, the Board of Behavioral Sciences investigates potential criminal and administrative violations, which, if substantiated, could lead to administrative prosecution.

The Board of Behavioral Sciences receives complaints containing allegations that, if established, constitute grounds for disciplinary action against a licensee. The Board may choose to conduct an investigation into the alleged wrongdoing or misconduct. All complaints are reviewed by the Board’s enforcement staff. If you are faced with an investigation by the Board of Behavioral Sciences, the experienced license defense attorneys at Ray & Bishop, PLC can help you defend your license through preparation and counsel. With the help of our attorneys, Ray & Bishop, PLC can represent your interests at a Board of Behavioral Sciences interview before a Board of Behavioral Sciences interviewer.

Investigative cases that establish unlawful activity by California therapists are filed with the California Office of the Attorney General for administrative prosecution. When the Attorney General, or A.G., seeks to discipline the license of a therapist, the Attorney General files and serves and accusation against the therapist. The license defense attorneys at Ray & Bishop, PLC defend therapy licenses from accusations filed by the Attorney General. If you receive a Statement to Respondent, an Accusation, a Notice of Defense and other documents, you have a license defense case which has to be defended at administrative hearings before the Office of Administrative Hearings. Our license defense attorneys have extensive experience defending therapy licenses at administrative hearings and also defending therapists who are applying for their therapy license but have been denied.

The Board of Behavioral Sciences may choose to impose various discipline on its therapists, which could range from license revocation to a letter of reproval. Common accusations include conviction of crimes substantially related to practice, sexual misconduct, drug or alcohol abuse, or gross negligence, to name a few. If you receive an accusation, you have just fifteen (15) days to file the notice of defense with the Attorney General. If the notice of defense is not filed on time, the Attorney General can ask the Board of Behavioral Sciences to punish the license by default, which typically means revocation. Therefore, it is critical to file the notice of defense on time to avoid default and request a hearing at the Office of Administrative Hearings.

The defense of a therapy license or appeal of a denial of a therapy license does not necessarily entail the need to go to trial. A stipulated settlement may be achieved without ever having to step foot inside a courtroom. At Ray & Bishop, PLC, our well-qualified attorneys strive to settle your license defense case for the best possible outcome prior to any potential hearing. However, if the license case cannot reach a satisfactory outcome by settlement, we are prepared to employ our experience, knowledge and expertise to defend your therapy license.