If you are a therapist working with children or parents, at some point, you might be contacted to assist with a Department of Children and Families (DCF) investigation. It is also possible that you could be the subject of a DCF inquiry.
The attorneys at Mark Sherman Law have experience representing Darien therapists in DCF investigations. Reach out to us immediately if the DCF contacts you.
If you have a reasonable suspicion that child abuse or neglect is occurring, and you are a mandated report as per Connecticut General Statutes § 17a-101, you are required to report it. Therapists are among the many professionals who are mandated reporters of suspected child abuse and neglect. This obligation supersedes professional confidentiality considerations.
Even if they have not made a report, therapists are often witnesses in DCF investigations. When DCF investigates a parent for abuse or neglect of a child, they often want to speak to therapists. If you are working as a therapist with the family, one of their children, or one of the parents, DCF investigators in Darien will likely contact you.
The investigators must present a signed release for you to speak with them. If they have a release, you must use your professional judgment about how much to disclose. Speaking with an experienced attorney before you’re interviewed by the investigator may help you decide how much to say.
DCF does not only investigate families, but they also have the jurisdiction to investigate anyone who has contact with children, including therapists.
If they receive a report that you have engaged in abusive or neglectful conduct with a child you are treating, DCF may launch an investigation into you. You can also be the subject of a DCF investigation if you fail to report child abuse or neglect.
A DCF investigation can have a significant impact on your career as a therapist, so contact a DCF attorney in Darien before you are interviewed by an investigator. A legal professional can speak with the investigator to learn the scope of the inquiry and set some limits to safeguard your professional standing and reputation. Your DCF attorney will be present during the interview to advise you and protect your rights.
A DCF investigator has 45 days to close an investigation or substantiate the complaint against you. A substantiated complaint can have a profound impact on your career.
If you are employed, your employer may terminate you based on the DCF findings. DCF or your employer may report the substantiated findings to your licensing board, which could open its own investigation.
An experienced DCF defense lawyer in Darien can help you avoid these issues if you are a therapist being investigated. We will advocate aggressively for closing the matter without any DCF findings. If the investigator decides to substantiate a finding, we will pursue all avenues of appeal.
DCF investigations are stressful and can be intrusive. When not handled carefully, they can ruin your career.
If you are a Darien therapist involved in a DCF investigation, you should contact the attorneys at Mark Sherman Law for help. Read what a few of our clients have said on our firm’s Avvo profile, and then call us to discuss how to handle contact with the DCF.
