Tim Estes Discusses ETHICS In The Addictions Industry
We recently posted on the topic of ETHICS, PATIENT BROKERING and staying on the LEGAL side of things when it comes to your part in the recovery community and addictions industry. We talked recently about the stiff prison sentences being handed out to those caught and convicted of PATIENT BROKERING. We talked recently about the ways an addictions professional could get caught up in PATIENT BROKERING without realizing it. But there is one recent case, out of Kansas, that “takes the cake” when it comes to ETHICAL BEHAVIOR when given the responsibility of giving recovery based help to a struggling addict. The case I am referring to is the case of addictions professional and licensed addictions counselor, DAVID BROWN. David Brown is a licensed addictions counselor out of Kansas who has recently been charged with RAPE. Not only has David Brown been charged with rape, but he has been charged with raping his client after she came to him for help fighting her addiction. The police report states that after moving this client into his personal home he then forced himself on her and raped her.
WOW! Where do you even begin with this laundry list of unethical behavior? Let’s take a few moments and break down where this professional therapist turned accused rapist/sexual predator went wrong…….way wrong!
1. A Licensed Therapist Shouldn’t Pretend To Be A Skilled Sober Coach- Ladies and gents, Licensed Therapists and Skilled Nationally Certified Professional Coaches are at opposite ends of the recovery spectrum. The theories for recovery are completely different. The methods to get one sober are greatly different. Acting as a reliable sober coach in this scenario can only be looked at as a ploy to gain this young ladies trust to then force himself on her and raping her.
2. An Addictions Professional Should NEVER Invite A Client Into Their Home- Under NO circumstances should a licensed therapist or any addictions professional invite a client into their home for personal matters. The ONLY reason a client should ever be in your home is if they run recovery based sessions out of their personal home. When David Brown asked this client to move in to his home he crossed one of the biggest lines in the addictions industry. What was he thinking? He is a a licensed therapist and moving her into his home is a violation of his license. He, as a licensed counselor, is not even permitted to have a client in his home to render any services.
3. Refer out if a client becomes inappropriate. In this case, David Brown claims this woman started flirting with him first by sending sexual related texts. Well, it doesn’t matter at all if a client begins being inappropriate first. David Brown should have referred this client out the minute the first sexual related text came to his phone. David Brown was the licensed professional here and it was his responsibility to be the voice of reason in this ugly situation. He was in a position of power and he abused his power with a very vulnerable person in a time of need.
4. David Brown Had “Duty To Warn”. Also in this case the police report states that this client showed up to David Browns home highly intoxicated. David Brown and any other addictions professional has DUTY TO WARN. Duty to warn is when an addictions professional agrees to step in and stop any situation with a client who could possibly hurt themselves or others. When this lady showed up highly intoxicated to his house DRIVING a vehicle, he should have taken her to a detox facility or called the police to keep her from hurting herself of others. Instead of doing this, David Brown is now accused of taking the unconscious woman into his residence and raping her. A prime example of “Duty to Warn” would be when I personally contacted the Kansas Licensing Board letting them know of the RAPE charge and contacting Psychology Today, letting them know that they were promoting a man who may bring sexual harm to innocent clients. It was my duty as an addictions professional.
5. A Licensed Addictions Professional Should Never Take Photos Of Celebrity Clients And Post Them- unrelated to David Brown’s RAPE charge, the Kansas Licensing Board revoked David Browns license for taking a photo on a client’s private plane and posting it on a public forum. This is a HUGE HIPAA violation. This ex client was extremely bothered and upset over this and reported David Brown to the licensing board. As if this would have mattered after the RAPE charge hit the licensing board.
So as you can see David Brown made a “slew” of unethical choices that had an adverse affect on a recovering and struggling addict and he has already lost his license and will probably lose his freedom. We here at The Addictions Academy specialize in ETHICS TRAINING. Contact us at http://www.
See full David Brown rape case here:
