Carrie McEachran

In a professional discipline proceeding, the panel found that the registrant committed extensive professional misconduct against multiple vulnerable counselling clients, including sexual abuse, sexualized communications, dual relationships, boundary violations, self-disclosure, and attempts to prevent reporting.

The panel proceeded in the registrant’s absence after finding proper service, granted a publication ban protecting certain clients’ identities, and combined two notices of hearing into one proceeding.

Relying on agreed statements of fact and the balance of probabilities standard, the panel found breaches of the Social Work and Social Service Work Act, the Professional Misconduct Regulation, and the College’s standards of practice.

The panel accepted a joint submission on penalty, ordered a reprimand, revocation of registration, a five-year reapplication prohibition, publication of the order, and costs of $5,000.

Following prior findings of professional misconduct, the Discipline Committee determined penalty in a proceeding involving sexual abuse, sexual boundary violations, and dishonest record keeping affecting vulnerable clients.

The panel proceeded in the registrant’s absence after finding that notice requirements had been met and that the registrant had full notice of the proceedings.

Emphasizing public protection, denunciation, specific and general deterrence, and maintenance of confidence in self-regulation, the panel ordered revocation, a reprimand, a five-year prohibition on re-application or reinstatement, publication subject to an existing ban protecting client identities, and substantial costs.

The panel accepted the College’s submission that partial recovery of prosecution costs was appropriate and ordered payment of $100,000.

In a professional discipline hearing, the panel found that the member committed repeated boundary violations and sexual misconduct against three vulnerable clients, including prolonged unwanted touching, sexualized comments, coercive conduct, and in one instance forced sexual contact.

The panel also found that the member failed to maintain proper clinical and financial records and issued false invoices in a child’s name to obtain insurance reimbursement for services actually provided to adult clients.

Relying in part on expert evidence on social work ethics, boundaries, documentation, and trauma-informed practice, the panel held that the conduct breached multiple provisions of the governing statute, the Professional Misconduct Regulation, and the Standards of Practice Handbook.

All allegations in both Notices of Hearing were proven on a balance of probabilities.

In a professional discipline proceeding, the member admitted allegations arising from inaccurate, conflicting, and falsified client records created while providing social work services to motor vehicle accident claimants.

The Panel found professional misconduct established on the agreed facts, including failures to maintain systematic and accurate records, creation of false or misleading documents, and conduct reasonably regarded as dishonourable and unprofessional.

Applying the public-interest standard for joint penalty submissions, the Panel accepted a revised joint submission providing for a reprimand, a three-month suspension with a partially remittable component, supervision, an ethics course, publication, and costs.

The Panel treated the member’s prior caution for similar record-keeping concerns as an aggravating factor and her admissions and cooperation as mitigating.