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I'm sorry that this happened to you, but it may not be something that you can fix. You probably need to get a good attorney and fight it. Do you have professional liability insurance, perhaps through a professional association? If yes, see if you can find a lawyer there. Good luck.
Next time don't allow someone to attend the group, or ride the van, who is not an official, legal member of the group. It is hard to imagine a therapy group that is paid for by Medicaid or other insurance where someone can "bring a friend" and they attend for free.
The second you laid hands on her you doomed yourself.
Agreed absolutely.
Sorry OP, I know you don't want to acknowledge this and will search for anything and anyone to back up your side of the story, but the moment you laid hands on her is the moment you completely lost control of the situation. She is 22, not 14 years of age, and quite frankly, I find it disturbing that you'd make a moral judgement on this situation solely because of his age.
I don't know whether you'll lose your license, but hopefully you learned a valuable life lesson.
I am a social worker and I run a group therapy program for adults which has approximately 14 individuals. This is in a private practice run by one woman. After the group we are driven by the ambulette which takes them (and me) wherever we want. Months ago a client invited a friend of the group. She didn't have medicaid or a deductable on her insurance, so she came there for free. Last week on Saturday in the van a client told me she wanted to come over to another client's home. She's 22 and the youngest in our group and he's in his 50s. I said no. She's not going to him. She started arguing with me. I tell the driver to take her home and she insists she's not going home she's going to his house. After arguing back and forth I told her she can either willingly go home or we will escort her home. I ask her to give me her mother's number and she doesn't. Other clients did. The van approaches her condo. The girl gets out and runs off and I grab and hold her until her mother comes. I wanted her to go home. She starts scratching and hitting me. She said she will call the police and I told her the police will tell her to stop wasting her time. Her mother came and let her go. The thing is, if anything happens to her I will be held responsible, so if I release her to her mother I won't be held responsible. It is also not a wise decision for a 22 year old girl to go to a 50 year old guy's home alone. Next day she goes to the police and I'm arrested. My husband bailed me out. I am currently not allowed to practice while I'm under investigation. I told my boss what happened and she supports me. If anything happened to my client people will question why I allowed her to go into the home. I might also be fired and sued. If this makes the news people will question why I didn't do anything to stop it. I explained to the police and the board if anything will happen I will be held liable. I am just doing what I need to do as a social worker. I have a family to support. This girl doesn't want to apply for SSI despite never having a job. I told her to apply, made an appointment with the social security office where she ended up refusing to give information and storming off. My license could either be suspended or permanently revoked.
Forgive me if I repeat something already said. But I'm a social worker as well. Albeit only MSW and not yet licensed. But I believe while good intending, you were in the wrong. As a social worker we are supposed to recognize and support clients self-determination. We are not in the business of telling people what to do. We help give them the tools to make the best and hopefully rational decision, but at the end of the day it's up to them to choose.
I hope you get your license back, but honestly I'd be worried. You forced an adult woman to do something she adamantly did not want to do. And unless she has an intellectual disability, her mother is legal guardian or some other legally qualifying criteria, you cannot dictate where she goes just because you don't think it's a good idea. And again, I 100% agree with you on she not going to this older male's house, BUT it's her right to do so. And unfortunately you escalated the situation and she was well within her rights and pretty justified in pressing charges. Hope this clears up and you grow from this experience!
I'm confused. What is the point of giving a social worker domain and responsibility over a mentally compromised individual if they have no ability to physically restrain said individual to prevent them from harming themselves or others???
So she can lose her license if something happens to the person yet she can't restrain her to assure nothing happens???
I'm confused. What is the point of giving a social worker domain and responsibility over a mentally compromised individual if they have no ability to physically restrain said individual to prevent them from harming themselves or others???
So she can lose her license if something happens to the person yet she can't restrain her to assure nothing happens???
You don't know if the people were mentally compromised... that isn't the only thing a social worker does
And either way, the person she detained was not compromised, and even if she were, she was not her social worker to start with
Let's see you go around and detaining random strangers because you felt it was the right thing to do.
I'm confused as to what happened. You mention a friend that is not part of the program joining but then talk about one of the 22 year old clients. Sorry, but you are not being clear as to what occurred. Why were you arrested? Why is your license being revoked? Maybe break it down into paragraphs and don't add superfluous information.
It is also not a wise decision for a 22 year old girl to go to a 50 year old guy's home alone. Next day she goes to the police and I'm arrested. d.
I'm confused. Is the 22 year old woman mentally incapacitated? If not, she's a legal adult and responsible for herself. She can go to a man's house alone if she wants to. Physically restraining someone could be considered an assault in some situations. I don't know if your license will be pulled or not. You need a lawyer.
I'm confused. What is the point of giving a social worker domain and responsibility over a mentally compromised individual if they have no ability to physically restrain said individual to prevent them from harming themselves or others???
So she can lose her license if something happens to the person yet she can't restrain her to assure nothing happens???
The rules regarding physical restraint have gotten very, very strict in recent years. I don't know about social workers but special education teachers (at least in my state) can get into trouble for "restraining" (blocking the path or grabbing the hand) of a child trying to exit the school, run into the street, etc. It can be very tricky, as you are required to keep the children safe but usually need to do it only with your voice.
Probably not, im sure she knew what is the likely outcome and was looking for reassurance that she'd still have her license.
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