Doctors Must Fight to Keep Their Disciplinary Actions Private

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Making sure disciplinary actions are kept away from public view helps keep a physician’s practice in business even when the doctor is on probation. According to Consumer Reports, approximately 66% of people polled, favor a policy preventing physicians on probation from treating any patients until the their probation has been completed.  82% of people surveyed think state licensing boards should create new rules that mandate doctors, who are on probation, to report their probation to their patients. They would be required to explain why the physician is on probation, for how long, and for what was the infraction or infractions the licensing authority disciplined the doctor. Physicians who are facing disciplinary action must to maintain their privacy as they continue to practice medicine during their probationary term.

Missouri and Kansas professional licensing attorney Danielle Sanger knows the challenges doctors deal with when facing professional discipline. A physician who is being investigated for a violation of the professional standards needs to weigh their options when negotiating a resolution or contesting the charges. Attorney Sanger has dedicated her law practice to representing doctors, health care professionals, nurses, and other professional licensees. Attorney Sanger has a thorough understanding of administrative law in both Missouri and Kansas. A doctor who is facing a disciplinary hearing can rely on her knowledge and experience to develop a winning legal defense that protects your medical license so you can earn a living while you rectify the alleged problems that brought you before the medical licensing board.

Doctors are human who can encounter issues from time to time. These issues may be a complaint from an employee or patient concerning matters such as sexual harassment, incorrectly prescribing medication, substance abuse, or criminal offenses. These allegations may be minor, but a doctor should take all complaints very seriously.

Kansas and Missouri medical licensing boards know that the must strike a balance between public safety and opportunity for the physician to rehabilitate themself. Probationary periods, public reprimands, suspensions, and revocation of the doctor’s medical license are harsh punishments and are assessed by the licensing boards. These determinations are based on factors such as the severity of the infraction, the severity of the injury, the length of time in practice, the outcome of a criminal prosecution, and the egregiousness of the physician’s behavior.

Consult Kansas and Missouri Licensing Attorney Danielle Sanger as Soon as Possible

Attorney Danielle Sanger is available to consult with you about your disciplinary action proceeding. Call the Law Offices of Danielle Sanger today at 785-979-4352 to schedule your initial consultation.  Our Kansas Professional Licensing Attorney looks forward to making a difference for you.

How to Know When to Negotiate a Favorable Disposition or Defend Against the Charges

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Developing an effective defense strategy against allegations of professional licensing misconduct starts with a detailed examination of the circumstances. There cannot be a practical method to devise a winning defense strategy without a comprehensive review of the claims and the factual underpinnings.

Understanding the facts and circumstances of the charges is important and it is important to conduct a complete investigation to uncover the strengths and weaknesses of the government’s case. Sometimes a thorough investigation will reveal that the best strategy is to negotiate a favorable disposition of the action. In other circumstances, the better solution is to defend the Accused until the bitter end.

Our professional licensing attorney will have several considerations to analyze before notifying a client of the feasible outcome of the disciplinary action. Any licensing defense attorney who represents a client has the duty of advising the client about all of the possible avenues the litigation and all potential outcomes of each avenue. The license defense attorney will also advise the client about the benefits and pitfalls of each choice.

Inexperienced attorneys often fail to provide their clients with a complete analysis of their cases. Those attorneys often dump the decisions on the client. Of course, the client ultimately makes the decision in the end. However, an effective legal representative will talk through each scenario to flush out the best potential outcome.

Our seasoned professional licensing attorney will evaluate her client’s tolerance for risk prior to advising the client on a particular defense strategy. There are few clients who want to “roll the dice” and see what occurs at their full hearing. But most people are more cautious and want to reduce their exposure. 

The question is: how do you know which direction to go?

Naturally, the answer to this question is not always an absolute certainty. The professional licensing attorney has to advise their client entirely and answer all of the legal questions that the client has at the time. Moreover, no one is bound to a course of action after a decision is made on a defense strategy. There are times when a hybrid approach is the best option.

In some cases, clients will ask their attorney to negotiate the best disposition possible in their case. An experienced licensing attorney would negotiate with the prosecuting attorney to arrive at an arrangement that is in your best interest. If no agreement can be reached, then you and your attorney will need to evaluate the situation. In many cases, defending the case until the very end is the best option and produces the best results 

Discuss All of Your Options with A Trusted Professional Licensing Advocate

Missouri and Kansas Professional Licensing Attorney Danielle Sanger has a well-earned reputation as a trusted advocate for professional licensees. You could rely on her experience and expertise to guide you through a difficult and challenging juncture in your career. Call Attorney Sanger today at 785-979-4353 to find out more.

CNA Nursing Board License Defense Attorney in Kansas and Missouri.

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We Fight to Protect Your Nursing License in Kansas & Missouri.

As a certified nursing assistant, you help people in their time of need. When your career is on the line, you need an experienced defense attorney to protect your ability to work. If you are being investigated by a Missouri or Kansas State Board of Nursing, you need to speak to our CNA defense attorney at Sanger Law Office. We know that your nursing career is your livelihood. We represent CNAs throughout Kansas and Missouri who are under investigation for disciplinary matters.

Anyone is able to file a complaint against a CNA, including employers, patients, hospitals, co-workers, and even family members. These investigations examine a wide variety of matters, such as:

  • Falsities in the license application process,
  • Past conduct affecting your right to obtain a license,
  • Standard of care violations,
  • Medication errors,
  • Failure to comply with CE requirements,
  • Fraud, theft, or deception,
  • Abuse of patients, 
  • Unsafe medical methods,
  • Commission of criminal offenses, 
  • Inappropriate relationships with patients, 
  • Malpractice lawsuits and judgments,
  • Impairment affecting your ability to practice, such as drug or alcohol use,
  • Sexual misconduct, and
  • all other actionable offenses. 

In most cases, your first clue that an investigation has been with be the receipt of a letter informing you that an agency is considering taking adverse action against you. This agency might be the state Nursing Board, and the letter will inform you that you are the subject of an investigation or a complaint. The letter may also state the Board’s proposed course of action. Investigations will then begin an investigation, which can last several months.  

Always take notice of a complaint from the Board seriously as any adverse action lodged by the Nursing Board will seriously impact your ability to work as a CNA. The State Nursing Boards have the authority to revoke, deny, suspend, censure, or limit your license or ability to work as a CNA. There are hefty legal fines that may be levied against the defendant.

After receiving the investigation letter, the first step is to contact our Nursing Board license defense attorney at Sanger Law Office. It is important that you contact our office before you respond to requests for documents and before attending any interviews. All statements that you make during the investigatory process will likely negatively impact your case. Any evidence discovered during an investigation could turn an early dismissal of the complaint into a lengthy hearing process.

Depending on the facts of the case, you may be given the option of seeking informal resolution of the complaint. An informal resolution is an educational remedy. Along with your legal representative, you can pursue an agreement to resolve the charges. In an informal resolution, you could receive permission to remedy the issue by attending continuing education, entering into regular drug and alcohol testing, or being placed on probation. Your defense attorney will play an essential role in helping you present favorable evidence throughout the investigations. This can help persuade your acceptance into an informal resolution.

More severe charges will likely be subject to formal discipline. If a complaint is referred for an administrative hearing, you and your attorney must request a hearing to counter any action taken against you. An administrative hearing is similar to a trial. The hearing is recorded and includes submitting evidence by each party. You could face serious disciplinary action against your nursing license if a violation is found at the administrative hearing. Moreover, not having a hearing will almost guarantee severe actions will be taken against you. 

Defend Your Nursing Career!

If your CNA job is at risk, contact our Kansas and Missouri Nursing Defense Attorneys at Sanger Law Office. Our firm is led by Attorney Danielle R. Sanger. Ms. Sanger has devoted her law practice to protecting nurses and other professionals in administrative proceedings brought by state and federal regulatory agencies. With the assistance of the Sanger Law Office, you can rest assured that your nursing career and future are in the best of hands. We will fight to see that you obtain the best outcome possible given the facts of your case. Call the Sanger Law Office at 785-979-4353 (Kansas) or 816-520-8040 (Missouri) to schedule your free consultation and start protecting your nursing career today!

Kansas and Missouri Professional Licensing Attorney Danielle Sanger Describes How Nurses Can Enhance their Practice and Avoid Discipline

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The news is full of reports of hair-raising medical malpractice cases. But any nurse can tell you that these incidents are really quite rare. That is not to say that patients are not injured due to mistakes; on the contrary, patients are injured, but these injuries more commonly arise from minor mistakes that compound over time, not from massive, single incidents. For nurses, these mistakes commonly arise during observations, when the nurse is checking in on the patient’s health, condition, and progress.  Because documentation is so necessary in nursing, these lapses and mistakes are often easy to catch and result in discipline.

I wrote the following blog post to explain how better observations can improve your chances of avoiding discipline. If you are a nurse in Kansas or Missouri facing an allegation of misconduct or an investigation, call attorney Sanger today at 785-979-4353 to schedule a free consultation. Your career, reputation, and livelihood are at risk, and the challenge facing you is one you cannot work your way through alone.

How Careful Patient Observations Help You Avoid Discipline

As a nurse, you must properly observe, assess and monitor your patients’ care. Injury and death may result from a lapse in this duty, resulting in discipline against you and even legal claims.  As I said above, it is fairly rare that a single, dramatic lapse causes this sort of unfortunate result; usually, it is caused by the slow accumulation of sloppy practices and shortcuts.

It may sound strange, but you have an opportunity to create the evidence that will be used against you in a licensing case.  What I mean is that your written patient observation notes are the best evidence of your innocence or your guilt. Your failure to keep records of your observations and actions is the best possible evidence against you—don’t give the licensing board an easy case! Instead, always be diligent about documenting that you monitored vitals, provided medications, noted changes in the patient’s condition, and any other care you provide. While time-consuming, making these behaviors a habitual practice will pay dividends in the long-run.

Stay Current on Your Required Professional Education

As a professional, you should want to be up to date regarding changes in your field. As you are well aware, technology and treatment protocols change rapidly. Stay up to date with these changes by maintaining your professional education requirements; failure to do so is often used as evidence when an error occurs. Importantly, if you fail to integrate these new practices into your patient care, this glaring omission will stand out to a board imposing discipline. Do not give the state licensing board their case against you—stay up to date on your training.

Hire an Experienced Licensing Attorney if Allegations Arise

While taking the above steps will help you avoid allegations, hospital politics, disappointed patients, and other factors outside your control can still lead to accusations. Too many nurses believe that they can talk their way through the discipline process. You can’t. If any allegation arises against you, contact an experienced licensing attorney immediately.

Contact an Experienced Kansas and Missouri Licensing Attorney Now for the Advice You Need

You have worked too hard to attain your nursing license to lose it because you failed to attain the sort of professional legal advice you needed when an allegation was made against you. Taking the above steps to improve your observations is just one piece of helpful information; speak with an experienced licensing defense attorney to arm yourself with the other essential parts of advice you need—it can mean the difference between getting back to helping your patients and losing your career forever.

Kansas and Missouri professional licensing attorney Danielle Sanger is prepared to advocate for your best interests and defend your nursing license. Call Attorney Sanger at 785-979-4353 to schedule a free consultation with an attorney experienced dealing with professional licensing issues.

 

 

 

 

Kansas and Missouri Professional Licensing Attorney Danielle Sanger Explains What You Should Do if You Receive a Notice of Investigation

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Medical professionals often come to my office for a consultation after they have received a notice of investigation from either their employer or their licensing board.  Sometimes they are still in a good position, and there is a lot I can do to either minimize the damage or have it dismissed altogether.  However, there are other times when there is very little I can do because the medical professional involved has tried to “go it alone” or tried “to be helpful,” thinking that these may be successful strategies. They aren’t.

I wrote the following blog post to explain the steps you should take, and more importantly avoid if you receive a complaint from your state licensing board or employer. If you are a professional in Kansas or Missouri facing an allegation of misconduct or an investigation, call attorney Sanger today at 785-979-4353 to schedule a free consultation. Your career, reputation, and livelihood are at risk, and the challenge facing you is one you cannot work your way through alone.

Remain Silent

I have seen so many medical professionals ruin their cases by trying to be “helpful,” thinking that their compliance will make the investigation go away. As you have seen numerous times on crime dramas, “you have the right to remain silent,” and you should exercise that right.  Simply put, do not make any statement to anyone without an attorney by your side. It is a massive mistake to think you can handle an investigative meeting alone or that you can play along with the investigation to make things go away. You are just digging yourself into a deeper hole and playing into the investigating agency’s hands when you attempt that sort of foolish strategy.

Do Not Ignore the Allegations Against You

While you should not speak with investigators or give any statement, you also should not ignore the allegations against you. Failing to respond to any complaints against you will only bolster the argument that you are not performing your work professionally.

Do Not Speak About the Matter with Friends, Family, and Coworkers

Only speak to your attorney about the claims against you. Your statements to your attorney fall within the attorney-client privilege and do not have to be disclosed. Anyone else can be questioned and must disclose your comments.  Your coworkers are likely to be asked about your conduct and statements, so especially avoid making statements to them about anything related to your case.

Stay Off Social Media

Social media such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram can all be fun ways to blow off steam, but not about your case.  I recommend that clients delete all of their social media profiles while the allegations against them are pending. It is just too easy to make a statement that will be taken out of context or to post a picture of behavior that investigators can use to support their allegation that you are unprofessional.

Contact an Experienced Kansas and Missouri Licensing Attorney Now

You have worked too hard to attain your professional license. Allegations based on miscommunications, inter-office conflict, and vengeful patients can cost you that license, even if they are not true. But you can hobble your defense by trying to handle parts of it yourself. Contacting an experienced licensing attorney to help you through the misconduct hearing process and can mean the difference between getting back to helping your patients and losing your career forever.

Kansas and Missouri professional licensing attorney Danielle Sanger is prepared to advocate for your best interests and defend you. Call Attorney Sanger at 785-979-4353 to schedule a free consultation with an attorney experienced dealing with professional licensing issues.

 

Missouri Professional Licensing Attorney Danielle Sanger: Who is Subject to Missouri Behavioral Analyst Licensing Requirements?

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Behavior analysts are professionals entrusted to provide helpful environmental adjustments for autistic children and other people with behavioral disorders. In 2010 the Missouri legislature created a licensure requirement for anyone engaged in “behavior analysis.”  Their goal was to regulate and provide oversight over people who worked with these populations. Prior to 2010, Missouri simply accepted the national certification for behavioral analysts, which is administered through the Behavior Analyst Certification Board.

If you find yourself under scrutiny by the Missouri Behavior Analyst Advisory Board for your licensed practice of behavioral analysis, call an experienced Missouri licensing attorney immediately.

The Definition of “Applied Behavior Analysis”

Are you subject to licensure requirements for behavior analysis?  In Missouri, being subject to licensure is outlined by RSMo. § 337.300, which defines “applied behavior analysis” as the following practice:

(1) “Applied behavior analysis”, the design, implementation, and evaluation of environmental modifications, using behavioral stimuli and consequences, to produce socially significant improvement in human behavior, including the use of direct observation, measurement, and functional analysis of the relationships between environment and behavior. Applied behavior analysis does not include cognitive therapies or psychological testing, personality assessment, intellectual assessment, neuropsychological assessment, psychotherapy, cognitive therapy, sex therapy, psychoanalysis, hypnotherapy, family therapy, and long-term counseling as treatment modalities.

In addition, the statute defines the “practice of applied behavior analysis” as:

. . . the application of the principles, methods, and procedures of the experimental analysis of behavior and applied behavior analysis (including principles of operant and respondent learning) to assess and improve socially important human behaviors. It includes, but is not limited to, applications of those principles, methods, and procedures to:

(a) The design, implementation, evaluation, and modification of treatment programs to change behavior of individuals;

(b) The design, implementation, evaluation, and modification of treatment programs to change behavior of groups; and

(c) Consultation to individual and organizations.

Accordingly, if you are working with individuals’ environments and environmental stimuli to improve their behavior, you are likely subject to RSMo. § 337.300 and must attain  one of several available licenses, which are ranked based on the degree of education attained by the holder. The licensure process and legal practice of behavioral analysis is governed by the Missouri Behavior Analyst Advisory Board.

What Licenses are Available for Behavioral Analysts?

LBA:               Licensed Behavior Analyst;

LaBA:             Licensed Assistant Behavior Analyst;

PLBA:             Provisionally Licensed Behavior Analyst;

PLABA:          Provisionally Licensed Assistant Behavior Analyst;

TLBA:             Temporary Licensed Behavior Analyst;

TLaBA:           Temporary Licensed Assistant Behavior Analyst.

The appropriate licensure depends on a practitioner’s level of education, training, and meeting requirements outlined by statute. The different licensure requirements also mandate certain amounts of supervision by a behavior analyst or analysts with superior certification.

Failing to meet these requirements can have significant consequences. It is important to note that in Missouri it is a crime under RSMo. 337.335, a class A misdemeanor, to either practice behavior analysis without a license or to practice beyond the scope of one’s license. It is clear that practicing without a license is inappropriate, but analysts also need to be aware of the bounds of their specific licensure.

Before you increase your degree of professional responsibility or take on significant types of new work, make sure it is within your license.  Attain written confirmation regarding the appropriateness of your work from your supervisor. While not a perfect defense, this sort of documentation may indicate in a subsequent review of your actions that you acted in good faith and were not trying to evade certification.

If you are a behavioral analyst in Missouri and are facing a threat to your license or an investigation by the Missouri Behavior Analyst Advisory Board, call Danielle Sanger today.

Kansas and Missouri professional licensing attorney Danielle Sanger is prepared to advocate for your best interests and defend your livelihood and career. Call Attorney Sanger today at 785-979-4353 to schedule a free consultation with an experienced and aggressive attorney for behavior analysts facing an investigation or occupational discipline.

Danielle Sanger, Esq.: Kansas and Missouri Professional Licensing Attorney Providing Vigorous Defense of Counselors Facing Professional Discipline

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Counselors provide a tremendous service to the community. The significant contribution counselors make to our well-being cannot be measured. Counselors must strictly adhere to the rules governing their profession but, as any psychologist, licensed social worker, addiction counselor, or addiction specialist will tell you, they are human and make mistakes. A mistake should not ruin your career, your livelihood, and your family if you face professional disciple as a consequence of your error. Resist the temptation to represent yourself. You need an attorney who stakes her reputation on zealously advocating for professional licensees facing professional discipline.

Why You Need an Attorney to Represent You

There is an adage in the law that says the lawyer who represents himself or herself has a fool for a client. There is plenty of truth in that statement. Although lawyers are educated and experienced in the substantive and procedural law of a jurisdiction, they should not represent themselves when they face legal trouble. So too, a professional licensee should not represent them or go “pro se.” The reason is simple: you cannot think objectively when your legal interests are at stake. You need someone to advocate for you, to look at and analyze the evidence, and then explain the consequences, your rights, and defenses available to you.

So often highly educated and intelligent people believe that they can talk their way out of trouble or they believe help is unnecessary because they are smart and can comprehend the allegations which they face. When emotions run high and fear sets in, a person’s judgment can quickly become clouded despite the level of intelligence, educational attainment, or formal training. Having an advocate whose sole responsibility is your to look out for your best interest will give you the best opportunity to defend against the allegations you face.

What Rights Does A Person In The Counseling Professions Have When Facing Professional Discipline?

You are guaranteed several rights when facing professional discipline. Several sources of law grant those rights. They are substantial rights. An attorney well versed in the procedure involved in professional licensing hearings and administrative hearings will give you an advantage over a lawyer who has less experience.

At the outset, you have the right to a hearing before the state punishes you. At the hearing, you are guaranteed the right to confront and cross-examine witnesses appearing against you. Also, you have the right to have the case heard by a neutral and detached magistrate or hearings officer. Furthermore, you have the opportunity to examine all of the evidence the state has against you. You have the absolute right to call witnesses and testify on your own behalf. You also have the right to appeal adverse rulings against you to a judge after you have exhausted all of your administrative rights.

Possible Sanctions for Professional Misconduct

The nature of the punishment depends on the severity of the conduct and your record of previous discipline. At bottom, the penalty meted out by the licensing authority should not be arbitrary or capricious. Instead, the sanction must be consonant with the protection of the public. You could face censure or public reprimand for less serious offenses. For more egregious offenses or repeat offenses, you could receive probation with restrictions on your practice, suspension, or revocation of your license.

Your professional licensing attorney will fight to have the least restrictive sanction imposed upon you if you are found responsible for misconduct or admit to fault.

Do Not Hesitate Seeking Legal Help from a Dedicated Professional Licensing Attorney

Kansas and Missouri professional licensing attorney Danielle Sanger, Esq. has vast experience vigorously defending the rights and livelihoods of professional licensees facing disciplinary charges. Call Attorney Sanger at 785-979-4353 to schedule an appointment for a free consultation today.

Kansas and Missouri Professional Licensing Attorney Discuses Addiction Counselor Ethics

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Kansas and Missouri Professional Licensing Attorney Discuses Addiction Counselor Ethics

With the high number of people addicted to some form substance in this country, people need a place to turn for help. Addiction counselors can provide the help a person needs to kick their habit. The Kansas Behavioral Sciences Regulatory Board (the Board) issues licenses to addiction counselors. The Board possesses authority to discipline a licensee who violates Kansas law or the Board’s regulations. Consequently, licensees must be vigilant in maintaining an ethical practice. Addiction counselors serve a very vulnerable population who are in a compromised situation because of their addiction. Kansas professional licensing attorney Danielle Sanger zealously defends addiction counselors facing discipline before the Board.

Kansas’ state statute authorizes the Board to discipline an addiction counselor’s license for any number of reasons. The statute authorizes the Board to deny licensure or license renewal for the same reasons. The statute grants the Board discretion to revoke a license, suspend a license, deny an application for a license, refuse to re-issue a license, limit a license, or place conditions of practice upon a license if the licensee runs afoul of the statute.

A general reading of the statute proves that the rules are designed to protect the public from unethical or unscrupulous practices by an addiction counselor.  The statute also endeavors to protect the consuming public from the negligence of an addiction counselor as well. The Board may discipline a licensee if the licensee becomes addicted to drugs or alcohol and the counselor’s substance abuse problem negatively affects the counselor’s ability to practice.  Additionally, the Board may discipline an addiction counselor for committing a fraud, deceit,  or misrepresentation of fact in obtaining an addiction counselor’s license.  Furthermore, the Board may take adverse action against a licensee if the counselor was convicted of a felony charge. In that instance, the Board must make an independent investigation to ascertain whether the licensee is rehabilitated to be worthy of the public’s trust. Notwithstanding, Kansas’ regulations permit the Board to take adverse action if any criminal conviction related to the practice of the addiction counseling.

The Board has authority to sanction an addiction counselor for other reasons. The Board may discipline an addiction counselor for committing fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation in the performance of their duties as an addiction counselor. Dishonesty in the profession is another ground for discipline. The statute does not closely define dishonesty. However, one can expect that the Board would discipline a licensee for dishonest act ranging from dishonest communications with a patient to dishonest billing practices.

The Board can discipline a licensee for incompetence as well. The Board has a vested interest in making certain all of its addiction counselors are competent to serve the public. Also, the Board must ensure that practitioners are mentally and physically competent to perform the tasks required by the profession.  The Board cannot take adverse action against a licensee in this instance unless the mental or physical frailties of the counselor negatively affect the person’s ability to competently perform their function as an addiction counselor.  Additionally, Kansas’ regulations require an addiction counselor to stop practicing or seek treatment if their stress, personal problems, or other difficulties interfere with their professional judgment or ability to act in the patient’s best interests. In addition, the counselor is forbidden from taking advantage of their patient or exercising undue influence over them. This prohibition includes engaging in any romantic or sexual relationship with their patients. Moreover, addiction counselors must maintain the strictest level of counselor-patient confidentiality.

Addiction Counselors Need Help Too

Kansas and Missouri Professional Licensing Attorney Danielle Sanger understands the personal sacrifice an addiction counselor must make to become licensed and maintain an ethical practice. Even the most scrupulous and careful make mistakes. Do not allow one mistake to derail your career. Call Kansas professional licensing attorney Danielle Sanger today at 785-979-4353 to schedule your free consultation.

Kansas Massage Therapists – Operating Outside Your Place of Business

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Massage therapy is a career field that enables massage therapists to essentially operate and provide services to clients from anywhere.  Many massage therapists operate their businesses from their home, or even travel to clients’ homes to perform massage therapy services.  While massage therapists do have options regarding where to operate their business, the place of business is crucial when it comes to following the rules and regulations that govern your massage therapy license.  There is no state-wide Kansas massage therapy board, so rules and regulations may be different depending on what city and county you live in.

 Why Does it Matter Where I Perform Massage Therapy Services in Kansas?

The location of your massage therapy practice is very important when it comes to representations you make to clients as well as liability issues.  If you work for a larger employer (such as a salon offering multiple services), you likely do not need to worry about whether or not the salon is in compliance with massage therapy rules and regulations, as this responsibility may not be yours.  However, if you perform massage therapy services on the side, or have your own in-house business, you need to be particularly careful with how you inform clients of your qualifications, and that your business itself is in compliance with all rules and regulations.

One problem many massage therapists come across is unhappy clients who may wish to complain about your services in some way.  For example, if a client believes he or she was injured while you were performing massage therapy services on him or her, that person may complain to a disciplinary board, or even file a civil action against you.  If you are at your home, at your client’s home, or are anywhere else that is not your traditional place of business when you are performing massage therapy services, then you could be at risk for being found liable for any injuries the client may have suffered.  Many massage therapists do not realize that giving a massage to a friend as a favor could be troublesome if that friend is injured and the massage therapy services were not conducted in a legitimate place of business.

If you are facing a potential disciplinary issue that has put your massage therapy license at risk, you will have a much better time of fighting to keep your license if you can prove you were working in a legitimate business setting.  As such, you should ensure that each and every location you are operating at is one that is considered legitimate and in conformance with the rules and regulations of the massage therapy licensing board in your city.

Contact Danielle Sanger of the Sanger Law Office Today to Schedule Your Free Consultation

If you are facing disciplinary action and/or your massage therapy license is at risk, you need to act quickly to determine what steps you need to take to keep your license.  You have too much to lose by fighting a disciplinary action without the help of a skilled legal professional.  Regardless of whether or not you have done anything wrong that should result in the loss of your massage therapy license, it is important that you have an attorney standing by to represent your rights and interests.  At the Sanger Law Office, Kansas Professional License Defense Attorney Danielle Sanger helps a variety of Kansas professionals face the potential loss of their licenses on a regular basis.  As a former Assistant Attorney General of Kansas, Danielle Sanger has a perspective that many other attorneys do not possess.  With experience as both a prosecutor and as a defense attorney, Danielle Sanger has the broad knowledge and skill that is necessary in a quality attorney.  To speak with Danielle Sanger about your situation, contact the Sanger Law Office today by calling (785) 979-4353 to schedule your free consultation.

Return of Afghanistan and Iraq Veterans Reveals the Psychological Toll of War

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The culture of the military advocates resilience, courage, sacrifice by the individual and strength; think about just a couple of slogans from our military groups—“Army Strong,” or “The Few, The Proud, The Marines.”  Perceived weaknesses are simply not welcomed as we perhaps believe those weaknesses to be contrary to our perception of an effective military. It is clear that our society expects the men and women of our military to keep a stiff upper lip, even in the face of psychological trauma.

Consider, however, the fact that from 2007 to 2009 our military troops saw a 40% increase in suicide among soldiers. It appears that our society can readily accept the physical wounds of war, yet we shy away from open discussions of psychological wounds. The stigma we have attached to the mental health of our soldiers can have tragic consequences in their feelings of self-worth. While our expectations that our soldiers must have a warrior mentality may not change any time soon, maybe our culture can begin to acknowledge the emotional consequences of war.

One Soldier’s Story

Sergeant Louis Loftus, 24, was home on a mid-tour leave when he began to realize something was very wrong. Loftus was showing photographs to family members of his time in Afghanistan. Out of the blue a photo which showed a place where a fellow soldier had been killed brought him to tears. The problems grew worse. By the time Lofus came from his second deployment he was suffering nightmares, anxiety, sleep disorders and began distancing himself from those he cared about – and who cared about him. Loftus still has a hard time discussing his eventual diagnosis of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, particularly because he admits to being “one of those guys that made fun of people with post-traumatic stress –in my mind.” Loftus spoke to Brian Williams in an interview which was seen on NBC’s Rock Center and sadly admitted that he now knows PTSD is a very real issue.

In fact, two and a half million American soldiers have been through the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and the psychological toll continues to mount. The Veterans Administration treated over a hundred thousand veterans for the disorder however it is likely these numbers are considerably higher since many veterans do not seek treatment. Loftus was stationed in Southern Afghanistan in a true Taliban stronghold where he and the other members of his unit were under constant attack. IED’s were common and because the roads were extremely narrow patrols had to be undertaken on foot. In less than one year, Loftus’ unit found over 6,000 IED’s and in their searches for the dangerous devices, 200 soldiers were injured and 38 killed.

When asked about fellow soldiers who died in those minefields, Loftus became very emotional, stating he generally tried not to think about it because he felt a responsibility to set a good example for the others in his unit. NBC News followed Loftus for two years – from the danger of the frontlines to his everyday life at home. Five months after NBC met Loftus he was honorably discharged and sent home to Ohio. Those around him noticed almost immediately that the trauma of Afghanistan had followed him home. Depression set in and his drinking escalated.

A 2012 report from the American Journal of Public Health showed that 39% of returning veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan were considered positive for abuse of alcohol. A psychiatrist and director of the DOD Center for Psychological Health, Captain Paul Hammer, believes that many soldiers feel they are doing the most important thing in their life when they are fighting for our country. Once those soldiers have experienced the trauma of war returning home can feel anti-climactic and they may feel as though there is little purpose to their life.

While Loftus eventually sought help from the local Veteran’s hospital, beginning therapy and medication, his underlying rage began surfacing. Loftus’ life began spiraling out of control; his relationships disintegrated and eventually he suffered a serious anxiety attack that landed him in the hospital. Once out, Loftus was charged with a domestic violence felony after he engaged in an altercation with his girlfriend, then several days later he became intoxicated, beat up his father and fought with the police. A month following Loftus’ sentence of three years’ probation and time in a halfway house, Loftus and his girlfriend welcomed a son, Mason Loftus, into their lives. Although Loftus has learned to manage his PTSD – largely for the sake of his new son – he still considers it a daily struggle.

There are scores of veterans who have suffered in the same way Louis Loftus has yet many of them will never seek help due to the stereotypes of the tough soldier who can handle anything. It is clear that things must change and our veterans must get the help they desperately need – and deserve. Military leaders must be encouraged to speak openly about their own combat experiences and all veterans as well as those currently deployed must be able to talk about their experiences in a safe environment.