June is an LCDCI at a local MHMR facility and works with both adult men and wome
ID: 353489 • Letter: J
Question
June is an LCDCI at a local MHMR facility and works with both adult men and women in the Substance Abuse Unit. She is in her mid-twenties and spends much of her free time catching up with friends and family on social networking sites, i.e. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. One day she receives a “friend request” from a male client on her caseload. Given that her client is doing well in treatment she accepts his request and believes this will positively reinforce his sobriety. Then one day she notices pictures on his Facebook page where he is clearly intoxicated and smoking, presumably marijuana. She confronts him in group, but he becomes angry and leaves the room. Later that day she is informed by her supervisor that her client has filed a complaint against her alleging that she initiated a “friend’s request” to him and they have been romantically involved. He even has provocative pictures of her on his cell phone to prove it. What would you do?
Explanation / Answer
June has nothing to worry about because the first part of the statement given by her client is only wrong. It is very easy to find out who initiates the friend request just by checking the facebook pages of both June and her client. She can challenge him to submit the provocative pictures to her supervisor for the proof. This can never happen because they have not involved romantically in any way. So the statement of the client will call in no time and the truth will come out easily. June can also take a legal action against him under personal privacy law. It might increase the punishment given to the client and might put him in the prison. But as a medical practitioner she should give him a chance to correct his mistake but make sure that she comes out of this clean.