More on sex with patients can be found here: http://psychsex.wordpress.com/

Florida Department of Health Emergency Suspension order here: http://www.psychsearch.net/pdf/2009-11318.pdf

Full article here: http://tinyurl.com/psychologist-sex-patient

Lakeland Ledger

Tampa Psychologist Suspended Over Sex Allegation by Lakeland Woman

January 25, 2010

A Tampa psychologist accused of having sex with a Lakeland woman he counseled and billing her insurance company for “specialty consult” sessions when those trysts are suspected to have occurred has had his license suspended by the state.

Daniel R. Lerom also is accused of repeatedly asking for, and getting, prescription pain medicines from the woman.

It’s a felony for a psychotherapist to commit sexual misconduct with a client or with a former client… (more…)

http://www.miamiherald.com/business/v-fullstory/story/1428212.html

Miami Herald

HEALTHCARE | DR. FERNANDO MENDEZ-VILLAMIL

Miami psychiatrist defends his record over prescriptions

A state senator said a Miami psychiatrist `should be a poster boy’ for tougher enforcement, while the doctor says he’s been unfairly targeted

January 16, 2010

By John Dorschner

A Miami psychiatrist who wrote 284,908 prescriptions over the past six years has cost Florida taxpayers $43 million, and a state senator said Friday that “he should be a poster boy” for a legislative inquiry into whether “tougher enforcement provisions are needed.”

The practices of Fernando Mendez-Villamil, who has an office on Coral Way, came to light last month when Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, complained about him to federal authorities for writing prescriptions at a rate of 150 a day, seven days a week. Grassley, like many in Congress, is concerned about reducing America’s high healthcare costs to reform the system. (more…)

Florida doctor writes 1000 scripts/week

By Carol Gentry

1/15/2010

Since 2004, a Miami psychiatrist has prescribed almost 14 million pills to Medicaid patients at a cost to taxpayers of $43 million, a state agency says.

Fernando Mendez Villamil would have had to issue 4,000 prescriptions a month, or 1,000 a week, to keep up that pace, according to the data released by the Agency for Health Care Administration. Altogether in the six years from 2004 – 2009, he issued nearly 285,000 prescriptions, including refills, AHCA showed. (more…)

CCHR Florida Action Alert: Contact these Florida legislators to let them know you oppose mental health screening.

Many of you have been receiving our updates on the Federal Health Care legislation that calls for the mental health screening of pregnant women, teenagers, children, and more.  The Federal bill also calls for medical clinics to be placed in schools and home visitations from mental health professionals.   

Below is information about 2 Florida bills that have the potential to minimize the Federal mental health programs.  Please Read and then Act! (more…)

The FDA is considering the reclassification of the device used to administer electroconvulsive therapy from its current category as a Class III medical device to Class II.

Class III medical devices have the most stringent regulatory controls. For Class III medical devices, sufficient information is not available to assure safety and effectiveness through the application of General Controls and Special Controls.

Class II medical devices are devices where General Controls are not sufficient to assure safety and effectiveness and existing methods/standards/guidance documents are available to provide assurances of safety and effectiveness. Examples of Class II devices include physiologic monitors, x-ray systems, gas analyzers, pumps, and surgical drapes. (more…)

Action Alert: Read this article, call your Federal legislators and let them know you disagree with the mental health programs in the Federal Health bill.

Email this article to your legislators as well, with your concerns.

Go to www.whoismyrepresentative.com

Thursday, December 31, 2009

The Washington Times 

Mental health Trojan horse

It’s enough to make anyone sick

By Richard E. Vatz and Jeffrey A. Schaler

The vast majority of Americans are unaware of most of what is included in the Senate and House health care reform bills as they head for reconciliation in the House-Senate Conference. They will be in for a big surprise concerning parity mental health care coverage, covering mental problems comparably to physical problems. In addition, the arguments supporting the changes, rarely made public in order to avoid rigorous debate, have revealed the shifting grounds supporting parity. (more…)

CCHR Florida Action Alert: Contact these Florida legislators to let them know you oppose mental health screening.

Many of you have been receiving our updates on the Federal Health Care legislation that calls for the mental health screening of pregnant women, teenagers, children, and more.  The Federal bill also calls for medical clinics to be placed in schools and home visitations from mental health professionals.   

Below is information about 2 Florida bills that have the potential to minimize the Federal mental health programs.  Please Read and then Act! (more…)