Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FoEWO-U-LyU

CNN TRANSCRIPT:

Coming up, this story is going to make you sick.  It’s got me shaking my head.  There you see some of the verbiage.  Psychologist accused of having a sexual relationship with a former patient.  License has been suspended, but hey, I thought that was a felony.  Shouldn’t there be some charges, here?  And we know this: the woman who was being treated, ended up having a mental breakdown.  Isn’t that outrageous? 

A psychologist in Florida, not only accused of having sex with a former patient, but billing Blue Cross for their “sessions”. 

Here’s Melody Brooks, Prime News Affiliate, WTSP.”

Melody, “Documents show that South Tampa psychologist, Dr. Daniel Lerom, was having sex with his patient for months in early 2009, and then billed her Blue Cross/Blue Shield Insurance for their sessions. Text messages between the doctor and patient outline a hot and heavy romance.  The 49 year old psychologist told his patient, “My body felt great all over after last night.  I wish you were here in the shower with me to warm me up.  If I were there I would rub you and kiss you all over.  The doctor even referred to himself as her Red Hot Lover, or RHL, for short.  Documents also show that the two had oral sex and intercourse in hotel rooms, his office and the patient’s home in Lakeland.  She even gave him a key.”

Video clips of Ken Kramer of CCHR Florida, “It’s a felony.  You know, it’s against the Hippocratic Oath.  It’s something you just don’t do.”

Melody, “Ken Kramer is a researcher for The Citizens Commission on Human Rights, a group that investigates psychiatric abuse.  He wants to know why this case hasn’t gone to police. 

[Outside CCHR Florida offices Melody states], “In this email, the Commission is asking the question, directly to the Department of Health, ‘Did they turn over the information to authorities about Dr. Lerom and the allegations he had, that he was having sex with a patient?’  And the answer we found out is, ‘No.’

[Video clips of Ken Kramer, CCHR Florida, Reseacher, “…that this is not okay to do.  It’s psychiatric rape.  It’s psychological rape.  It’s not okay.  It’s against the law.  These guys could go to jail for this type of thing.”

Melody, “Dr. Lerom is now being sued by his former lover, whose identity has not been revealed.  He had been counseling the woman for relationship problems and after she broke off her engagement records show that she began having an affair with Dr. Lerom, but when the doctor’s wife found out he broke it off.  Shortly after, the woman was institutionalized, after her mental collapse.”

CNN Newscaster, “Alright, our thanks to Melody Brooks, Prime News Affiliate, WTSP, for that report.  Alright, let’s get our experts in on this. 

Welcome back to CNN, Legal Analyst, Lisa Bloom.  Also with us, a psychologist, Cooper Lawrence.  Joining us, as well, psychotherapist, Mary Jo Rapini.  Mary Jo, I’ll start with you.  How serious does the mental health community take that oath, where you’re not to have a sexual relationship with a patient or former patient?”

Mary Jo, “We take it very seriously.  In fact, it’s one of the most important oaths of all, and I cannot believe somebody would do something like this.”

Newscaster, “Cooper, let me get you in on this.  Just the vulnerability there, that a patient has in a case like this.”

Cooper, “Gary (?), that’s the whole thing.  It’s a position of power, this therapist is in.  He took advantage of a very vulnerable patient; and what really irks me is this really does damage to people who are afraid to go to therapy.  It make people say, ‘Oh, look at these therapists.  They have no morals.  Look at how they are.”

Newscaster, “And to go along with that, here’s a Facebook comment. Tamara writing, ‘He’s wrong, wrong, wrong.  It makes us therapists have a bad name for ourselves.’  Maybe Tamara is a therapist, as well.  So, hearing on that front, let’s bring Lisa in on this.  And Lisa, here’s the way I understand it; and the expert there, in the package, Mr. Kramer talked about it.  It’s a felony.  Psychotherapists to commit sexual misconduct with a client or former client, when the professional relationship ends, primarily for the purpose of having sex.  And consent is not a defense.  Do you expect criminal charges, Lisa, on this?”

Lisa, “I would be very surprised if criminal charges are not filed.  This is an extremely important case because look at the fall out of this woman’s psyche.  She had a breakdown.  She had to be institutionalized after this was over.  This was a married psychotherapist, who was much older than her, who had treated her for many years.  And perhaps he thought he was being cute by saying, ‘Okay, our therapeutic relationship has ended.  Now tonight we can go out and start dating and start having a romantic relationship,’ which is essentially how this went down.  He ended the relationship so that he could have a relationship this her.  No.  The law sees around that and says you can’t do that.  The relationship is much more important than that.  There’s much more depth to it than that.  You can’t just end the relationship to have sex with somebody.  By the way, this complaint that you’re looking at on the screen right now [SEX WITH FORMER PATIENT ‘On or about February 10, 2009, Dr. Lerom again visited HF at her home.  While he was there, Dr. Lerom and HF had an intimate conversation that led them to kissing, hugging and caressing each other.’] HF also says that he was asking her repeatedly for medications that were prescribed to her, medications like Vicodin.  He also, allegedly, committed insurance fraud.  So, he’s got a lot of legal problems.”

Newscaster, “Ya, you throw this like a soup, like this evil soup that you’re concocting there.  And you’re right, Lisa, when you talk about there’s a history.  They go back to 1995, but where the line is crossed, for sure, it’s what, February?  And he is quoted as saying, ‘If I were available, I would date you.’  Cooper Lawrence, there it is, right?  There’s the full violation, right?”

Cooper, “Right.  It’s a huge violation.  And the fact that he knew this patient was vulnerable and the fact that he took advantage, this is a total abuse of power.”

Newscaster, “When you hear this case, as someone in the mental health community, you talked about it, boundaries.  Walls have to be built, right?  So, no.  Don’t come anywhere near this.?”

Mary Jo, “Absolutely.  This is just so incredible, the fact that this guy is not in jail right now is so perplexing.  He’s a drug addict.  He’s got terrible, he’s got his own issues.  Someone like this should have never been counseling another person who is so vulnerable.  He was very selfish and acted out terribly.  And he should not be doing what he’s doing.”

Newscaster, “Ya.  Allegedly, it looks like he took care of himself and as Lisa mentioned, we’ll talk a little bit more about it after the break, allegedly, not only does this relationship take place, but then he’s billing the insurance company for some of their “sessions” – to the tune of $1400.  So that when this lady needs therapy the insurance has run out.  It’s unbelievable.  It just keeps getting worse as we keep delving in.”

[Video clips of Ken Kramer of CCHR Florida], “…that this is not okay to do.  It’s psychiatric rape.  It’s psychological rape.  It’s not okay.  It’s against the law.  These guys could go to jail for this type of thing.”

Newscaster, “Again, some strong words by Ken Kramer, who follows this type of thing, as we’re looking at a doctor facing some allegations of having inappropriate sexual relationship with a patient/former patient. 

He’s billing the insurance company to the tune of $1,400.  How much trouble can he be in for that?”

Lisa, “Ya.  That’s gall, isn’t it?  I mean, not only having sex with a patient, but trying to get paid for it.  It’s almost acts of prostitution in some kind of way.  Look, insurance fraud is clearly a crime.  [On screen: HF’s insurance carrier BCBSF paid Dr. Lerom $1,400 or $117.40 for each of the 12 ‘specialty consults’ he allegedly provided HF between February 12, 2009 and April 13, 2009.]  This may be a relatively low level crime, a misdemeanor, because it is only $1,400, but it doesn’t mean he wouldn’t be looking at some jail time for it.  I think, more seriously, would be the felony charge, because it is a felony.  She can’t consent, even though she’s an adult because she had the therapeutic relationship with him.  That would provoke more serious time if he were convicted of that.”

Newscaster, “Here’s now in, I want to read the text, and it’s a short one.  This is from the doctor to the lady he was having the alleged affair with, ‘[My wife] just read this message.  They have to stop for a long time until I say it’s ok, this is serious!! Dan.’ [on screen: May 1,  2009].  And we know this lady ended up with a mental breakdown.  Mary Jo Rafini’s with us.  Mary Jo, what happens, possibly, to this patient, here, a one time patient, as this relationship now begins to end?”

Mary Jo, “Well, you know, what I’m most concerned with is number one, she went to him in the beginning, at the age of 23, and for marital problems.  Ended up divorcing from that marriage; continued with him and then finally broke it off, or he broke it off for a couple of years.  It sounded like she was just coming out on her own again.  She had a boyfriend and then he intervenes again for more of her drugs and what I think may have ended up happening is because when she would start feeling better, maybe getting stronger, just him being there is so abusive, that she wasn’t ever able to get over it.  Then most likely she just had a break.  She doesn’t know who to trust.  She doesn’t trust herself.  Every boundary she knows of has been blurred now, meaning her main caretaker, I mean, healthcare taker is now trying, not trying, is having sex with her and using her medications and there’s no semblance of sanity or normality in her life anymore.”

Newscaster, “Ya.  Exactly.  And Cooper we tried to reach out to the doctors, attorneys.  I didn’t get any comment back.  Cooper, it’s manipulation on so many fronts: the relationship, the insurance money, prescription drugs.  It knows no end.”

Cooper, “Right.  It knows no end because that’s what narcissists do.  They take advantage of people.  They have no empathy for other people.  They take what they can, as much as they can until somebody says, ‘stop.’  And you’re not going to have a vulnerable patient, who’s had relationship issues and obviously drug issues, saying ‘stop’.  And this is the cautionary tale that if you feel like something might be wrong, in a relationship between you and somebody that you’re supposed to trust, trust your instinct first.  First, start talking to people and ask and say, “This is what my therapist asked me.  This is what he said.  Does this sound bizarre to you?’  Start having that conversation.”

More info: http://psychsex.wordpress.com/

http://www.courthousenews.com/2010/02/08/24479.htm

Courthouse News Service

Therapist Billed Insurer for Sex, Patient Says

By Robert Kahn 
February 08, 2010

A woman claims her psychologist had sex with her in his office while treating her for depression, “on a weekly, and at times, a daily frequency,” and had the brass to bill her insurance company for the “treatments.” And she says he “committed further acts of professional malpractice by voluntarily ingesting plaintiff’s psychotropic medications during their sexual encounters to ‘enhance’ his sexual gratification with plaintiff.” 

HF, an adult, sued Plaza Therapy Associates and Daniel R. Lerom in Hillsborough County Court, Tampa, Fla.

She claims Lerom, “a licensed professional,” treated her for depression and associated maladies from 1995 until May 2009, and “committed negligent, professional and sexual misconduct” against her “numerous times.”

“Plaza Therapy Associates and Lerom further committed professional negligence by billing plaintiffs’ insurance numerous times for ‘treatments’ immediately after Lerom’s sexual encounters with plaintiff and was paid for said treatment by plaintiff’s insurance,” HF says.

She says that in May 2009, “an officer of Plaza Therapy Associates who knew of Lerom’s misconduct demanded Lerom cease conducting such professional and misconduct acts against plaintiff. Shortly thereafter, Lerom ceased all communication and contract with plaintiff, who continued to suffered from ‘depression,’” and a host of other problems, including feelings of hopelessness, feelings of rejection by men, emotional dependencies, and pain, the complaint states.

“Upon being rejected by Lerom, both personally and professionally, plaintiff suffered a complete mental collapse, and, as a result, was institutionalized,” according to the complaint.

She demands punitive damages for professional negligence-malpractice, breach of contract, vicarious liability, and infliction of emotional distress. She is represented by Deborah Carroll of Lakeland.