Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Fraud in mental health practice: A risk management perspective

  • Articles and Reports
  • Published:
Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Mental health practitioners sometimes face the dilemma of being ethical and honest and thus not meeting client needs, or of committing fraud to meet those needs. This paper presents some precipitants for fraud in mental health. Some costs of fraud are reviewed for administration, policy, and planning, for ethical and legal issues, and in research. Risk management implications are also examined.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • AAAS Observer. (1989, September 1). Why do scientists cheat?The AAAS Observer, 8–9.

  • Anderson, C. (1990). New evidence emerges in Tufts misconduct case.Nature, 347, 317.

    Google Scholar 

  • Anderson, C. (1991). Precedent set as NIH loses court battle.Nature, 349, 95.

    Google Scholar 

  • Anspach, R.R. (1988). Notes on the sociology of medical discourse: The language of case presentation.Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 29, 357–375.

    Google Scholar 

  • Appelbaum, P.S. (1990). The parable of the forensic psychiatrist: Ethics and the problem of doing harm.International Journal of Law and Psychiatry, 13 249–259.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bales, J. (1988). Breuning pleads guilty in scientific fraud case.The APA Monitor, 19 (11), 12.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bausell, R.B. (1990). Selling science down the drain.Evaluation & the Health Professions, 13, 394–404.

    Google Scholar 

  • Berlinger, A.K. (1989). Misconduct in social work practice.Social Work, 34, 69–72.

    Google Scholar 

  • Booth, W. (1989). A clash of cultures at meeting on misconduct.Science, 243, 598.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brown, P. (1987). Diagnostic conflict and contradiction in psychiatry.Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 28, 37–50.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clark-Daniels, C.L., Baurnhover, L.A., & Daniels, R.S. (1990). To report or not to report: Physicians' response to elder abuse.Journal of Health and Human Resources Administration, 13, 52–68.

    Google Scholar 

  • Collison, M. N-K. (1990a, January 17). Apparent rise in students' cheating has college officials worried.Chronicle of Higher Education, 36, A33 A35.

    Google Scholar 

  • Collison, M.N-K, (1990b, October 24). Survey at Rutgers suggests that cheating may be on the rise at large universities.Chronicle of Higher Education, 37, A31–A32.

    Google Scholar 

  • Conrad, A.P. (1990). Developing an ethics review process in a social service agency.Social Thought, 15, 102–115.

    Google Scholar 

  • Conte, H.R., Plutchik, R., Picard, S., & Karasu, T.B. (1989). Ethics in the practice of psychotherapy: A survey.American Journal of Psychotherapy, 18, 32–42.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cordes, C. (1990, September 5). U.S. enters lawsuit accusing scientist, institutions of fraud.Chronicle of Higher Education, 37, A1, A24-A25.

    Google Scholar 

  • Doherty, W.J (1989, March/April). Unmasking family therapy.The Family Therapy Networker, 13, 34–39.

    Google Scholar 

  • Etitors ofScience. (1991). Information for contributors.Science, 251, 35–37.

    Google Scholar 

  • Epstein, W.M. (1989, September/October). Studying journal editors: The worst heresy.IRB, 11, 7–8.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ethics Committee of the American Psychological Association. (1988). Trends in ethics cases, common pitfalls, and published resources.American Psychologist, 43, 564–572.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ewing, T. (1988). Thalidomide scientist “guilty of fraud” says committee.Nature, 336, 101.

    Google Scholar 

  • Falleur, D. (1990). An investigation of academic dishonesty in allied health: Incidence and definition.Journal of Allied Health, 19, 313–324.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fishman, H. (1990a, October). “When prosecutors become persecutors”: An interview with a former Medicaid fraud control unit chief.The Psychiatric Times, 7, 21–23.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fishman, H. (1990b, November). Medicaid fraud control unit perspective: “It's the law.”The Psychiatric Times, 7, 63–64.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fishman, H. (1990c, December). The perspective of the Medicaid fraud control units: Part two.The Psychiatric Times, 7, 48–49.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fishman, H. (1991, February). New York psychiatrist exonerated, sues officials for $40 million.The Psychiatric Times, 8, 1, 34–35.

    Google Scholar 

  • Flynn, C.P. (1990) Relationship violence by women: Issues and implications.Family Relations, 39, 194–198.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fowler, R.D. (1991). Statement of editorial policy.American Psychologist, 46, 3–5.

    Google Scholar 

  • French, H.W. (1989, August 30). Hospital workers say they falsified patients' Medicaid data.New York Times, 24.

  • Friedman, P.J. (1990). Correcting the literature following fraudulent publication.Journal of the American Medical Association, 263, 1416–1419.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gardner, W.M., Roper, J.T., Gonzalez, C.C. & Simpson, R.G. (1988). Analysis of cheating on academic assignments.The Psychological Record, 38, 543–555.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gillespie, D.F., & Numerof, R.E. (1991). Burnout among health service providers.Administration and Policy in Mental Health, 18, 161–171.

    Google Scholar 

  • Green, S.L., & Hansen, J. C. (1989). Ethical dilemmas faced by family therapists.Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 15, 149–158.

    Google Scholar 

  • Greenblatt, M. (1990). Ethics in administration: The California crisis.Administration and Policy in Mental Health, 17, 177–183.

    Google Scholar 

  • Group for the Advancement of Psychiatry. (1990).A casebook in psychiatric ethics. New York: Brunner/Mazel.

    Google Scholar 

  • Haines, V.J., Diekhoff, G.M., Labeff, E.E., & Clark, R.E. (1986). College cheating: Immaturity, lack of commitment, and the neutralizing attitude.Research in Higher Education, 25, 342–354.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hamilton, D.P. (1990). Science misconduct legalese thickens.Science, 249, 1102.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hanzlick, R. (1988). Death certificates, natural death, and alcohol.American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology, 9, 149–150.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hemenway, D., Killen, A., Cashman, S.B., Parks, C.L., & Bicknell, W.J. (1990). Physicians' responses to financial incentives.New England Journal of Medicine, 322, 1059–1063.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hepler, J.B., & Noble, Jr, J.H. (1990). Improving social work education: Taking responsibility at the door.Social Work, 35, 126–133.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hiratsuka, J. (1990, November). Computer power comes to child welfare.NASW News, 35, 3.

    Google Scholar 

  • Holden, C. (1991). Rehabilitation for Burt?Science, 251, 27.

    Google Scholar 

  • Holleman, W.L., & Holleman, M.C. (1988). School and work release evaluations.Journal of the American Medical Association, 260, 3629–3634.

    Google Scholar 

  • Holman, J.E., & Caston R.J. (1987). Interorganizational influences on mental health diagnoses.Sociological Perspectives, 30, 180–200.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hopps, J.G. (1989). Peer review: A trust, not a vault.Social Work, 34, 3–4.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hostetler, A.J. (1987). Many reserchers see, speak no evil.The APA Monitor, 18(11), 16.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jacobs, J. (1985). “In the best interest of the child”: Official court reports as an artifact of negotiated reality in children's assessment centers.Clinical Sociology Review, 3, 88–108.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jaffe, G.A. (1989). Institutional ethics committees.The Journal of Legal Medicine, 10, 393–431.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jesilow, P.D., Pontell, H.N., & Geis, G. (1985). Medical criminals: Physicians and white-collar offenses.Justice Quarterly, 2, 149–165.

    Google Scholar 

  • Karlins, M., Michaels, C. & Podlogar, S. (1988). An empirical investigation of actual cheating in a large sample of undergraduates.Research in Higher Education, 29, 359–364.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kirk, S.A., & Kutchins, H. (1988). Deliberate misdiagnosis in mental health practice.Social Service Review, 62, 224–237.

    Google Scholar 

  • La Fave, L., Haddad, J., & Maesen, W.A. (1976). Superiority, enhanced self-esteem, and perceived incongruity humour theory. In T. Chapman & H. Foot (Eds.)Humour and Laughter: Theory, Research and Applications (pp. 63–91). New York: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • LaPuma, J. (1990) Clinical ethics, mission, and vision: Practical wisdom in health care.Hospital & Health Services Administration, 35, 321–326.

    Google Scholar 

  • Maddox, J. (1990). Should camp-followers be policemen?Nature, 348, 107.

    Google Scholar 

  • Maesen, W.A. (in preparation).Practitioner as victim: A risk management perspective. Springfield, Ill.: Charles C. Thomas.

  • Marshall, E. (1989a). Peary's North Pole claim reexamined.Science, 243, 1131–1132.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marshall, E. (1989b). Malaria researcher indicted.Science, 245, 1326.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marshall, E. (1989c). Ethics debate sends tremors through USGA.Science, 246, 570–571.

    Google Scholar 

  • McGinn, P.R. (1991, January 14). Dentists' antitrust convictions out; other prosecutions unclear.American Medical News, 34, 1, 31.

    Google Scholar 

  • McMillen, L. (1990, October 3). A Dartmouth ethicist to take a close look at fund raising.Chronicle of Higher Education, 37, A33-A34.

    Google Scholar 

  • Miceli, M.P., & Near, J.P. (1988). Individual and situational correlates of whistle-blowing.Personnel Psychology, 41, 267–281.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moran, M. (1990a, 4 May). Physicians fight Medicaid fraud prosecutions.Psychiatric News, 25, 1, 44.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moran, M. (1990b, 15 June). Former HHS official denounces fraud investigators as ‘disgrace’,Psychiatric News, 25, 4, 8.

    Google Scholar 

  • NASW News. (1989). Foster care suit is allowed.NASW News, 34, (3), 11.

    Google Scholar 

  • Palca, J. (1990). Scientific misconduct cases revealed.Science, 248, 297.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pfeifer, M.P., & Snodgrass, G.L. (1990). The continued use of retracted, invalid scientific literature.Journal of the American Medical Association, 263, 1420–1423.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pinkney, D.S. (1990a, 37 July). Are doctors unfairly hitby Medicaid fraud charges?American Medical News, 33(28), 1, 42–43.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pinkney, D.S. (1990b, October 5). AMA wants IG Kusserow fired over physician fraud probes.American Medical News, 33 1, 29.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pope, K.S. (1990). Ethical and malpractice issues in hospital practice.American Psychologist, 45, 1066–1070.

    Google Scholar 

  • Powledge, T.M. (1988, 4 November). Getting scrious about fraud & misconduct.AAAS Observer, 2, 1, 6–7.

    Google Scholar 

  • Raymond, C. (1990, November 21). Discovery of early plagiarism by Martin Luther King raises troubling questions for scholars and admirers.Chronicle of Higher Education, 37, A1, A8.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reamer, F.G. (1990):Ethical dilemmas in social service. (2nd ed.), New York: Columbia University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Riordan, C.A., Marlin, N.A. & Gidwani, C. (1988). Accounts offered for unethical research practices: Effects on the evaluations of acts and actors.Journal of Social Psychology, 128, 495–505.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schuerman, J.R. (1989). Editorial.Social Service Review, 63, 1–4.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shapiro, M.F., & Charrow, R.P. (1989). The role of data audits in detecting scientific misconduct.Journal of the American Medical Association, 261, 2505–2511.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shapiro, S.P. (1990). Collaring the crime, not the criminal: Reconsidering the concept of white-collar crime.American Sociological Review, 55, 346–365.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sieber, J.E. (1989), September/October). On studying the powerful (or fearing to do so): A vital role for IRBs.IRB, 11, 1–6.

    Google Scholar 

  • Skolnick, J.H. (1988). The social transformation of vice.Law and Contemporary Problems, 51, 9–29.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stewart, W.W., & Feder, N. (1987). The integrity of the scientific literature.Nature, 325, 207–214.

    Google Scholar 

  • Talent, J.A. (1989). The case of the peripateric fossils.Nature, 338, 613–615.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thornton, W.E., & Voight, L. (1988). Roles and ethics of the practicing criminologist.Clinical Sociology Review, 6, 113–133.

    Google Scholar 

  • Trevino, L.K., & Youngblood, S.A. (1990). Bad apples in bad barrels: A causal analysis of ethical decision making behavior.Journal of Applied Psychology, 75, 378–385.

    Google Scholar 

  • Weinstock, R. (1989). Perceptions of ethical problems by forensic psychiatrists.Bulletin of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law 17, 189–202.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wheeler, D.L. (1991, January 23). Scientists, editors debate early release of important medical findings.Chronicle of Higher Education, 37, A8-A9.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilkins, M.A., McGuire, J.M., Abbott, D.W., & Blau, B.I. (1990). Willingness to apply understood ethical principles.Journal of Clinical Psychology, 46, 539–547.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wylie, F.W. (1989). Ethics in college and university public relations.Public Relations Review, 15, 63–67

    Google Scholar 

  • Zillman, G.L. (1990). Child abuse reporting and failure to report among mandated reporters.Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 5, 3–22.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zylke, J.W. (1989). Investigation results in disciplinary action against researchers, retraction of articles.Journal of the American Medical Association, 262, 1910–1911, 1915.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Illinois State Psychiatric Institute, P.O. Box 4380, 60680, Chicago, IL

    William A. Maesen Ph.D., L.C.S.W.

Authors
  1. William A. Maesen Ph.D., L.C.S.W.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Maesen, W.A. Fraud in mental health practice: A risk management perspective. Adm Policy Ment Health 18, 421–432 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00707315

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00707315

Keywords

Search

Navigation