Authority and scope
Check the license and concern
DPH’s licensed-profession list includes psychologists, professional counselors, social workers, marriage/family therapists and associates, and alcohol-and-drug-abuse counselors. Its shared practitioner complaint instructions apply to these listed professions. Identify the exact credential; psychiatrist MD/DO and psychiatric-nurse concerns use the medical or nursing guides. A practice’s use of “therapy” does not identify every worker as a licensed professional.
Supporting guidance: Connecticut: regulated practitioner professions ↗Connecticut: reporting a practitioner complaint ↗
Match the route to the credential
Use the license listed in the practitioner's records or official license lookup. A psychiatrist is a physician; psychiatric nurses have nursing credentials. Some psychologists have prescribing authority, so medication alone does not identify the licensing board.
Choose the right licensing authority
Psychology
DPH-listed psychologists through practitioner intake.
Open this official route ↗Professional counseling
DPH-listed professional counselors through practitioner intake.
Open this official route ↗Social work
DPH-listed social workers, including the relevant clinical license.
Open this official route ↗Marriage and family therapy
DPH-listed therapists and associates.
Open this official route ↗Alcohol and drug counseling
DPH-listed alcohol-and-drug-abuse counselor credentials.
Open this official route ↗How the official source says to file
- Complete the linked practitioner complaint form for each practitioner. Identify yourself, the patient and your relationship, the practitioner, treatment dates and events, and relevant witnesses. Sign and date the complaint and attach a clear account of the concern.
- Complete the treatment-information authorization with the patient or authorized representative’s signature and the witness signature. Confirm authority when complaining for a child or another adult. Read the release before including sensitive records.
- Mail to Connecticut DPH, Practitioner Investigations Unit, MS#12HSR, PO Box 340308, Hartford, CT 06134-0308; email DPH.PLISComplaints@ct.gov; or fax 860-707-1916. Call 860-509-7552 to request a form.
- The page’s special notarization instruction applies to physician and physician-assistant complaints. It does not state that requirement for the therapy professions listed here.
Supporting guidance: Connecticut: complaint and information release ↗Connecticut: reporting a practitioner complaint ↗Connecticut: practitioner complaint FAQ ↗
What this route may not provide
DPH does not license counseling or therapy offices as offices, nor their clerical staff; it regulates individual practitioners. Licensed healthcare facilities use a separate facility route. DPH says license proceedings do not compensate consumers. Its FAQ excludes ordinary fee, personality, attitude and waiting-time disputes, while fraudulent charges for services never provided may raise a licensure issue.
Supporting guidance: Connecticut: reporting a practitioner complaint ↗Connecticut: practitioner complaint FAQ ↗
Do not guess about confidentiality
DPH warns the complaint and supplied information may be disclosed under Freedom of Information law. Anonymous filing and any promise to conceal identity from the practitioner were not established. The signed release covers psychiatric, psychological, substance-use and other health information for investigation and hearings; it expires one year after the latest signature and allows written revocation subject to prior reliance.
Supporting guidance: Connecticut: reporting a practitioner complaint ↗Connecticut: complaint and information release ↗
Ask promptly; acknowledgment expected within two weeks
A filing deadline was not established by this check; ask promptly. DPH says it should acknowledge receipt within two weeks; contact the unit if no acknowledgment arrives. That receipt target is not a deadline for filing or a promised case-completion date.
Supporting guidance: Connecticut: reporting a practitioner complaint ↗
What may happen after filing
DPH checks whether a complaint concerns a regulated professional and a possible licensing violation. It may investigate and seek a response or further information. The available license actions include reprimand, education or restrictions; a complaint does not guarantee discipline.
Supporting guidance: Connecticut: practitioner complaint FAQ ↗
Prepare a reviewable submission
State the concern you want reviewed, give a short chronology and factual consequences, and explain your request. Keep supporting records and follow the receiving authority’s instructions before attaching or sending them.
Sources and scope
Connecticut: regulated practitioner professions ↗
Named psychology, counseling, social work, MFT and alcohol/drug counselor categories.
Source checked: September 19, 2026
Connecticut: reporting a practitioner complaint ↗
Applicability, methods, address, FOI notice, compensation limit, acknowledgment and physician-only notarization.
Source checked: September 19, 2026
Connecticut: practitioner complaint FAQ ↗
Separate forms, jurisdiction, exclusions and license remedies.
Source checked: September 19, 2026
Connecticut: complaint and information release ↗
Complaint signatures, witness, patient/representative release, sensitive records and authorization duration.
Source checked: September 19, 2026
Source check: September 19, 2026. This records a review of the linked material, not a decision about your case. No clinical or legal reviewer is identified for this guide. Confirm current instructions with the receiving authority.