Pennsylvania Behavioral health Complaint Route

Authority and scope

Check the license and concern

The Psychology Board and the Board of Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists and Professional Counselors are separate licensing boards using Department of State complaint intake. The latter covers social-work licenses including LCSW, MFT and professional-counselor licenses and relevant associates. Addiction counselors with Pennsylvania Certification Board credentials such as CAAC, CADC or CAADC have a separate certification ethics route; a person may also hold a state professional license.

Supporting guidance: State Board of Psychology ↗Social-work, MFT and professional-counselor Board ↗PCB ethics complaint entry ↗PCB ethics complaint form ↗

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

Psychologists — state license

DOS intake for the Psychology Board.

Open this official route ↗

Social workers, MFTs and professional counselors — state license

DOS intake for the separate combined licensing Board.

Open this official route ↗

PCB addiction and related certifications

Separate certification ethics route, with its own consent and filing-time rules.

Open this official route ↗

Submission

How the official source says to file

State license: use PALS through the DOS complaint page or the paper Statement of Complaint. Give the practitioner, events, witnesses and supporting copies; keep your own complete set. Sign the truth verification, including the preparer’s signature when applicable.
Mail the DOS paper form to Professional Compliance Office, P.O. Box 69522, Harrisburg, PA 17106-9522, or fax 717-705-2882. Complete the applicable medical-record release with signatures and dates for the signer and witness; ask about authorization for another patient.
PCB certification: complete and sign its separate ethics form and attach supporting evidence. Use one method: mail 298 S. Progress Avenue, Harrisburg, PA 17109; email info@pacertboard.org; or fax 717-540-4458.
PCB specifically requires removing identifying client information or including client consent. Do not name clients as witnesses without signed consents. Its complaint form and evidence will be given to the person complained about.

Supporting guidance: DOS complaint instructions ↗DOS Statement of Complaint ↗PCB ethics complaint form ↗

Limits

What this route may not provide

DOS usually cannot obtain monetary restitution. PCB can act on its certifications or applicants, not another board’s state license. Identify any treatment-program or facility issue separately; these individual-credential procedures do not establish a facility complaint process. For a psychiatrist (MD/DO), use the medical guide; for a psychiatric advanced-practice nurse, use the nursing guide. Identify any facility or program complaint separately from the individual credential.

Supporting guidance: DOS complaint instructions ↗PCB ethics complaint entry ↗

Anonymity

Do not guess about confidentiality

DOS investigations are confidential and privileged, while final discipline is public. A later impact statement and its author’s identity are public and provided to the respondent. This does not establish anonymous filing. PCB generally rejects verbal/anonymous complaints except specified public-information cases; investigation confidentiality does not hide complainant identity from the subject, and public sanctions are published.

Supporting guidance: DOS complaint instructions ↗DOS Statement of Complaint ↗PCB ethics disciplinary procedure ↗PCB ethics complaint form ↗

Complaint timing

PCB certification complaints: published four-year limit; ask promptly about the separate state-board deadline.

PCB’s published form and procedure require complaints within four years of the offense and state a 90-day reporting requirement for certified professionals. These are PCB certification rules. For the state licensing boards, A filing deadline was not established by this check; ask promptly. DOS investigation duration varies; later hearing/impact-statement schedules are separate.

Supporting guidance: DOS complaint instructions ↗PCB ethics disciplinary procedure ↗PCB ethics complaint form ↗

Process

What may happen after filing

DOS screens jurisdiction, may obtain an enforcement investigation, and refers supported matters for prosecution and board-approved settlement or adjudication. PCB’s executive director investigates and its Ethics Committee decides dismissal, sanctions or hearing; withdrawal does not necessarily stop review.

Supporting guidance: DOS complaint instructions ↗PCB ethics disciplinary procedure ↗

Evidence

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.