West Virginia Behavioral health Complaint Route

Authority and scope

Check the license and concern

The Psychology Board covers psychologists, school psychologists and supervised psychologists. The Counseling Board covers licensed professional counselors (LPCs) and marriage/family therapists (LMFTs). The Social Work Board has its own license levels and complaint route. A separate route for an addiction-only credential was not verified. For addiction treatment, identify any underlying psychology, LPC/LMFT or social-work license; do not assume a private certificate belongs to one of these boards.

Supporting guidance: Psychology complaint procedure ↗Counseling Board and complaint instructions ↗Social Work complaints ↗

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, school and supervised psychologists

Psychology Board’s complaint and treatment-record release.

Open this official route ↗

Professional counselors and marriage/family therapists

Counseling Board instructions; confirm LPC-titled packet for an LMFT.

Open this official route ↗

Social workers

Social Work Board’s signed written statement and disclosure waiver.

Open this official route ↗

Submission

Checked steps and filing details to confirm

Psychology: sign and date its complaint and send it to PO Box 3955, Charleston, WV 25339-3955. Include the professional’s identity, dates, factual account, witnesses and requested action. Its separate release authorizes all treatment records for yourself or your child.
Counseling: submit a signed, legible statement with contact information, dates and supporting documents to the Board at 815 Quarrier Street, Suite 212, Charleston, WV 25301. The linked form is titled for LPCs although the page covers LPCs and LMFTs; call 304-558-5494 to confirm the packet for an LMFT.
Social Work: mail the signed statement to PO Box 5459, Charleston, WV 25361. Attach the chronology, dates, witnesses and relevant documents. The form asks for applicable NASW ethics provisions; explain the conduct if uncertain.

Supporting guidance: Psychology complaint and release ↗Counseling Board and complaint instructions ↗Counseling complaint and waiver ↗Social Work complaints ↗Social Work statement and waiver ↗

Limits

What this route may not provide

Counseling expressly excludes clinics, health centers, ordinary billing/business/insurance disputes and employee disputes, and cannot recover compensation. Monetary-remedy powers for Psychology and Social Work were not established here. Confirm a separate program/facility regulator. Psychiatrists and psychiatric advanced-practice nurses use medical/nursing guides.

Supporting guidance: Counseling Board and complaint instructions ↗

Anonymity

Do not guess about confidentiality

Counseling rejects anonymous complaints and calls investigations confidential. Its waiver permits name disclosure and access to personal-history/client files, including audio/video. Psychology requires a signed complaint and sends it and supporting documents to the subject. Social Work’s signed waiver permits name disclosure and provides the subject the complete complaint/attachments if investigation is warranted.

Supporting guidance: Psychology complaint procedure ↗Psychology complaint and release ↗Counseling Board and complaint instructions ↗Counseling complaint and waiver ↗Social Work statement and waiver ↗

Complaint timing

Ask promptly; Psychology allows 20 days for an optional reply

A filing deadline was not established for these boards. Psychology gives the professional 30 days to respond; after receiving that response, you have 20 days for an optional reply. These are procedural response periods, not incident-to-filing deadlines.

Supporting guidance: Psychology complaint procedure ↗

Process

What may happen after filing

Psychology reviews responses, may investigate through its ethics process, and decides probable cause, settlement or hearing. Counseling describes board investigation and discipline. Social Work publishes disciplinary orders and refers complainants to its disciplinary rule; ask its office about case-specific progress.

Supporting guidance: Psychology complaint procedure ↗Counseling Board and complaint instructions ↗Social Work complaints ↗

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.