Florida board suspends one counselor, revokes multiple licenses after disciplinary hearings

The Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage & Family Therapy and Mental Health Counseling on Jan. 31, 2025 took disciplinary action in a series of enforcement matters, vacating one earlier final order, granting a rehearing, and imposing fines, suspensions and revocations across multiple licensees.

The board vacated a previously issued final order against Yanet De La Tejera, LMHC, and agreed to rehear penalty. Colleen Nolan, presenting for the Department of Health prosecution services, told the board the department was “amenable to the board granting the petition and conducting another informal hearing.” After argument and further evidence and briefing, the board adopted the administrative findings and concluded De La Tejera had been properly served and that the Department’s allegations established a violation tied to the respondent’s termination from the Medicaid program under Florida law. The board imposed an administrative fine of $5,000, ordered payment within one year, and imposed a minimum two-year suspension. The suspension may be lifted thereafter if De La Tejera petitions and proves she is eligible to participate in the Agency for Healthcare Administration Medicaid program; the board also ordered costs of $2,175.10 to be paid within one year. Board members voted unanimously on the final penalty.

The department’s complaint against De La Tejera relied on the fact that she was terminated from the state Medicaid program (cited in the record as section 409.913, Florida Statutes). Defense counsel argued the termination was at-will and that the Department’s use of that termination as an aggravating factor…