Florida licensing board accepts settlements, imposes suspensions, fines and revocations at general business meeting

The Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy, and Mental Health Counseling on 2025 considered a series of disciplinary matters and accepted multiple settlement agreements and penalty recommendations, including two revocations and several suspensions tied to monitoring or completion of corrective actions.

The board accepted a settlement agreement in the case of Michael Zoda, LMFT, imposing a reprimand, $250 fine, targeted continuing-education requirements and an $8,000 cost assessment; it accepted a settlement for Nathaniel Jacob Wagner, LMHC, that included a reprimand and 15 hours of continuing education with waived fees. The board also voted to revoke two licenses — for William Jason Vejcik, LCSW, following guilty pleas to multiple cocaine-related felonies, and for Sarah Adina Turetsky, RMHCI, after findings that she documented providing telehealth psychotherapy to a minor on dates when she did not — and ordered fines and costs tied to those outcomes.

Why it matters: The actions affect clinicians’ ability to practice in Florida, signal the board’s reliance on criminal-conviction records and competency/ethics findings in imposing the highest penalties, and underscore the role of the Professionals Resource Network (PRN) monitoring program in discipline involving substance use.

Most consequential outcomes

- Revocations and large fines: The board voted to revoke the registration/license of Sarah Adina Turetsky, RMHCI, and assess the minimum statutorily required administrative fine for fraud cases ($10,000) and costs, based on findings that Turetsky signed progress notes indicating she provided telehealth therapy to a minor patient on multiple dates when she did not. The board also revoked William J. Vejcik’s LCSW license, citing felony convictions for sale/delivery and possession of cocaine; the board relied on the “danger to the public” aggravator and imposed a $1,000 administrative fine plus costs.

- PRN-related suspensions and monitoring: Casey Becker, LMHC, who entered a PRN (Professionals Resource Network) monitoring contract in 2021 and later tested positive on toxicology screens, received a reprimand and suspension until she is compliant with PRN evaluations and any PRN recommendations; the board required Becker to follow PRN’s terms before returning to practice and assessed $2,209.60 in costs to be paid within one year.

- Settlement terms with continuing education and probation triggers: Michael Zoda’s settlement included a reprimand, a fine of $250, 21 continuing-education hours (allocated to laws and rules, recordkeeping/documentation and ethics), a five-year notification/probation requirement if he takes on non-residential clients, and $8,000 in costs. Nathaniel Jacob Wagner’s settlement imposed a reprimand and 15 hours of continuing education (including domestic violence training); the department waived fees in part because Wagner traveled to appear previously.

Board procedure and contested items

- Continuances and recusals: The board continued the hearing for Andrew James Pittington (informal hearing request) after defense counsel presented medical documentation that the respondent was hospitalized; the board granted the continuance. Several board members recused themselves in specific matters where indicated by the record (noted at the time of each case).

- Continuance denial: William J. Vejcik requested, by late email, to appear telephonically; the board treated that message as a request for continuance, considered counsel’s recommendation and denied the continuance because notice had been served three weeks earlier. The board then proceeded to consider the investigative report and accepted the department’s recommended penalties, relying on the conviction record and the danger-to-the-public aggravator.

Votes at a glance

- Michael Zoda (Case No. 202133169) — Accepted settlement agreement (reprimand; $250 fine; 21 CE hours: 8 laws & rules, 10 recordkeeping, 3 ethics; 5-year notification/probation trigger for new nonresidential clients; costs $8,000). Vote: carried (recusal noted; board recorded the motion as approved).

- Nathaniel Jacob Wagner (Case No. 202312884) — Accepted settlement agreement (reprimand; 15 CE hours including domestic violence; fees partly waived). Vote: approved unanimously.

- Juliana Eulert (Case No. 202341510) — Findings adopted; penalty: reprimand and suspension until compliant with corrective action plan (includes 8 hours laws and rules); costs $237.88 paid within 6 months. Vote: motion carried.

- Casey Becker (Case No. 202323462) — Findings adopted; penalty: reprimand and suspension until compliant with PRN evaluation and any PRN recommendations; costs $2,209.60 to be paid within one year. Vote: carried unanimously.

- William Jason Vejcik (Case No. 202425369) — Findings adopted; penalties: administrative fine of $1,000 within one year and revocation based on danger-to-the-public aggravator; costs $732.97 to be paid within one year. Vote: carried unanimously (continuance request denied prior to hearing).

- Sarah Adina Turetsky (Case No. 202311488) — Findings adopted; penalties: administrative fine $10,000 (statutory minimum for fraud), revocation of registration, costs $2,923.99 to be paid within one year. Vote: carried unanimously.

What the records say (selected clarifications)

- Zoda: The department alleged failure to document psychotherapy records and related recordkeeping violations for a named patient between April 2018 and July 2020. The settlement requires a reprimand, specified CE, notification requirements if he takes new non-residential clients (which would trigger probation), and payment of $8,000 in costs.

- Wagner: The complaint described out-of-state criminal convictions (August 2022 plea in Indiana for domestic battery) and a disciplinary action there; the board accepted a settlement imposing a reprimand and 15 CE hours and waived some fees citing travel and prior appearance.

- Eulert: The department described a New Mexico disciplinary history for impairment-related practice; board adopted findings and imposed a reprimand and suspension until completion of corrective action (8 CE hours in laws & rules) and set costs at $237.88 to be paid within six months.

- Becker: Record and PRN materials show a 5-year PRN contract beginning in 2021, multiple positive toxicology results while under PRN monitoring, a PRN-approved evaluator’s recommendation for residential/partial hospitalization and a VWOP (voluntary work or program) that the respondent declined; the board’s penalty conditions Becker’s return to practice on PRN compliance.

Board process notes and next steps

- The board repeatedly distinguished between findings of fact, conclusions of law, recommended penalties from the Department of Health, and separate votes on costs; in each case the board first adopted investigative findings or the settlement finding of facts and then voted on the penalty and costs.

- Where PRN monitoring was implicated the board left timing and duration to the monitoring program’s clinical determinations; in PRN-related matters the board imposed open-ended suspensions until the monitoring body certified compliance.

- Several matters were continued or resolved by settlement rather than contested hearing when respondents or counsel requested continuances or where respondents agreed to settlement terms.

Members, counsel and officials who spoke at this meeting

Board members and staff who participated in votes or proceedings included: Doctor Claudia Vicencio (board member), Tanya Krause (board member; recused in cases as noted), Angelita Salado (board member), Doctor Joaquin Molina (board member). Board counsel and prosecutors appearing for the Department of Health included Timothy Frizzell (senior assistant attorney general), Colleen Nolan (senior attorney, prosecution services), and Gianni/Johnny Croce (prosecution services presentations). Board staff included Ashley Irvin (executive director) and Kieran Copignon (program operations administrator). Respondents and counsel appearing included George Indest (counsel for Andrew J. Pittington), Jason Pulido (counsel for Sarah Turetsky), and named respondents Michael Zoda, Nathaniel Jacob Wagner, Juliana Eulert, Casey Becker, William J. Vejcik and Sarah A. Turetsky. Court reporter: Cindy Green, Magnolia Court Reporting.

Taper: The board closed the docket after voting on the listed disciplinary matters and recessed for a short break; follow-up filings, final orders and costs deadlines will be handled through the board’s compliance and enforcement processes. No legislative or rule changes were adopted at this meeting; staff later noted a proposed guideline modification for future agendas addressing revocation in certain conviction-related cases.