Social worker Keegan Hornbeck details bipolar diagnosis and recovery as he seeks early end to probation

Keegan Hornbeck, a licensed clinical social worker, told the Board of Behavioral Sciences on Nov. 20 that treatment, sustained abstinence and community supports have allowed him to return to safe clinical practice and asked the board to terminate his probation early.

Deputy Attorney General Andrew Steinheimer told the board that Hornbeck’s license was the subject of an accusation after he failed to timely submit to a board‑mandated mental or physical fitness examination. An amended accusation and a stipulated settlement effective July 27, 2023, placed Hornbeck on three years’ probation with conditions including psychotherapy, supervised practice, quarterly reports, biological fluid testing (about three times per month) and cost recovery. Steinheimer said Hornbeck has paid approximately $7,011 and that roughly eight months remained on Hornbeck’s probation at the time of the hearing.

Hornbeck described a period of severe symptoms during the COVID‑era that led to hospitalization, loss of housing and later an accurate diagnosis of bipolar I disorder with psychotic features. He said the diagnosis and subsequent treatment allowed him to engage in weekly therapy, bimonthly psychiatry and regular participation in Alcoholics Anonymous and the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA). "I had all the privilege on the planet, and I still fell through the cracks," Hornbeck told the board, framing his experience as both a lived understanding of clients’ suffering and a motivator for recovery work.

Hornbeck said he works as a primary therapist at Passages Ventura, providing individual therapy, running process groups and overseeing a monthly family workshop; he also said a job offer for work with unhoused populations was rescinded because of his probationary status. He told members he currently attends AA three to four times weekly, has had the same sponsor for about two years, and was elected secretary of the Ventura DBSA chapter in February 2024.

Board members probed Hornbeck about how he recognizes warning signs (noting sleep loss as a key indicator), how he sustains supports, and what employment settings he would avoid to reduce risk. Multiple members, including Dr. Annette Walker, praised Hornbeck’s candor and described his testimony as informative about system gaps for people who experience psychiatric crises.

After admitting exhibits without objection and hearing concluding remarks, the judge closed the record and the board took the matter under submission for closed‑session deliberation. No decision was announced in open session; the board will send a written decision to Hornbeck.

The hearing record includes documentary exhibits (petition, case summaries, psychotherapy records and letters of support), testimony about Hornbeck’s continuing clinical work at Passages Ventura, and details of his recovery plan, including ongoing psychotherapy and engagement with peer‑support organizations.