On November 16, 2012 the Board of Registration of Allied Mental Health and Human Service Professionals in Massachusetts officially notified Steve Hassan that the complaint filed against him by a former client, which was forwarded for prosecution, was dismissed without prejudice.
It must be noted that when a complaint is dismissed without prejudice, unlike a dismissal with prejudice which is final, the complaint may not be dismissed forever and can potentially be reopened.
Within its official notification of dismissal the licensing board felt it was necessary to "remind [Steve Hassan] of the rules and regulations that govern all licensed mental health counselors in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts."
The board specifically focused on "the limitations of social media and the importance of maintaining confidentiality." The board told Hassan that he must "monitor any posts on social media websites to ensure that patient confidentiality is never compromised." And that "the responsibility for maintaining patient confidentiality always falls upon the mental health counselor."
The board admonished Hassan, "All licensed mental health counselors are expected to adhere to these standards and failure to do so may result in disciplinary action against your license."
It would seem, based upon the prosecution of the complaint and admonishments by his licensing board that Steve Hassan narrowly escaped disciplinary action.
