STEPS TO FILING AN ETHICS COMPLAINT
This document is intended to inform the public along with members of the NADT of the steps to filing an ethics complaint. This document should be consulted alongside the NADT Code of Ethics.
An ethics complaint may be filed by anyone who witnesses an ethics violation. A complaint, however, may only be filed against a member of the NADT. Prior to submitting an ethic complaint, we encourage you to address the drama therapist in question directly and/or their supervisor. If this is not possible or if mediating conversations have not successfully addressed the behavior in question then proceed with filing an ethics complaint. To file an ethics complaint against a member of the NADT, please send the following information to the NADT office by fax or postal mail:
- Name of the NADT member
- Your name and mailing address
- A simple 1-line statement that you are interested in filing an ethics complaint
- A brief statement of the behavior at issue.
NADT Ethics Chair
c/o Nisha Sajnani, RDT
19 Edwards Street
New Haven, CT 06513
Ph: (571) 333-2991
Fax: (571) 333-5685
Shortly after having received this information, the Ethics Chair will be in contact with you. Please note, to maintain confidentiality the Ethics Chair/ Committee does not communicate by way of e-mail regarding ethics complaint matters. Please use fax or postal mail. Please continue to use email, in addition to phone or fax, if you have an ethics related question (ethics@nadt.org).
Following submission of the complaint:
- The complaint will be reviewed by the Ethics Chair and will either be deemed to have merit (i.e. the actions or behaviors observed are deemed to be a violation of Code) or unfounded. If the complaint is deemed to lack merit the complainant and the Board of Directors will be notified within 30 days that the case has been closed.
- If the case is found to have merit, the complaint subject will be sent a copy of the complaint. The complaint subject has 30 days to respond in writing to the allegations. The complaint subject may seek the assistance of counsel, however, the documentation and/or evidence must be submitted in writing by the complaint subject and not a lawyer.
- Both the complaint and the response are forwarded to the Ethics committee for review. The committee will determine if further investigation is needed or make a recommendation(s) to the Board of Directors.
- In the case that further investigation is needed, the Ethics committee will gather the information necessary.
- Upon completion of the investigation, the committee will determine the action to recommend to the Board of Directors and will write a report summarizing the committee’s findings, conclusions and recommendation(s).
- The complaint, response, and Ethics committee report are then reviewed by the Board of Directors. The Board, by majority vote will determine what action, if any, is to be taken with respect to the complaint. Actions may include but are not limited to: formal mediation, mandatory supervision and/or suspension of one’s membership or registered status (RDT).