Frances J. Nugent
49 Elm Street
Worcester, MA 01608

Social Workers number 205073:

20.01: Unethical or Unprofessional Conduct in General

(a) any provisions of the Code of Ethics of the National Association of Social Workers, as adopted by the 1979 NASW Delegate Assembly and amended from time to time hereafter, to the extent that said provision is not inconsistent with federal or state law;

4.04 Dishonesty, Fraud, and Deception

Social workers should not participate in, condone, or be associated with dishonesty, fraud, or deception.

On May 22, 2007, Frances Nugent, in regards to her position as Victim Service Coordinator, for the Diocese of Worcester presented a statement concerning Michael Chesnis in regards to his review committee statement, taken on an earlier date.

1. The statement contained a sentence that Michael’s mother was deceased.
When Mr. Chesnis brought to Ms Nugent’s attention that his mother was in fact alive, Ms Nugent argued with Mr. Chesnis that he had told, in fact she was dead. Ms Nugent agreed to remove the sentence.

2. Paragraph 4, page one, I know there are 100 of victims from other states. Mr. Chesnis did not make that statement. (see attached May 23, 2007 document)

3. In paragraph four, page two, Mr. Chesnis lawyer has photographs of Father Szantyr getting out of the driver’s side of his own car and walking in and out of church with no assistance. (see attached May 23, 2007 document)

4. Ms Nugent told Mr. Chesnis to quit his job, so he would qualify for Mass Health, as the diocese of Worcester could not afford to pay for his requested counseling services. After several confrontational exchanges, Ms Nugent finally agreed to provide 25 therapeutic counseling sessions.

5. Page two of 5/22/07statement claims Mr. Chesnis is not working; however he was in fact employed at time of this statement.

6. Ms Nugent provided Mr. Chesnis with a blank page three containing only a signature line and requested Mr. Chesnis to sign that page. The page contained no heading or page numbers.

7. Ms Nugent argued when his advocate, Mary T. Jean informed Mr. Chesnis not to sign the blank page.

8. Ms Nugent stated the Office of Healing had no budget to provide housing services for the clergy abuse victims. (see enclosed April 22, 2007 Telegram article)

On or about May 28, 2007, Ms Nugent called Mr. Chesnis and invited him to return to the Chancery under the premises to discuss housing assistance. Ms Nugent demanded Mr. Chesnis not bring his clergy abuse advocate, Mary T. Jean, to the meeting, if he wanted to receive services from the Office of Healing.

1. Upon arrival Ms Nugent did not allow Helen, who Mr. Chesnis had brought for emotional support, to attend the meeting.

2. Ms Nugent interrogated Mr. Chesnis as to as to the location of his pending criminal trial.

3. Ms Nugent requested to know the number of witnesses who would testify.

4. Ms Nugent failed to address the original topic of the meeting: housing.

5. Ms Nugent misrepresented the fact that the Worcester Dioceses Office of Healing was going to supply housing services.

6. Ms Nugent failed to meet her primary goal to help people in need and address Mr. Chesnis social problems as she had no resources or knowledge of resources to help provided housing. Currently Mr. Chesnis is homeless

1.06 Conflicts of Interest

(a) Social workers should be alert to and avoid conflicts of interest that interfere with the exercise of professional discretion and impartial judgment.

1.01 Commitment to Clients Social workers' primary responsibility is to promote the well-being of clients.

1. Ms Nugent, who is employed by the Worcester Diocese, and is the only voice to be heard when presentations of the Review Committee statements, are made to the Pastoral Board in regards to the sexual abuse of the victims. Ms Nugent will not allow the victim to be present during her presentation of their statement.

2. On or about May 8, 2007, Ms Nugent stated that the Diocese of Worcester never transferred a Worcester Diocese Priest accused of sexual abuse: ever.

3. Ms Nugent at the conclusion of the May 22 meeting, informed Mr. Chesnis to come back at any time for her assistance, yet has provided none.

4. Ms Nugent’s demeanor during the meeting of June 5, 2007 caused Mr. Chesnis emotional distress. Mr. Chesnis felt intimidated by her actions.

5. Ms Nugent allowed Sr. Paula Kelleher to emotionally injure Mr. Chesnis, by remaining silent while Sr. Kelleher informed him; he was responsible for the well being and spiritual state of the perpetrator who had sexually abused him as a child under the age of fourteen.

1.04 Competence

(a) Social workers should provide services and represent themselves as competent only within the boundaries of their education, training, license, certification, consultation received.

1. Ms Nugent could not inform Mr. Chesnis who served on the Pastoral Committee or when the next meeting was scheduled.

2. Ms Nugent could not inform Mr. Chesnis when his statement would be read and a decision rendered.

3. Ms Nugent on numerous occasions failed to grasp the avenues of a criminal complaint and asked on several occasions who is Mr. Chenis’s lawyer.

4. Ms Nugent could not print a letter on Worcester Diocese letterhead using her office printer, nor could she print on an envelope.

If further information should become available we leave open the opportunity to supply additional facts in support of this complaint.