April 2, 2008

Social workers complaint against Worcester Diocese Office of Healing delayed again.

After months of delays and failures to make quorums by the social workers board once again complaints against Frances Nugent’s Social Workers License has been delayed.  

According to Robert Williams from the office of investigation of the social workers board, the board did not have enough time to hear the cases last month.

The board has asked from the Worcester Diocese Catholic Church, a job description of Frances Nugent Co- director of the Office of Healing.   

According to Mr. Williams he was not allowed to speak to Frances Nugent and was referred to her lawyer James Reardon of Reardon and Reardon of Worcester long time Worcester diocese legal counsel.

Bishop Robert McManus has chosen once again to remain silent regarding the pending issues surrounding the Office of Healing.

Worcester Catholic’s saw this same type of behavior in the case of Rev James Aquino who was arrested in Las Vegas with his license in his shoe after being found in a male sex club. When first notified about the arrest of Rev Aquino, Bishop McManus took no action until the Las Vegas Police Department arrest report and court document were published.  

Only when public disclosure occurred did Bishop McManus step forth and take corrective action.

Ms Nugent should have been removed from her position a long time ago based on the three pending complaints filed against her social workers license.  

Individuals from other dioceses are waiting to see the outcome of this case as numerous complaints have surfaced regarding the lack of protection for clergy abuse victims conducted by those individuals employed by the so called “office of healing” that loyalties are to the Catholic Church and not those who are abused as designed in their job description.

Ms Nugent begins her introduction proclamation with “I have been a licensed social worker for fifty years”. To now try and deny her social workers license should not be in jeopardy due to her unethical behavior is despicable.    

Ms Nugent uses her social workers license to authentic and give credence to her position within the Worcester Diocese.

Ms Nugent attempted to get an alleged clergy sexual abuse to sign a blank page as a means to signing their victim statement. Ms Nugent also informed the same individual to quit his job and go on Mass Health because the Worcester diocese could not afford to pay for counseling.

For the Worcester Diocese to protect this type of behavior once again displays the Catholic church still has not made positive steps towards taking responsibility and acting like true Christians towards those who have been abused.  

January 25, 2008

Board of Registration social workers license now reports additional delay.

Sr. Keri Burnor was informed yesterday by investigator Robert Williams that her complaint filed against Frances Nugent Co-Director of the Worcester diocese office of Healing will not be heard until the February meeting of the social workers board.

This complaint concerning the lack of professional behavior was filed July 17, 2007 and the delay according to Mr. Williams was first due to the fact Frances Nugent obtained counsel to represent her concerning the issue presented.  

According to Sr. Keri, Robert Williams stated he has eleven cases to present to the board in the January meeting.

The Division of Professional licensure, Board of Registration of Social Workers are scheduled to meet monthly to determine if a complaint on a social workers license will move to the next step.

During the month of November and December two of the current five members were absent. Walton Stamper, Secretary was missing at both meetings. Betty Ruth, educator was not present at the November 6, 2007 meeting and Priscilla Lynch, member was not in attendance at the December 4, 2007 meeting.  

In the case of Sr. Keri, investigator Robert Williams did not contact any of the individuals who provided affidavits within the complaint. So the type of investigation that could have actually occurred appears questionable at best.        

In addition the Board members will go into executive session in order to discuss the report which is provided and written by investigator Robert Williams, thus avoiding public disclosure. The complainant is not allowed to see the investigators report previous to being presented to the board to determine if all factual documentation has been presented.

After the case is closed all documents within the file case will become public record.

January 6, 2008    

Board of Registration of Social Workers fails to hear complaint for second consecutive month.

The board of social workers for the second month in a row did not have enough members in attendance at their monthly meeting to meet a quorum. The failure by the board has resulted in the inability to process the complaint filed against Ms. Frances Nugent co-director of the Worcester Diocese Office of Healing and Prevention.  Mrs. Frances Nugent currently has had three complaints filed against her social workers license.

The first complaint was filed in the beginning of July 2007 and delayed according to social worker’s board investigator Robert Williams due to the fact that Ms Nugent retained legal council to address issues presented in the first two complaints.

It is unclear if the Worcester Diocese is paying Ms Nugent’s legal expenses.  

The most offensive violation is contained within the first complaint. The fact is that Ms Nugent was using her social workers license as a means of professional presentation and she failed to assist Michael Chesnis when he approached the Worcester Office of Healing for assistance.

Ms Nugent when asked for counseling assistance informed Mr. Chesnis that the diocese could not afford to pay for counseling and that he should quit his job and go on MassHealth. This statement was witnessed by Mary T Jean of the Worcester Voice and Teri Bisbee who volunteers at the Voice as a paralegal.

Ms Nugent further attempted to force by means of verbal aggressiveness towards Mr. Chesnis his signature on a blank page in regards to his statements of sexual abuse by Fr John Szantyr.  

Ms Nugent under the guise of providing housing assistance requested Mr. Chesnis to come to the Chancery without his advocate. When Mr. Chesnis arrived hoping to receive assistance he was instead treated with disrespect and questioned about his criminal case currently in Worcester district court involving Fr John Szantyr.

Ms Nugent decline to provide housing assistance which resulted in Mr. Chesnis becoming homeless.

More

July 9, 2007

Social Worker Complaint filed against Co-director of Office of Healing, Frances J. Nugent.

A victim of clergy sexual abuse who first sought to contact the Worcester Diocese, Office of Healing but left a message with Father Rocco Piccolomini waited almost a month but received no reply.

Finally after meeting with an advocate, Mr. Michael Chesnis  went to the Office of Healing, personally to arrange an appointment.

A complaint has been filed with the Massachusetts Division of Professional Licensure, Social Workers' Board, Investigate Bureau. The complaint outlines the treatment that was received when seeking services as a clergy abuse individual from the Office of Healing.

The Social Worker's complaint address inaccurate statements contained within the mandated review committee statement obtained by Frances Nugent. Also sited within the complaint are alleged unethical and unprofessional conduct as well as alleged conflicts of interest concerns.

Within an 2003 article by the Catholic Free Press in regards to the formation of the Office of Healing and Prevention, (at that time) victim services coordinator, Frances Nugent stated "The victim can bring whomever he wants".

Board of Registration of Social Workers is located at 239 Causeway Street, Suite 500, Boston, MA 02114. Erin M. LeBel, MS, LICSW, is the Executive Director, and Patricia Murray, MSW, LCSW, is Program Coordinator.  The Social Workers administration can be contacted at 617-727-3110, Complaint Inquiries at 617-727-7406.

Division of Professional Licensure, Social Workers' Board consist of  seven members.  Standards of Professional Practice and Conduct are located in Code of Massachusetts Regulations, 258 CMR 20.00. Decisions are the final actions taken by board that resolve complaints. Board decisions result in either disciplinary or non-disciplinary dispositions.

All investigations are confidential and the determination of the evidence can be many months away.

Established June, 2002.

Bishop Robert McManus

The Worcester Diocese, Office of Healing and Prevention was originally directed by Attorney Patricia O’Leary Engdahl.

Any person who seeks assistance from the Office of Healing must submit a signed complaint, copies of which are given to the Bishop and the Worcester District Attorney’s office.

The role of the Office of Healing and Prevention in the administrative aspect of a complaint ends when Frances J. Nugent, who presents the case(s) to the Pastoral Care Committee.

The Catholic Free press wrote, eight victims had contacted the Office of Healing.

June 1, 2005, Patricia O’Leary Engdahl resigned her position as  director of Office of Healing and Prevention. No official release was published by the Worcester Diocese. First public notification of Ms Engdahl's departure was made by Anna Maria College.

June 28, 2005, Bishop Robert J. McManus announced Sister Paula Kelleher, S.S.J., currently Vicar for Religious, will serve as co-director with Frances Nugent, for the Office for Healing and Prevention.

Sister Kelleher, a sister of St. Joseph of Springfield, has been Vicar for Religious here for more than 10 years. She is also a member of the diocesan review committee and in 1993 was one of the contacts for a hot line set up by the diocese where people could report clergy sexual abuse.

The Worcester Telegram was approached to cover the April 28, 2007 hearing regarding the Rev John Szantyr case which has been in the Worcester district court system for four years.

Instead of reporting on the case, including the release of a previously unknown alleged victim of Rev John Szantyr's, the Telegram instead wrote an April 22, 2007 article regarding the Office of Healing.

According to a report filed with the Diocesan Review Committee, the Office of Healing and Prevention filed seven complaints from July 2005 to May 2006. Local officials, however, said those allegations were made against priests who had already been implicated in other cases or are now deceased. Three of the individuals were also following up on complaints made before 2002.