Brown Medical Professor, Who Was Suspended by RIDOH, Has Been Dismissed From VA Hospital
Tuesday, May 30, 2023
The Brown University professor placed on probation in January by the Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) for an inappropriate relationship with a patient has been dismissed from her role at the Veterans Administration (VA) Hospital in Providence.
Multiple sources confirmed to GoLocal that Brown Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior Amy Cameron has been removed from her VA duties; the VA confirmed that she is no longer on staff.
“Dr. Amy Cameron formerly held the position of Clinical Psychologist (GS-0180-13) at the VA Providence Healthcare System,” said John J. Loughlin II, public affairs officer at the VA in Providence.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTWhile she has lost her post at the VA, Cameron continues to serve on the Brown faculty.
“Dr. Amy Cameron holds a current appointment as an assistant professor of psychiatry and human behavior,” wrote Brown’s Vice President Brian Clark in an email to GoLocal.
Cameron has repeatedly refused to respond to questions about her suspension and relationship with a patient.
She Violated the Tenets of the Profession
According to the RIDOH finding issued in January, the incident was a violation of the “Psychologist Act" by breaching several tenets of the American Psychological Association Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct, specifically:
a. Ethical Standard §3.04 Avoiding Harm-psychologists must take reasonable steps to avoid harming their clients/patients;
b. Ethical Standard §3.05 Multiple Relationships-psychologists who have a professional role with a person should refrain from entering into multiple relationships with the same person if the multiple relationship risks exploitation or harm to the person with whom the professional role exists;
c. Ethical Standard §3.08 Exploitive Relationships-psychologists should not exploit their patient/client relationships
Specifically, the enforcement action cites:
1. That Respondent is a psychologist licensed to practice in the State of Rhode Island under psychology, License Number PS01c558.
2. That at all times relevant hereto, Cameron was employed at Providence Veterans Administration Medical Center in Providence, RI.
3. That according to the Complaint, Respondent began a clinical relationship with Patient 1 on or about November 2014, The clinical relationship lasted until approximately May 2015. The relationship between Respondent and Patient 1 became personal in nature. The relationship exceeded the professionally acceptable boundaries for practitioners and patients including frequent after-hours phone calls and texting. Additionally, she failed to document the occurrence and frequency of the after-hours communications in the clinical notes.
4. Cameron acknowledged the relationship with Patient 1 was improper, represented a significant ethical lapse in judgment and expressed remorse in connection therewith.
5. That, nevertheless, the Board noted she did not self-report the incidents, as they were raised by the complainant.
6. That the conduct described in the Complaint and in Paragraph 3, 4, and 5 above violated §5-44-18 (6) of the "Psychologist Act" by breaching several tenets of the American
As conditions of the enforcement action, Cameron must complete a number of actions per the agreement:
Complete required continuing education credits ("CECs") required for licensure and previously acquired CECs on ethics and boundaries.
She will seek and obtain clinical supervisory consultation with a supervisor at her current employer -the Veterans Administration, during the probation period.
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