MEMBERS OF THE BOARD

TEXAS STATE
BOARD OF
EXAMINERS OF
Ps y c h o l o g is t s

Barbara Adams Bailey, PH.D.

Austin
Ronald Brandon, M.S.
Temple

Kenneth F. Kopel, Ph.D.

Houston
Harold H. LeCrone, Jr., Ph.D.
Waco

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Patricia S. Bizzell, M.P.A.
9101 Burnet Road
Suite 212
Austin, Texas 78758
512-835-2036

Lisa Saemann, B.B.A.

Dallas

June 12, 1990

Phillip McGraw, Ph.D

1501 Brook Avenue
Wichita Falls, TX 76301

Lawrence S. Schoenfeld, Ph.D.

San Antonio
John M. Sell, Ph.D.
Dallas
Jerome N. Sherman, Ph.D.
Houston
Bert Kruger Smith, M.A., D.H.L. (Hon.)

Austm

Dear Dr. McGraw:

At its meeting on May 30, 1990, the Texas State Board of Examiners
of Psychologists accepted the transcript you submitted concerning
the professional ethics course. It is their determination that the
requirements of the Agreed Order have been satisfied.
Your
complaint file has been closed.
Sincerely,

Patricia S. Bizzell
Executive Director
PB:bc
Enclosure
cc:Barbara Adams Bailey, Ph.D.
John M. Sell, Ph.D.

0cr21J$SS

In re:

BEFORE THE

The Certification and

Licensure of

TEXAS STATE BOARD

Phillip C. McGraw

EXAMINERS OF PSYCHOLOGISTS

FINDINGS OF FACT, CONCLUSIONS OF LAW, AND ORDER

On

February

1,

1988,

Examiners of Psychologists

the

Texas

(hereinafter

State

Board

of

referred

to as

the

"Board") received a formal complaint from Sara Jane Morrison,

alleging unprofessional conduct upon the part of Phillip C.
McGraw,

licensed

alleged

that

an

psychologist.

inappropriate

Specifically,

dual

relationship

it

was

developed

between the licensee and Sara Jane Morrison during the course
of

therapeutic

relationship

doctor and the complainant.

the Board,

which

existed

between

the

Upon receipt of the accusations,

in accordance with the mandate of Section 18c of

the Texas Administrative Procedures

and Texas

Register Act

Article 6252-13a, notified the licensee of the nature of the

accusations and the possible ethical violations involved and
afforded

an opportunity to respond

licensee's
The

Board

response was received

subsequently

to these

on or about

determined

that

charges.

The

May 3,

1988.

probable

cause

existed with regard to a possible failure to provide proper

separation between termination of therapy and the initiation

of employment.

The Board

accordance

the

with

instituted

procedures

formal proceedings

specified

for

in

adjudicatory

actions under the Texas Administrative Procedures

and Texas

Register Act Article 6252-13a, and formal notice was given to

the licensee in accordance therewith.
It
waive

is now the expressed

a formal

adjudicatory

desire of

hearing

the

before

licensee

to

Board,

in

the

accordance with the Texas Administrative Procedures and Texas

Register Act,

and

to

enter

into

the

following

finding

of

facts, conclusions of law, and order of the Board:

FINDINGS OF FACT:
I.

Phillip

C.

McGraw,

the

licensee,

is

psychologist certified and licensed by this Board to practice

psychology in the State of Texas and is, therefore,
to

the

jurisdiction

of

this

Board

under

Article

subject
4512c

V.T.C.S, Psychologists' Certification and Licensing Act.

II.

That

doctor/patient

relationship

was

established between the complainant and Phillip C. McGraw on

or about June, 1984, and continued through August of 1985.
III.
therapeutic

That licensee and complainant

relationship

followed

closely

had an ongoing
by

business

relationship in the form of part-time temporary employment.

Page 2

CONCLUSIONS OF LAW
I.
license

The

from

licensee,

the

Texas

having
State

voluntarily
Board

of

received

Examiners

a
of

Psychologists is bound by the provisions of the Act and the

rules and regulations of the Board.
II.

That the therapeutic and business relationships

which developed between the licensee and the complainant was

an inappropriate dual relationship constituting

a violation

of Ethical Principle 6(a).

III.

A violation of the Board's Code of Ethics may

have occurred under Board Rule 461.3.

under

Section

23

of

the

Therefore,

Psychologists'

sanctions

Certification

and

Licensing Act are imposed.

ORDER
NOW,

THEREFORE,

it is the order of

Phillip C. McGraw:
I.

the Board

that

Receive

a public

letter of reprimand

from

the

Board of Examiners of Psychologists over the signature of the

Board Chairman.

Said public

included

made

in

and

letter of reprimand

a part

of

the

licensee's

is to be
permanent

record file.
II.
psychologist

Have his practice of psychology supervised by a

under

the

following

Board

supervision

guidelines:
Page 3

ISBEP
OCT 2* BSE

A.

The supervision is to be for 12 months from the

date of Board acceptance of this order.

B.

The licensee and a Board approved supervisor meet

twice monthly

at licensee's

expense

and

in the

licensee's

office unless

it is determined by the supervisor that less

frequent meetings are necessary.

C.

There are to be quarterly reports to the Board by

the supervisor concerning the licensee's practice.

D.
practice

will

satisfactory
be

filed which

final

report

concerning

the Board must

his

affirmatively

accept as satisfying the requirement of supervision; and

E.

Selection

of

a licensed psychologist

shall

be

mutually agreed upon by the licensee and the Board and will
provide supervision as required by the guidelines above with
the

provision

that

the

supervisor

may

require

additional

supervision at his/her discretion.

III.

Within twelve months from the date of entry of

this Order the licensee shall enroll in a professional ethics

course

taken

institution

in

and

regionally

approved,

in

accredited

advance,

by

the

educational
Board.

certified copy of the licensee's passing grade must be sent

directly from the university to the Board's office.
IV.
the

Board's

Pass

the Board's

minimum

jurisprudence examination

acceptable

score

at

OCT 2i1288

the

time

at
the

examination is administered.
First

sitting

shall

be

at

the

first Board

administration of the examination following completion of the

professional

ethics course described

in Section

III

above.

Licensee shall sit for all consecutive administrations of the

examination

until

passed.

If

licensee

fails

examination at first or subsequent sitting,

to acquire

additional

formal

education

to

pass

the

licensee agrees

between

examination

administrations.
V.

A complete physical evaluation by an M.D. and a

psychological evaluation by either a licensed psychologist p

shall be made.

In both instances,

the doctors

are to be previously approved by the Board and must certify

to

the

Board

physically
consuming

fit

that

the

to

provide

public.

All

licensee

is

psychologically

psychological

evalutions

are

services
to

and

to

be

at

the
the

licensee's expense.
A failure to reasonably comply with any part of this
Order

may

result

in

immediate

suspension

for

12

month

period and such further discipline as the Board may lawfully

order.
The licensee,

by signing this Order,

agrees

to its

terms and covenants that he will satisfactorily complete its

requirements in a timely manner or be subject to appropriate
/+ %

Page 5

F *^*

|JBta

OCT 21 ISEi

disciplinary action of the Board.

The

date

of

this

Order

shall

be

the

date

it

executed by the Board.

SIGNED this

<2-7

day of

, 198

TEXAS STATE BOARD OF EXAMINERS

OF PSYCHOLOGISTS

SIGNED this

is