‘We are in a crisis’: Mental health professionals react to sudden closure of major care provider in Hampton Roads

PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) — What happened at Christian Psychotherapy Services that forced the closure of four locations — leaving up to 60,000 patients without care and 100 people without a job — remains a mystery.

Late Tuesday, a local attorney who previously represented Christian Psychotherapy Services issued a statement to 10 On Your Side, saying the “firm no longer represents Christian Psychotherapy Services, P.C..” and could not provide any additional information on the sudden closure.

Veteran former employee Dr. W. Lawrence Daniels learned the practice was closed and he had been laid off when he logged on to company computer systems while researching a matter for a client.

“I learned on Saturday night, approximately 8:30 p.m. I was in our records system and a message was posted — it was addressed to each of us individually — that the organization was closing and that we were laid off,” Daniels said.

Daniels would not provide additional details about the content of the message.

The practice apparently never told patients. 10 On Your Side has heard from patients who did not know the practice had closed until they saw Monday’s coverage on WAVY-TV 10.

On Tuesday, WAVY-TV 10 spoke to a mental health professional who said she saw at least three Christian Psychotherapy Services patients show up at the company’s Corporation Lane location in Virginia Beach, only to learn the practice had closed.

Daniels and mental health professionals around the region are concerned for the well-being of Christian Psychotherapy Services patients who are in need of therapy and medications.

Dr. Libby Cutshall is employed as a forensic psychologist for Liberating Lives, which was founded by a former Christian Psychotherapy Services employee.

“Psychotropic medication disruption is no different than [other] medication — say if you stopped taking your insulin — the implications of stopping medications that abruptly can be fatal,” Cutshall said.

Daniels told 10 On Your Side his former employer has created a crisis situation. Since the closure, he has been working feverishly to reconnect with his 2,000 patients.

“We do have a crisis situation, absolutely — there is no question about that. We are all scrambling at this time to maintain continuity. Our first priority is our patients,” he said. Daniels says he and other colleagues may end up providing services without charge since they are no longer employed.

Patients of Dr. Daniels, formerly of Christian Psychotherapy Services, can contact him through email at mentalhealth@wldaniels.com.

Another Christian Psychotherapy Services provider, Thomasina Valentine, reached out to WAVY and said her active and former clients can email her at urnvral1@gmail.com.

On Tuesday, 10 On Your Side reached out to the Virginia Department of Health Professions to determine if the agency can intervene on behalf of desperate patients.

A spokesperson for the agency, Diane Powers, issued a statement that provides useful links for patients and families:

“The Virginia Boards of Counseling, Psychology, Social Work and Medicine at the Department of Health Professions (DHP) license and regulate individuals though not their practices.

Licensees are expected to notify patients of changes in their availability and to provide treatment records upon request. Here is the link to § 54.1-2405 regarding the “Transfer of patient records in conjunction with closure, sale, or relocation of practice; notice required.”

Complaints against individual practitioners for potential investigation by a health regulatory board can be filed online, by phone, fax or in person with the DHP Enforcement Division.

Under state law 54.1-2400.2 DHP cannot confirm nor deny whether a complaint has been filed nor whether an investigation is or is not being conducted.

License Lookup on DHP’s website is the best resource for review of the status of individual healthcare practitioners in Virginia.

Also you may wish to check Doctor’s Profiles in the left panel of the Board of Medicine’s website which is self-populated by licensees of over 30,000 Doctors of Medicine, Osteopathic Medicine, and Podiatry licensed in the Commonwealth.”

Powers said practices that own medical records are required to provide the records following a written request, within 30 days. Here is the law in Virginia regarding health records privacy and disclosure.

10 On Your Side continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding the closure.

A review of local court records show there are no major lawsuits against the company, and State Corporation Commission records show the company is in good standing.

Several organizations and individuals reached out to 10 On Your Side after the reports on Christian Psychotherapy Services with offers of information or assistance. We’ll update this list as we continue to hear from other organizations.