Tucson Weekly: Doctor Of Depravity: Drugs, Sex And Lots Of Taxpayer Cash...
Drugs, Sex And Lots Of Taxpayer Cash Fueled Michael Mahl's Increasingly
Sleazy Juvenile Psychiatry Practice.
By Vicki Hart
http://www.tucsonweekly.com/tw/07-16-98/feat.htm
DR. MICHAEL MAHL, 47, of Tucson was once considered a gifted
psychiatrist. He owned and operated the Rosemont Child and Adolescent
Centers here, two group homes for boys ages 4-17 diagnosed with severe
psychiatric problems, and he also operated a local outpatient treatment
center. Today, however, Mahl is known as a hopeless drug and sex addict.
Feature On May 15 the Arizona Board of Medical Examiners barred Mahl
from practicing, after at least three boys in his care had accused him
of sexual improprieties--by the time the Board met on May 15, more
allegations had been lodged against him by Pima County youths in group
home placement and other youths receiving outpatient treatment. State
officials say these accusations are currently under investigation.
More recently, on June 3, a 15-year-old male client filed a police
report against Mahl for another alleged molestation. The official
investigation into that allegation, however, apparently did not begin
until two weeks ago, when it became apparent to Tucson Police that The
Weekly was looking into the matter.
See "Oink, Oink" in this issue for more on the Weekly - TPD connection.
The following tale of Mahl's personal degradation is sad enough, but
sadder still is the inexcusable lack of action on the part of
officials--in the juvenile system, Child Protective Services, and the
Tucson Police Department--once it became apparent the supposedly good
doctor was on a downward spiral to professional and moral oblivion.
Furthermore, the Mahl case reveals one frightening fact about Arizona's
juvenile system: It has no checks and balances to protect the very
children it's intended to help. The Tucson Weekly's countless calls on
this story yielded no official willing to claim responsibility for
overseeing the welfare of the teens entrusted to Mahl's care. To a man
and woman, every official referred us to someone else.
BY ALL ACCOUNTS Michael Mahl had everything going for him. After a brief
stint as a junior-high teacher, he graduated from medical school in
1979, did an internship at the UA Health Sciences Center and a
psychiatric residency at the UA, becoming board certified in regular and
child psychiatry in 1981. He was also certified in addictive medicine
and held medical licenses in Arizona, Texas and Hawaii.
Mahl was practicing on an outpatient basis at a center on River Road
when, co-workers say, he apparently became disenchanted with the quality
of care available to Arizona's children.
In 1992 he founded his first group home for adolescent boys, under the
corporation Psychiatric Child and Adolescent Centers of Arizona, Inc.,
doing business as the Rosemont Child and Adolescent Centers. He opened a
second group home in 1994.
Mahl's for-profit operation was licensed by the Arizona Department of
Health Services' Division of Behavioral Health. Mahl and his wife were
the only people in the corporation, he as the CEO and medical director
and she as the administrator. There were no directors, no trustees. The
corporation had an annual budget of $1.4 million; Mahl was paid $15,000
a month and took roughly a $250,000 annual draw on top of that.
He treated only boys diagnosed with the most acute psychiatric problems,
the worst of the worst in the juvenile justice system--boys who'd been
bounced from group home to group home. They were sent to him from the
state's Juvenile Probation Office (JPO), Arizona Children Home, Northern
Arizona Regional Behavioral Health, South Eastern Arizona Behavioral
Health Services (SEABHS), the Pascua/Yaqui tribe and La Frontera, to
name a few. Most of his clients were subsidized by tax money. Some of
the youngsters came from other states. In all, more than 100 boys went
through Mahl's program, each staying as long as seven or eight months.
There was always a waiting list.
In the beginning, former employees say, they would have described Mahl
as a dedicated child advocate with a gift for reaching these troubled
youths.
He was wonderful with the boys and their parents, they recall, a great
boss, generous and fun. People were proud to work for him, and they
worked hard, putting in long hours. At the height of his success, he had
as many as 32 employees.
In those early days, staffers say, they followed stringent rules of
operation, and on audits and inspections always got superior ratings.
They respected Mahl, thought him to be above reproach, and completely
believed in his integrity.
LOOKING BACK ON it today, employees say, Mahl's approach to the boys
slaps them in the face as odd behavior, if not a blatant danger signal.
Mahl merely explained away his methodology as "important to the
treatment process."
Mahl termed what he was doing "positive transference." He explained that
meant that he must always be seen as the good guy, the father figure who
gave the boys unconditional love, and who must be loved and trusted like
the father many of these boys never had.
Former employees also say Mahl convinced the kids that he was the one
who paid for them to be there, the one who popped for the lavish trips
to La Jolla, Carlsbad, Las Vegas and other places. And while other group
homes had to make do with old vans Mahl bought new Suburbans--fully
equipped, and with CD players--for the trips he and the boys went on. He
once spent $22,000 for 24 kids to go on a five-day La Jolla vacation,
former employees say.
While no other employee ever placed him or herself in a situation where
they were alone with a boy, Mahl always saw the boys alone, his former
employees say. His offices at the two group homes and the outpatient
facility on River Road were separate from the rest of his operations.
Mahl also made sure his offices were sound-proofed. The doors were
always locked when he was in session, former employees recall. There was
no way to see in. Staffers said they were directed never to interrupt
Mahl's session. In an emergency, they were instructed to phone him, but
never to knock on his door.
Staffers confess that at the time they didn't feel much concern when
Mahl, on his frequent trips with the boys, would rent a suite separate
from the rest of the party. He would reward those whom he referred to as
the "cool guys" by letting them stay with him in his suite overnight.
On wilderness outings, he would reward certain boys by letting them
spend the night with him in his tent. Former employees recall he would
take a single boy with him for the day, driving him to his home, picking
up his dogs, riding around in his convertible and going to the park.
He took boys to his home "to watch movies" and eat take-out food,
staffers recall. He even took them to fancy restaurants. Former
employees now cringe when they remember that they used to refer to Mahl
as the "candyman," because even though the rest of the staff attempted
to keep the kids on low-sugar, low-junk diets, Mahl's office was full of
sodas and candy which he freely distributed to the kids.
One former employee says that at the corporation's group meetings, Mahl
would often have a boy literally lying at his feet. Mahl, the staffer
says, would often "be petting and stroking him like a dog." The boys
vied to be his pet, and seemed to adore him. Former employees now
identify this as "inappropriate" behavior.
IN DECEMBER 1996, Mahl's wife of 18 years divorced him. She also left
her position as program administrator, leaving Mahl as virtually the
sole person responsible for the corporation. Nothing was to be done, no
checks to be signed, no purchase to be made without him, former
employees say.
They add this seemed to be when Mahl's life began spiraling out of
control. During the bitter divorce, Mahl allegedly regularly insulted
and threatened his estranged wife, according to former employees and
acquaintances. On January 3, 1997, he was cited for criminal damage
after police answered a domestic violence call. On January 4, 1997, he
was cited for allegedly threatening and intimidating his ex-wife.
Although the January 4 charge was dismissed, a judge remanded Mahl to
diversion. According to court records, Mahl has not completed his
diversion program, and a hearing is set on the matter for July 28. His
ex-wife eventually served a restraining order against him.
Mahl began missing appointments, showing up late and acting strangely,
staffers say. At times he appeared to be hyperactive, with slurred
speech and red-rimmed eyes. Employees were increasingly covering for him
as he got further behind in his work. They began writing his discharge
summaries for him after he got six to nine months behind in his paperwork.
Mahl admitted to some of them that he was experimenting with
homosexuality and now considered himself bisexual. They began finding
notes lying around the office detailing names and numbers of young men
who were answering his sex ads. He was submitting hundreds of dollars in
phone bills to the corporation, some to 900 sex lines. At the time,
staffers say, they hoped he was merely going through a phase and that he
would snap out of it.
IN FEBRUARY 1997, three boys who'd been sent to Mahl's facility from
Graham County accused him of inappropriate touching and inappropriate
sexual comments. In turn, he said they were merely seeking revenge after
he discovered they had pilfered candy from his office.
The boys' probation officers advised Mahl that if this were the case, he
should report the kids to the police. Mahl did not file a complaint.
Meanwhile, the boys' allegations were reported to the Arizona Supreme
Court Juvenile Justice Division, as well as the Board of Medical Examiners.
In an April 3, 1997, letter, Mahl wrote the following to his accusers'
probation officers:
"Finally, I admit I was somewhat naive not to have taken both your
recommendations regarding calling the police in Pima County in order to
press charges against the three youths involved in this incident. I had
hoped to deal with their acting out by confronting their dishonesty in a
therapeutic manner during their next scheduled appointments. I wished to
avoid further legal charges against them and the added stress on their
families. It was my belief that if I had filed police reports, it could
have jeopardized their future treatment and the possible loss of their
much needed psychotropic medicines. I never thought these youth capable
of making such dangerous false allegations...It was my impression that
you understood the reasons why I elected not to file a police report
regarding the acting-out that occurred in my office on 2/28/97."
However, Frank Carmen, division director of Juvenile Justice for the
Arizona Supreme Court, says Mahl's explanation didn't satisfy them.
The Supreme Court's Administrative Office then recommended that all
court-involved youth in placement at the group homes, as well as
outpatient youths, be transferred to new placements or new
psychiatrists. Mahl countered by voluntarily agreeing to avoid direct
contact with his patients and their families, and to hire another
psychiatrist. This allowed the group homes and outpatient treatment
center to continue operating.
The Graham County agency responsible for Mahl's three young accusers
declined to send any more clients to him. After his voluntary withdrawal
from the business, Mahl was no longer to see clients, or to be on
group-home property. Another psychiatrist was hired to take over--even
though Mahl still owned the operation.
AS A RESULT, the former employees say, they were left to do their work
without much guidance, yet they were ultimately answerable to Mahl, who
still called the shots and signed their checks.
A new psychiatrist, Dr. Eulid Faz, was hired to treat the boys. Staffers
say they began to realize how unorthodox Mahl's methods had been when
they saw that Faz did not use Mahl's isolated offices for counseling
sessions with the boys, instead choosing to meet with them in the living
room. And, they add, Faz never closed the doors during a session.
After Mahl was banned from the group homes, he began demanding that
staffers come to his residence to get checks signed or to answer
questions. They recall they were invited into his bedroom or bathroom to
do business and observed what they described as "hundreds of porno tapes."
They say they were often greeted by young men, whom they estimated to be
roughly between the ages of 18 and 23, who were apparently living with
Mahl. These young men, they report, began driving Mahl's cars, using his
cell phone and pagers, and were soon acting as Mahl's messengers. Former
employees say it was not unusual for a young man to come zooming up to a
group home in Mahl's car and announce he'd been sent to retrieve Mahl's
files.
Mahl didn't bother attempting to hide his sexual relationships with
these man, on occasion graphically describing his relationships, former
employees say. At times he would introduce a young man as his children's
babysitter. He also told several people he was using cocaine, marijuana,
and methamphetamines.
Staffers were becoming increasingly concerned, not only for Mahl, but
for Mahl's own children, whom they allege were being left alone at night
during his escapades and exposed to porno movies and an increasing
number of what the staffers described as "strange" young men.
In the spring of 1997, employees who saw Mahl said he began looking ill.
Some speculated that he might be dying. He told them he'd been diagnosed
with hepatitis. Staffers recall that at one point, after he was known to
have the disease, he tried to enter one of the group homes and was ejected.
Shortly after that incident, Mahl went on an extended trip to Europe and
Israel. He also took a cruise to Alaska. Staffers, though trying to keep
the group homes afloat, were running out of money and becoming
increasingly frustrated trying to continue operations with an absentee
owner. Nevertheless, Mahl reportedly continued to pay himself $15,000 a
month, in addition to his $250,000 draw.
By the time he returned from Europe, showing off thousands of dollars
worth of "art objects," the group homes were barely meeting expenses,
workers say.
In August 1997 staff members scheduled a meeting with the corporation's
attorney to enlist his help and discuss their own liability. They report
the attorney informed them that Mahl had total therapeutic and financial
control and could take all the money if he wished.
A staffer then tried unsuccessfully to do a drug intervention with Mahl.
He fired the employees who participated, and Mahl let the rest of the
staff know he wouldn't tolerate such "disloyalty."
By the end of August, one of the group homes was closed due to lack of
funds. By this time Mahl was so out of touch with reality, former
employees say, that he was still trying to open another group home. At
one point, they recall, he phoned them from O'Reilly's Chevrolet, where
he was attempting to buy eight cars for the new home.
On October 28, 1997, Mahl experienced what he called a "hypertensive
crisis" and was admitted to the hospital. A urine test revealed cocaine
in his system. His drug use was reported to the Board of Medical Examiners.
After this, staffers report, they saw very little of Mahl. He journeyed
to a series of treatment programs throughout the United States. None of
them seemed to help for long.
Meanwhile, at Mahl's remaining group home, two sets of payroll checks
bounced. There was no more money for bills, and Mahl stopped responding
to employees' concerns and inquires. The staffers called the case
managers for the clients who were left and had them pick them up. The
doors closed December 19, 1997.
Of the former employees who spoke to The Weekly, none have had contact
with Mahl since December. They were only able to follow rumors of what
treatment program he was supposedly in that week. Some were later
contacted by Harry Cohen, a relative of Mahl's, who told them he'd
bought the corporation.
THE BOARD OF Medical Examiners summoned Mahl to appear before them in
March. He failed to do so, saying he was in treatment.
On May 15, Mahl appeared with his personal attorney, Charles Buri, for
an informal hearing before the examiners. In a lengthy exchange, the
examiners attempted to get some answers about what had happened to the
once-reputable psychiatrist.
The short version, in Mahl's words, taken from Board transcripts:
"And one of the things I want the Board to understand is my lapse
in using cocaine was...I picked up my first cocaine when I was divorced.
And after 18 years of marriage and a sudden breakup in the marriage, I
suffered from some depression. I had a nine-month period of abuse, and
towards the end of the nine-month period, knew I needed help and
voluntarily sought treatment."
When the examiners asked about his "sexual boundary issues," Mahl replied:
"My issues around sexual compulsivity were during my cocaine abuse.
I was married for 18 years monogamous, with no allegations ever before
this Board or any other, regarding my sexual boundary issues. So rather
what I learned at COPAC [a treatment facility] during the compulsivity
program, is how my cocaine abuse drove sexual preoccupation."
Discussion ensued regarding Mahl's lack of success in therapy. From what
The Weekly can glean from the transcripts, he was in at least five
treatment centers--in Oregon, Virginia and Florida, with names like
Springbrook, Farley Center, COPAC and Highpoint.
Mahl had excuses for every failure.
The examiners read him statements from his various treatment programs,
such as:
* "Dr. Mahl's insight and understanding remain at the superficial
level."
* "With reference to his practice of medicine...the Doctor will
need a minimum of five years stringent monitoring...and they suggest
that Dr. Mahl consider areas of psychiatry other than with children."
* "The prognosis at the time of discharge was poor and the team
would not consider readmission to COPAC until a minimum of one year has
passed."
* "Dr. Mahl has demonstrated that he is not able to mediate his
behavior in any type of structured environment."
The record continues with tales of Mahl's poor behavior in programs, his
leaving them against medical advice, and his inability to follow the rules.
During the hearing, Mahl attempted to bargain with the medical
examiners. Although they suggested that he go to yet another treatment
center, he and his attorney countered that he wanted to receive
treatment from a local MD, an "addictionologist" who has "some
experience in sexual compulsivity." And then he added that maybe he
should go to the Pride Institute in Minneapolis, because according to
Mahl, the institute "works with men and women who have bisexual and/or
gay orientation as well as chemical dependency."
On May 15, the medical examiners stipulated that Mahl could not practice
medicine in Arizona until he successfully completes inpatient treatment
for sexual compulsivity and chemical dependency.
Last week, the medical examiners said: "Investigations into the
complaints against Dr. Mahl continue, and the Board has already made
inquiries with the state entities and the complainants involved."
Claudia Foutz, the medical examiners' executive director, added they've
taken the allegations against Mahl "very seriously" and are conducting a
thorough investigation to determine if violations of the state Medical
Practice Act have occurred."
Although the medical examiners stipulated that Mahl not practice in
Arizona, he still holds a valid license and could practice in several
other states. And at the present time, Mahl has yet to seek inpatient
treatment as required by the examiners.
MEANWHILE, AN OFFICIAL of the Arizona Supreme Court's Juvenile Justice
Division says they've done all they could by reporting Mahl to the Board
of Medical Examiners.
It appears that Juvenile Court and the Juvenile Probation Office stopped
referring cases to Mahl some time ago, possibly at the direction of
Supreme Court officials. Disappointingly, local law-enforcement
officials apparently took no immediate action to investigate Mahl at the
time these complaints were made, leaving reasonable minds to wonder how
many other complaints might have been made against the psychiatrist over
the years, only to be disregarded because of the troubled nature of the
accusers and Mahl's elevated status as a man of medicine. In fact, a
recent Supreme Court fax to The Weekly also alludes to allegations
against Mahl from "youth receiving outpatient treatment"--charges we
hadn't heard about until now.
Reasonable minds could also wonder whether state officials even bothered
to inform local authorities about these allegations.
Currently, the Tucson Police Department is still conducting what appears
to be a rather haphazard investigation (See related editorial) that
apparently didn't begin until The Weekly started asking questions about
Mahl's activities several weeks ago.
And the fact remains that despite their expressions of horror today,
Mahl's employees tried to cover for him and help him. Now, however,
they're mortified that they may have contributed to additional problems
in the very youths they were dedicated to helping. Furthermore, records
indicate that although officials of agencies that contracted with Mahl
stopped meeting with him personally because of his bizarre behavior,
they nevertheless continued to send kids to him.
And now, as what may be a clearer picture of the extent of Mahl's sexual
behavior comes to light, everyone in the juvenile system is busy
covering his own butt. But the important question this case has raised
remains unanswered: Who's watching out for Arizona's troubled children?
CURRENTLY CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES VIOLATES MORE CIVIL RIGHTS ON A
DAILY BASIS THEN ALL OTHER AGENCIES COMBINED INCLUDING THE NATIONAL
SECURITY AGENCY/CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY WIRETAPPING PROGRAMS....
CPS Does not protect children...
It is sickening how many children are subject to abuse, neglect and even
killed at the hands of Child Protective Services.
every parent should read this .pdf from
connecticut dcf watch...
http://www.connecticutdcfwatch.com/8x11.pdf
http://www.connecticutdcfwatch.com
Number of Cases per 100,000 children in the US
These numbers come from The National Center on
Child Abuse and Neglect in Washington. (NCCAN)
Recent numbers have increased significantly for CPS
*Perpetrators of Maltreatment*
Physical Abuse CPS 160, Parents 59
Sexual Abuse CPS 112, Parents 13
Neglect CPS 410, Parents 241
Medical Neglect CPS 14 Parents 12
Fatalities CPS 6.4, Parents 1.5
Imagine that, 6.4 children die at the hands of the very agencies that
are supposed to protect them and only 1.5 at the hands of parents per
100,000 children. CPS perpetrates more abuse, neglect, and sexual abuse
and kills more children then parents in the United States. If the
citizens of this country hold CPS to the same standards that they hold
parents too. No judge should ever put another child in the hands of ANY
government agency because CPS nationwide is guilty of more harm and
death than any human being combined. CPS nationwide is guilty of more
human rights violations and deaths of children then the homes from which
they were removed. When are the judges going to wake up and see that
they are sending children to their death and a life of abuse when
children are removed from safe homes based on the mere opinion of a
bunch of social workers.
CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES, HAPPILY DESTROYING THOUSANDS OF INNOCENT
FAMILIES YEARLY NATIONWIDE AND COMING TO YOU'RE HOME SOON...
BE SURE TO FIND OUT WHERE YOUR CANDIDATES STANDS ON THE ISSUE OF
REFORMING OR ABOLISHING CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES ("MAKE YOUR CANDIDATES
TAKE A STAND ON THIS ISSUE.") THEN REMEMBER TO VOTE ACCORDINGLY IF THEY
ARE "FAMILY UNFRIENDLY" IN THE NEXT ELECTION...
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