Handcuffs

By Cecilia Levine From Daily Voice

A licensed alcohol and drug counselor and clinical social worker in Sussex County has been suspended from practice for five years and fined $20,000 for sexual misconduct and harassment involving multiple women he supervised, state officials said.

Jon E. Boschen engaged in a pattern of harassment and intimidation toward two women he supervised while working at an alcohol and drug rehabilitation center. He also entered into a personal and sexual relationship with one of the women, according to the Final Consent Order issued by the State Board of Social Work Examiners and the Alcohol and Drug Counselor Committee.

Boschen was also fired from another treatment facility after a client reported that he repeatedly made inappropriate, sexualized comments during counseling sessions, according to state documents released by according to New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin's office.

In an interview with investigators, Boschen admitted he engaged in a personal and sexual relationship with one of the women he supervised. The Board found he violated professional regulations that prohibit sexual contact with a supervisee and noted that consent is not a defense because of the power imbalance in the relationship.

Boschen agreed to a five-year suspension of his social work and alcohol and drug counseling licenses to resolve the matter. During that time, he is barred from practicing social work, alcohol and drug counseling, mental health counseling, clinical supervision, or life coaching in New Jersey, whether paid or unpaid. He is also prohibited from using titles such as “alcohol and drug counselor,” “licensed clinical social worker,” “certified social worker,” or “chemical dependency counselor.”

He must surrender his licenses and certification cards within 10 days of the suspension and complete the PROBE Ethics and Boundaries Program before seeking reinstatement.

Boschen must pay two $10,000 penalties, one to each licensing board, when signing the order. The state noted that failing to comply with any part of the agreement could result in further disciplinary action.