April 18, 2019

Massachusetts Institute for Psychoanalysis Names First Ombuds

The graduate training institute for psychoanalysis in Boston has appointed to faculty members to serve as its first Ombuds. Joan Harrison is the Candidate Ombudsperson and Linda Luz-Alterman is the Membership Ombudsperson. The Ombuds "will be available to MIP members to triage and informally consult on, and resolve whenever possible, ethical concerns and complaints that do not require a formal complaint procedure."

Per the institute's Ethical Standards and Code of Conduct, the Ombuds' work is always confidential. Additional details describing the Ombuds' role are found throughout the Standards and Code:
2. Ombudspersons: The ombudspersons will be available to MIP members to triage and informally consult on, and resolve whenever possible, ethical concerns and complaints that do not require a formal complaint procedure. The term limits will be at the pleasure of the president.
3. Confidentiality: Any MIP member who takes part in a peer review body, including the Ombudspersons, the members of the Ethics Committee, the President, and the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors, once informed of the nature of the ethical consultation and/or complaint, shall be obligated, by law, to maintain strict confidentiality. Breach of confidentiality, in and of itself, shall be considered an ethical violation.
4. Bringing a concern or complaint:
a. Informal complaint: Any MIP member who has a professional ethical concern or complaint may contact an Ombudsperson for a private and confidential consultation. The Ombudsperson will review the issue with the complainant and work with the complainant in order to come to a resolution. The ombudsperson may, with the complainant’s permission, consult MIP’s legal counsel, the Ethics Committee, and the president when issues present a clear and present danger.
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10. On-going commitment to addressing ethical concerns:
a. Once yearly, both the Ombudspersons and the Ethics Committee shall provide a general report to the Board concerning the general utilization of their services to the institute. Such reports will uphold the confidentiality of all parties involved.
(MIP Statement of Ethics.)

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