Suicide of a teenage girl: a four-month strike-out requested for a psychologist

Lili Homier was only 13 when she took her own life.

A psychologist from the Laurentians will probably be temporarily struck off because she did not assess the risk of suicide for a teenager in distress. Lili Homier took her own life at just 13 years old and, following a complaint by the girl's parents to the Order of Psychologists, Annie Moreau will no longer have the right to treat children for the rest of his career.

The disbarment for a period of four months is a joint recommendation of the psychologist's lawyers and Lili's parents, who are the plaintiffs in this case.

Before the Conseil de discipline, Friday, Annie Moreau admitted not having respected the rules of the art of her profession and not having taken into account the limits of her competence. She agrees to no longer have the right to practice her profession with clients under the age of 14.

The complaint was filed following the suicide of Lili Homier in November 2017. The young girl, considered gifted, was dealing with serious anxiety problems accompanied by symptoms of depression and clearly expressed suicidal thoughts.

The teenager was followed by a multidisciplinary team made up of Ms. Moreau, a social worker and a psychiatrist affiliated with the CSSS des Sommets, in Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts.< /p>

Annie Moreau, who met Lili 39 times over a year, admitted never assessing her suicide risk and not developing a safety plan for her. The psychologist also admitted to having failed to communicate important facts to the psychiatrist who was treating Lili. She was also disciplined for her poor record keeping.

I wish I had the knowledge and skills at that time to help your daughter, I'm sorry, said the psychologist, speaking to Fanie Charbonneau, Lili's mother, who was present in the room.

The report of the expert psychologist retained by the parents reveals significant shortcomings in the therapeutic approach of his colleague Annie Moreau. While Lili's condition had clearly deteriorated, in October 2017, Frédéric Laterrière concluded that the psychologist had not taken the necessary steps to promote another outcome in the case of his client. […] An emergency placement in a specialized care team could have been recommended by the psychologist in order to help Lili through her period of suicidal crisis.

The report also notes the psychologist's lack of collaboration with Lili's parents. A few weeks before her death, the latter had found a rope hanging from the ceiling, and their daughter had locked herself in her room with a knife. When they tried to inform the psychologist of the deterioration in Lili's condition, Annie Moreau refused to meet with them, suggesting that they speak to the social worker instead.

The lack of communication, even the psychologist's work in silos, may have contributed in part to the death of this teenager, concludes the expert.

Lili had also asked herself to meet with her psychologist every week, which Annie Moreau refused, ruling that monthly meetings were sufficient.

Before the Disciplinary Council, Fanie Charbonneau gave a disturbing testimony. It was my biggest shock to realize that all this time my daughter was in the hands of someone who had no skills.

“This sanction for Ms. Moreau means next to nothing. We, our sentence, it is for life. »

— Fanie Charbonneau, mother of Lili Homier

A report to the Department of Youth Protection, three weeks before the death of Lili Homier, could have led to admission to an emergency psychiatric unit. The report was not retained by the DPJ, because Lili was already supported by a team of professionals.

It was following a second complaint from the parents of Lili Homier that the radiation was pronounced. In response to their first complaint, the syndic of the Order had entered into a confidential agreement with the psychologist who had undertaken to follow several training courses, without however admitting any fault. Since then, Annie Moreau has actually taken these courses and has been supervised by a colleague for a period of 16 hours.

The parents refused this arrangement. Fanie Charbonneau believes that the Syndic of the Order wanted to sweep their complaint under the carpet by refusing to present Ms. Moreau's case before the Disciplinary Council. They therefore presented a second complaint, private this time.

I find it extremely worrying, disappointing and unfair that these serious breaches did not lead the syndic to file a complaint with the Disciplinary Council from the outset, Ms. Charbonneau said with emotion on Friday. She says she has taken steps to remind all psychologists in Quebec of the importance of evaluating a child who makes suicidal remarks, recalling that a 13-year-old child does not shop around for a diagnosis of depression for the sake of it. /p>

The parents' lawyer, Claude Leduc, adds: How can the public be protected if the public does not know the facts, because the trustee has not filed a complaint with the Disciplinary Council? What if the psychologists themselves do not know? […] Exemplarity and dissuasion, it is astonishing that the syndic's office missed this mission.

The president of the Disciplinary Council promised to do know his decision quickly. According to our sources, it is very rare that the Council does not endorse a suggested sanction when it is presented jointly by the two parties.

Annie Moreau continues to practice in CSSS des Sommets, in Mont-Tremblant.

• Let's Talk Suicide Canada: 1-833-456-4566 (phone), text message from 4 p.m. to midnight EST: 45645< /li>
• Suicide.ca
• In Quebec: 1-866-APPELLE (1-866-277-3553), text message: 1-855-957-5353
• Jeunesse, J&# x27;listen: 1-800-668-6868
• The Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention