Mental Health Counselor Surrenders License After Relationship with Underage Student
GoLocalProv News Team
Mental Health Counselor Surrenders License After Relationship with Underage Student
Now, two years later, a major development.
According to RIDOH, Celine Vescera — a licensed mental health counselor — had been working at a school in Exeter.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST“While employed in that capacity, Vescera provided mental health counseling to a student under the age of 18 (Patient A),” according to RIDOH.
Vescera’s LinkedIn profile shows that during that time, she was employed at the Exeter Jobs Corps Center.
RIDOH continued in 2023:
“While providing counseling service to Patient A in the course of her employment, Vescera engaged in a romantic relationship with Patient A, in violation of the NBCC Code of Ethics, as adopted by the Board of Mental Health Counselors and Marriage and Family Therapists,” stated RIDOH.
Following the discovery of the relationship, RIDOH said it received multiple reports of inappropriate contact from school staff, relatives, and the Rhode Island State Police.
According to RIDOH, further investigation confirmed that Vescera had indeed engaged in a romantic relationship with Patient A -- and that Vescera "knowingly submitted false statements to RIDOH in an effort to conceal the relationship, mislead RIDOH regarding her unprofessional conduct, and impede the investigation."
The Director of RIDOH reviewed the facts and conclusions in this case and further found that "public health, safety, or welfare imperatively required emergency action."
According to RIDOH, who suspended Vescera's license on Friday August 4, 2023, a hearing on disciplinary charges is “forthcoming.”
License Surrendered in 2025
Now, RIDOH has announced that Vescera has surrendered her license.
RIDOH wrote:
- In the course of RIDOH's investigation into the allegations, Respondent submitted false and misleading statements to RIDOH in an effort to conceal her non-professional relationship with Patient A and to thwart RIDOH's investigation.
- On August 4, 2023, the Director of the Rhode Island Department of Health, finding that the allegations concerning Respondent's relationship with Patient A were reliable, and that public health, safety, or welfare imperatively required emergency action, summarily suspended Respondent's License, pursuant to R.I. Gen, Laws § 42-35-14.
- Following the summary suspension of Respondent's License, the License subsequently expired on July I, 2024.
- On March 31, 2025, RIDOH issued an Administrative Notice of Charges and Administrative Hearing ("Notice") to Respondent, informing her that, pursuant to R.l. Gen. Laws§§ 5-63.2- 6, 5-63.2-22, and 5-63.2-25, § 23- l-l 7(a), and 42-35-l 4(c), a hearing was to be held before an Administrative Hearing Officer on the question of whether her License should be revoked or otherwise disciplined.
- Respondent wishes to avoid an administrative hearing and agrees to voluntarily enter into a Consent Order to surrender her License, and whereas RIDOH finds the within disposition protective of the public health, safety, and welfare, and for good cause shown.
The agreement became final on May 2 and was made public on May 5, 2025.