Agency: Dorothy Brown's husband lacks psychologist license
Cook County Circuit Court Clerk Dorothy Brown thanks supporters at her 2012 re-election party. Brown, first elected in 2000, wed Benton Cook III in September 2009. (Phil Velasquez / Chicago Tribune / March 20, 2012)
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The husband of Cook County Circuit Court Clerk Dorothy Brown, already under investigation for his role in an Illinois anti-violence program, now finds himself under the scrutiny of state regulators who say he's presenting himself as a clinical psychologist and want him to stop.
Benton Cook III doesn't have the license required to practice psychology in Illinois, according to the state Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. The agency has sent Cook a notice summoning him to appear at a hearing next month to answer the allegation, which carries a fine of up to $10,000.
The move comes as the Cook County state's attorney's office is looking at Gov. Pat Quinn's $55 million anti-violence Neighborhood Recovery Initiative that employed Cook as well as an unusual land deal that netted Brown and Cook a profit of tens of thousands of dollars with no money down.
The anti-violence program, launched as Quinn was in a tight election battle in 2010, was the subject of a scathing state audit that concluded it was mismanaged. Critics also have dismissed the program as a way to funnel money right before an election to parts of the city and suburbs that are home to many Democratic voters.
Cook was hired to help coordinate the anti-violence program by the Chicago Area Project, one of the community organizations that got state grant money. In addition, a separate Cook venture called Dream Catchers Community Development Corp. was in line to receive grant money from the same group that hired him.
As questions have been raised about Cook's involvement, Brown has defended the hiring of her husband by saying he was qualified, describing him as "a clinical psychologist and an experienced youth counselor."
For his part, a re-election-seeking Quinn has said that Cook's role as a coordinator of Chicago Area Project while overseeing Dream Catchers is "obviously a conflict that needs to be reviewed and looked into."
On Friday, the Tribune asked state regulators if Cook was licensed as a psychologist in Illinois. On Monday, the state agency sent a notice to Cook, calling on him to appear before an administrative law judge June 16 to answer its allegation that he never was registered as a clinical psychologist in Illinois. On Tuesday, the state agency, which is part of the Quinn administration, provided a copy of the notice to the Tribune.
On his website, Cook promotes his "Family Wholeness Institute," says he is the holder of a Ph.D. in psychology and lists several areas of expertise, ranging from "Existential Psychotherapy" to hypnosis.
"He offers a compassionate therapeutic approach that includes recognized and accepted psychotherapies, training for behavioral changes, as well as Existential Psychotherapy ... and hypnosis," the website states. "He is eager to apply his experience and compassion with clients as they begin to address issues that will help them improve their quality of life and attain a sense of fulfillment."
The civil complaint by state regulators cites Cook's online description. Those claims "constitute the unlicensed practice of a clinical psychologist," which carries a fine of up to $10,000 per violation, the complaint states. The aim is to get Cook to stop representing himself as a clinical psychologist, said Susan Hofer, spokeswoman for the regulatory department.
Messages left for Cook via text and email went unreturned Tuesday. His voice mail was full. Cook's criminal defense attorney, Edward Genson, said he was unaware of the state action.
On his website, Cook does not detail his academic credentials or the specific places he has practiced psychology, though he does list the institutions where his stepdaughter received her degrees. On a resume Cook submitted to the Chicago Area Project when it hired him for the state grant program, Cook lists "doctorial studies in clinical psychology" at Jacksonville Theological Seminary in Florida and a master's of humanities in psychological counseling and a bachelor's degree in religion and biblical studies from Aspen Theological Seminary in Aurora, Colo.
Neither establishment is on a current list of institutions accredited by the American Psychological Association, the nation's largest scientific and professional organization representing psychology. Officials at both educational institutions could not be reached Tuesday.
Cook married Brown in September 2009. At the time, he listed his occupation as "TV producer" and said he had a doctorate, according to his marriage license application. His resume indicates he has extensive experience in TV production, and state records show that the campaign funds for Brown and several judicial candidates paid Gideon Video Productions, which was run by Cook, a total of $95,000 from 2006 to 2010.
In 2011 and 2012, Cook served as a coordinator for the Chicago Area Project, which got $4.3 million from the state to be distributed to various organizations. State records indicate that Cook received about $166,000 in salary and benefits during that time, but Cook's attorney Genson said the salary was only about $50,000 a year.
The Chicago Area Project recently hired Rick Jasculca, a high-profile communications consultant, to answer questions about the state grant. In an email on behalf of the group's executive director, David Whittaker, Jasculca said Cook told officials that he was married to Brown before they hired him and they "did not find that relevant."
Jasculca wrote that Cook was hired because of his "seemingly relevant academic achievement, breadth of experience and deep involvement in the community."
"Cook's work and credentials were reviewed, and he was interviewed by CAP management," Jasculca added. "In hindsight, it is clear that we should have used a more robust process to vet his credentials and background."
In recent weeks, details about Cook's 1999 conviction in Tennessee for passing $3,726 in bad checks have surfaced. He was sentenced to two years of probation for the crime, which was a felony, according to court records.
Whether or not Cook was a licensed psychologist "had no relevance to the position he was seeking" at the Chicago Area Project, Jasculca said. Cook recruited and supervised groups affiliated with churches, community groups, schools, parents and grandparents paid with grant money, according to Jasculca.
Dream Catchers, Cook's other venture, was in line to receive $10,000 from the Chicago Area Project. After the organization learned that Dream Catchers was run by Cook, funding was cut off, and Dream Catchers returned all but about $1,600 it had received, Jasculca said.
hdardick@tribune.com
mcgarcia@tribune.com
Benton Cook III doesn't have the license required to practice psychology in Illinois, according to the state Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. The agency has sent Cook a notice summoning him to appear at a hearing next month to answer the allegation, which carries a fine of up to $10,000.
The move comes as the Cook County state's attorney's office is looking at Gov. Pat Quinn's $55 million anti-violence Neighborhood Recovery Initiative that employed Cook as well as an unusual land deal that netted Brown and Cook a profit of tens of thousands of dollars with no money down.
The anti-violence program, launched as Quinn was in a tight election battle in 2010, was the subject of a scathing state audit that concluded it was mismanaged. Critics also have dismissed the program as a way to funnel money right before an election to parts of the city and suburbs that are home to many Democratic voters.
Cook was hired to help coordinate the anti-violence program by the Chicago Area Project, one of the community organizations that got state grant money. In addition, a separate Cook venture called Dream Catchers Community Development Corp. was in line to receive grant money from the same group that hired him.
As questions have been raised about Cook's involvement, Brown has defended the hiring of her husband by saying he was qualified, describing him as "a clinical psychologist and an experienced youth counselor."
For his part, a re-election-seeking Quinn has said that Cook's role as a coordinator of Chicago Area Project while overseeing Dream Catchers is "obviously a conflict that needs to be reviewed and looked into."
On Friday, the Tribune asked state regulators if Cook was licensed as a psychologist in Illinois. On Monday, the state agency sent a notice to Cook, calling on him to appear before an administrative law judge June 16 to answer its allegation that he never was registered as a clinical psychologist in Illinois. On Tuesday, the state agency, which is part of the Quinn administration, provided a copy of the notice to the Tribune.
On his website, Cook promotes his "Family Wholeness Institute," says he is the holder of a Ph.D. in psychology and lists several areas of expertise, ranging from "Existential Psychotherapy" to hypnosis.
"He offers a compassionate therapeutic approach that includes recognized and accepted psychotherapies, training for behavioral changes, as well as Existential Psychotherapy ... and hypnosis," the website states. "He is eager to apply his experience and compassion with clients as they begin to address issues that will help them improve their quality of life and attain a sense of fulfillment."
The civil complaint by state regulators cites Cook's online description. Those claims "constitute the unlicensed practice of a clinical psychologist," which carries a fine of up to $10,000 per violation, the complaint states. The aim is to get Cook to stop representing himself as a clinical psychologist, said Susan Hofer, spokeswoman for the regulatory department.
Messages left for Cook via text and email went unreturned Tuesday. His voice mail was full. Cook's criminal defense attorney, Edward Genson, said he was unaware of the state action.
On his website, Cook does not detail his academic credentials or the specific places he has practiced psychology, though he does list the institutions where his stepdaughter received her degrees. On a resume Cook submitted to the Chicago Area Project when it hired him for the state grant program, Cook lists "doctorial studies in clinical psychology" at Jacksonville Theological Seminary in Florida and a master's of humanities in psychological counseling and a bachelor's degree in religion and biblical studies from Aspen Theological Seminary in Aurora, Colo.
Neither establishment is on a current list of institutions accredited by the American Psychological Association, the nation's largest scientific and professional organization representing psychology. Officials at both educational institutions could not be reached Tuesday.
Cook married Brown in September 2009. At the time, he listed his occupation as "TV producer" and said he had a doctorate, according to his marriage license application. His resume indicates he has extensive experience in TV production, and state records show that the campaign funds for Brown and several judicial candidates paid Gideon Video Productions, which was run by Cook, a total of $95,000 from 2006 to 2010.
In 2011 and 2012, Cook served as a coordinator for the Chicago Area Project, which got $4.3 million from the state to be distributed to various organizations. State records indicate that Cook received about $166,000 in salary and benefits during that time, but Cook's attorney Genson said the salary was only about $50,000 a year.
The Chicago Area Project recently hired Rick Jasculca, a high-profile communications consultant, to answer questions about the state grant. In an email on behalf of the group's executive director, David Whittaker, Jasculca said Cook told officials that he was married to Brown before they hired him and they "did not find that relevant."
Jasculca wrote that Cook was hired because of his "seemingly relevant academic achievement, breadth of experience and deep involvement in the community."
"Cook's work and credentials were reviewed, and he was interviewed by CAP management," Jasculca added. "In hindsight, it is clear that we should have used a more robust process to vet his credentials and background."
In recent weeks, details about Cook's 1999 conviction in Tennessee for passing $3,726 in bad checks have surfaced. He was sentenced to two years of probation for the crime, which was a felony, according to court records.
Whether or not Cook was a licensed psychologist "had no relevance to the position he was seeking" at the Chicago Area Project, Jasculca said. Cook recruited and supervised groups affiliated with churches, community groups, schools, parents and grandparents paid with grant money, according to Jasculca.
Dream Catchers, Cook's other venture, was in line to receive $10,000 from the Chicago Area Project. After the organization learned that Dream Catchers was run by Cook, funding was cut off, and Dream Catchers returned all but about $1,600 it had received, Jasculca said.
hdardick@tribune.com
mcgarcia@tribune.com
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