Psychologist Is Put on 5-Year License Probation

A psychologist convicted on two counts of grand theft for Medi-Cal billing fraud has been put on a five-year license probation, authorities said Tuesday.

Gary Abrams pleaded guilty in 1996 to two felony counts of billing fraud, totaling more than $150,000, according to a complaint filed by the state’s Department of Consumer Affairs Board of Psychology. A judge later reduced the convictions to misdemeanors.

The judge sentenced him to three years’ probation, 600 hours of community service, fined him $5,400 and ordered him to pay $11,500 in restitution to Medi-Cal, the complaint says.

The Department of Consumer Affairs Board of Psychology also brought its own complaint against Abrams, department spokeswoman Kathi Burns said.

In December, the board placed Abrams on five-year license probation. While on probation, Abrams is required to pass a law and ethics course, undergo psychotherapy and submit to monitoring of his billing practices, the agreement says.

Abrams also must pay the board $2,392 for the costs of the investigation.