Petitioner: DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, BOARD OF MASSAGE THERAPY
Respondent: SUHUA LI, L.M.T.
Judges: TODD P. RESAVAGE
Agency: Department of Health
Locations: Lauderdale Lakes, Florida
Filed: Mar. 29, 2013
Status: Closed
Settled and/or Dismissed prior to entry of RO/FO on Wednesday, June 5, 2013.
Latest Update: Dec. 23, 2024
STATE OF FLORIDA
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH,
PETITIONER,
v. CASE NO. 2012-12639
SUHUA LI, L.M.T.,
RESPONDENT.
ADMINISTRATIVE COMPLAINT
COMES NOW, Petitioner, Department of Health, by and through its
undersigned counsel, and files this Administrative Complaint before the Board
of Massage Therapy against the Respondent, Suhua Li, L.M.T., and in support
thereof alleges:
1. Petitioner is the state agency charged with regulating the practice
of massage therapy pursuant to Section 20.43, Florida Statutes (2012), and
Chapters 456 and 480, Florida Statutes (2012).
2. At all times material to this Complaint, Respondent was licensed
as a massage therapist in the State of Florida, having been issued license
number MA 57723.
3. | Respondent's address of record is 5552 25" Street, Suite 118 &
119, Hialeah, Florida 33013.
4, On or about August 5, 2009, Respondent submitted a State of
Florida Application for Licensure as a massage therapist CApplication”) to the
Florida Department of Health Board of Massage Therapy (Florida Board’).
5. On her Application, Respondent indicated that she attended
Select Therapy Institute, where she received 1,000 hours of massage therapy
training between February 2, 2007, and January 28, 2008.
6. Respondent also indicated on her Application that Select Therapy
Institute is not a Florida Board Approved School.
7. Respondent's Application further reveals that Respondent did not
attend an apprenticeship program.
8. Pursuant to Section 480.041(1)(b), Florida Statutes (2009), in
order to qualify for licensure as a massage therapist in the State of Florida
pursuant to Chapter 480, Florida Statutes, a person must complete a course
of study at a board-approved massage school or complete an apprenticeship
program that meets the standards adopted by the board.
9. Submitted to the Florida Board with Respondent’s Application was
a transcript from Florida College of Natural Health CFCNH’).
10. The FCNH transcript represents that Respondent earned five
hundred credit hours in the FCNH Therapeutic Massage Training Program
(Transfer of Licensure).
Page 2 of 8
i1. The FCNH transcript indicates that Respondent started the FCNH
Therapeutic Massage Training Program (Transfer of Licensure) on July 31,
2009, and completed the program on August 1, 2009.
12. Respondent also submitted, with her Application, a FCNH
Certificate of Completion of twelve hours of Therapeutic Massage Training
Program (Transfer of Licensure) dated August 1, 2009.
13. Also submitted with Respondent's Application was a FCNH
Certificate of Completion of two hours of Prevention of Medical Errors dated
August 1, 2009.
14. On or about July 19, 2012, the Vice President of Compliance and
Institutional Effectiveness for FCNH (“V.P.”) certified that the FCNH transcript
Respondent submitted with her Application is fraudulent.
15. Onor about July 19, 2012, the V.P. also certified that Respondent
did not complete the courses identified in the certificates Respondent
submitted with her Application.
16. Having not completed courses at, or obtained certificates of
completion from, a Florida Board approved school, as required by Section
480.041(1)(b), Florida Statutes (2009), Respondent is not qualified to be
licensed, or to practice, as a massage therapist in the State of Florida.
Page 3 of 8
COUNT ONE
17. Petitioner realleges paragraphs 1 through 16, as if fully set forth
herein.
18. Section 480.046(1)(0), Florida Statutes (2009), subjects a
massage therapist to discipline for violating any provision of Chapter 480 or
456, Florida Statutes, or any rules adopted pursuant thereto.
19. Section 456.072(1)(h), Florida Statutes (2009), subjects a
massage therapist to discipline for attempting to obtain, obtaining, or
renewing a license to practice a profession by bribery, by fraudulent
misrepresentation, or through an error of the department or the board.
20. Based on the foregoing, Respondent has violated Section
480.046(1)(0), Florida Statutes (2009), by obtaining her license to practice
massage therapy in the State of Florida through error of the Department of
Health or through fraudulent misrepresentation by submitting a fraudulent
transcript and fraudulent Certificates of Completion with her Application, in
violation Section 456.072(1)(h), Florida Statutes (2009).
COUNT TWO
21, Petitioner realleges paragraphs 1 through 16, as if fully set forth
herein.
Page 4 of 8
22. Section 480.046(1)(0), Florida Statutes (2009), subjects a
massage therapist to discipline for violating any provision of Chapter 480 or
456, Florida Statutes, or any rules adopted pursuant thereto.
23. Section 456.072(1)(w), Florida Statutes (2009), subjects a
massage therapist to discipline for failing to comply with the requirements for
profiling and credentialing, including, but not limited to, failing to provide
initial information, failing to timely provide updated information, or making
misleading, untrue, deceptive, or fraudulent representations on a profile,
credentialing, or initial or renewal licensure application.
24, Based on the foregoing, Respondent has violated Section
480.046(1)(0), Florida Statutes (2009), by violating Section 456.072(1)(w),
Florida Statutes (2008), by for failing to comply with the requirements for
profiling and credentialing by submitting a fraudulent transcript and
fraudulent Certificates of Completion with her Application, in violation of
Section 456.072(1)(w), Florida Statutes (2009).
COUNT THREE
25, Petitioner realleges and incorporates by reference the allegations
in paragraphs 1 through 16 as if fully set forth herein.
Page 5 of 8
26. Section 480.046(i)(o), Florida Statutes (2009), subjects a
licensee to discipline for violating any provision of Chapter 480 or Chapter
456, or any rules adopted pursuant thereto.
27. Pursuant to Section 480.041(1)(b), Florida Statutes (2009), in
order to qualify for licensure as a massage therapist in the State of Florida, a
person must complete a course of study at a Florida Board-approved
massage school or complete an apprenticeship program that meets the
standards adopted by the Florida Board.
28. Respondent is not qualified to hold a license as a massage
therapist because she failed to complete a course of study at a Florida Board-
approved massage school and failed to complete an apprenticeship program
that meets the standards adopted by the Florida Board.
29. Based on the foregoing, Respondent violated Section
480.046(1)(0), Florida Statutes (2009), by obtaining a license as a massage
therapist without completing a course of study at a Florida Board-approved
massage school or an apprenticeship program that meets the standards
adopted by the Florida Board, in violation of Section 480.041(1)(b), Florida
Statutes (2009).
Page 6 of 8
WHEREFORE, Petitioner respectfully requests that the Board of
Massage Therapy enter an order imposing one or more of the following
penalties: permanent revocation or suspension of Respondent's license,
restriction of practice, imposition of an administrative fine, issuance of a
reprimand, placement of Respondent on probation, corrective action, and/or
any other relief that the Board of Massage Therapy deems appropriate.
SIGNED this _©'> day of _OQwbev-_, 2012.
John H. Armstrong, MD
State Surgeon General and Secretary of Health
FIL. Jenifer . Friedberg, Esq
DEP, U .
ADEPUTY CeEALTH Assistant General Counsel
CLERK Angel Sanders Florida Bar No. 0021640
_ PATE 10/9/2012 DOH Prosecution Services Unit
4052 Bald Cypress Way, Bin C-65
Tallahassee, Florida 32399-3265
(P) 850-245-4640
(F) 850-245-4662
(E) Jenifer_Friedberg@doh.state.fl.us
PCP Date: October 8, 2012
PCP Members: Lorena Haynes, and Joy Buckley
Page 7 of 8
NOTICE OF RIGHTS
Respondent has the right to request a hearing to be conducted
in accordance with Section 120.569 and 120.57, Florida Statutes, to
be represented by counsel or other qualified representative, to
present evidence and argument, to call and cross-examine
witnesses, and to have subpoena and subpoena duces tecum issued
on his or her behalf if a hearing is requested.
NOTICE REGARDING ASSESSMENT OF COSTS
Respondent is placed on notice that Petitioner has incurred
costs related to the investigation and prosecution of this matter.
Pursuant to Section 456.072(4), Florida Statutes, the Board shall
assess costs related to the investigation and prosecution of a
disciplinary matter, which may include attorney hours and costs, on
Respondent in addition to any other discipline imposed.
Page 8 of 8
Docket for Case No: 13-001161PL
Issue Date |
Proceedings |
Jun. 11, 2013 |
Transmittal letter from Claudia Llado returning Respondent's Proposed Exhibits numbered 1-26, to Respondent.
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Jun. 10, 2013 |
Respondent's Suhua Li's Notice of Filing Proposed Exhibits filed (exhibits not available for viewing). |
Jun. 10, 2013 |
Transmittal letter from Claudia Llado forwarding Petitioner's Proposed Exhibits numbered 1-4, to the agency.
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Jun. 05, 2013 |
Order Closing File and Relinquishing Jurisdiction. CASE CLOSED.
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Jun. 05, 2013 |
Agreed Motion to Relinquish Jurisdiction filed.
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Jun. 05, 2013 |
First Amended Administrative Complaint filed.
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Jun. 05, 2013 |
Notice of Withdrawal of Fraud Allegations filed.
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Jun. 04, 2013 |
Respondent's Suhua Li's Notice of Filing Proposed Exhibits filed.
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Jun. 03, 2013 |
Respondent's Pre-hearing Statement filed.
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Jun. 03, 2013 |
Respondent's Suhua Li's Notice of Filing Proposed Exhibits filed.
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May 31, 2013 |
Petitioner's Proposed Exhibits filed (exhibits not available for viewing). |
May 31, 2013 |
Notice of Filing Petitioner's Proposed Exhibits filed.
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May 30, 2013 |
Petitioner's Unilateral Pre-hearing Statement filed.
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May 23, 2013 |
Petitioner's Notice of Taking Deposition (of M. Wade) filed.
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May 13, 2013 |
Petitioner's Notice of Taking Deposition (Suhua Li) filed.
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Apr. 10, 2013 |
Order of Pre-hearing Instructions.
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Apr. 10, 2013 |
Notice of Hearing by Video Teleconference (hearing set for June 6, 2013; 9:00 a.m.; Lauderdale Lakes and Tallahassee, FL).
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Apr. 09, 2013 |
Respondent's Unilateral Response to the Initial Order filed.
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Apr. 08, 2013 |
Petitioner's Unilateral Response to the Initial order filed.
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Apr. 01, 2013 |
Initial Order.
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Mar. 29, 2013 |
Notice of Appearance (filed by J. Friedberg).
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Mar. 29, 2013 |
Notice of Representation by a Counsel, Request for a Copy of the Investigation and Answer to the Letter of Allegation Gainst the Respondent Request for a Formal Hearing filed.
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Mar. 29, 2013 |
Administrative Complaint filed.
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Mar. 29, 2013 |
Agency referral filed.
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