Chicago psychologist charged with sexual misonduct, admits same to investigators

January 24, 2011

A psychologist at the state-run Tinley Park Mental Health Center has been charged with allegedly manipulating and misleading a female patient to perform sex acts in exchange for her release from the facility, then giving her money in an attempt to keep her quiet, Cook County State's Attorney Anita Alvarez said today.

Dr. Robert Eizinga, 66, of Tinley Park, is charged with sexual misconduct with a person with a disability and with official misconduct.

Eizinga has been employed by the Illinois Department of Human Services for more than 20 years, according to court filings. At the time of the alleged assaults, he not only counseled patients but was the mental health facility's court liaison to the state's attorney's office and to the Guardianship and Advocacy Commission mental health attorneys.

His victim was a 45-year-old woman who was admitted to the center April 25 suffering from depression, Alvarez said in a news release. Eizinga told her he had a sex addiction and was getting a divorce. The woman complied with his requests for sex acts after Eizinga told her he could keep her in the facility or send her to another one if she refused, Alvarez said.

After their second second sexual encounter, the victim called her sister and told her what had happened, Alvarez said. After the sister complained to someone at Tinley Park Mental Health Center and asked for her sister to be discharged, her sister was.

But before she left, Eizinga gave her $20 and his business card with his cell phone number written on it, Alvarez said. He later drove to her house and took her to a cell phone store where he bought her a phone. The next day, Eizinga returned to the house, gave here $100 and asked her not to call police because he could lose his job, Alvarez continued.

Over the following week, Eizinga and the woman spoke several times via the cell phone he had purchased for her. Eizinga told her that he had spoken with his sex therapist, who advised him to give the woman money to "keep her mouth shut."

The woman filed a complaint against Eizinga on May 12, and Eizinga was put on administrative leave, Alvarez said. He then called the woman and asked her how much money it would take to not take the matter to court. The woman hung up on him, Alvarez said.

Eizinga later admitted to investigators that he had had sex with the woman. He also claimed the woman had asked him for $500 and a bus ticket to Atlanta. He claimed he gave her $400 and dropped her off at the Greyhound bus terminal.

Eizinga appeared in bond court in Bridgeview on Thursday, where his bail was set at $150,000.

Source: Psychologist charged with assaulting patient at Tinley Park mental center, Chicago Tribune, January 21, 2011.