Arizona Restricts "Moderation Institute" Psychiatrist Michael Yasinski for DUI, Drugs

November 9, 2018

On September 27, 2018, the Arizona Medical Board issued a “Consent Agreement for Practice Restriction" on psychiatrist Michael Yasinksi, prohibiting him from practicing medicine until the Board’s Executive Direction grants him permission.

According to the order, In August 2018, Yasinski, who founded The Moderation Institute in Scottsdale, self-reported some criminal charges to the Board, including a February 2018 DUI and some March 2018 misdemeanor charges. In the former, he was charged with Driving Under the Influence (DUI) with a greater that .08 blood alcohol concentration, and illegal possession of prescription drugs. He ended up pleading guilty to DUI. The misdemeanor charges arose out of a fight Yasinski got into with his girlfriend. The latter charges were later dismissed.

During the investigation, Yasinski admitted to prescribing controlled substances to a patient without maintaining adequate medical records. The Board issued Yasinski an interim order to complete an assessment with the Board’s Physician Health Program (PHP) within 10 days, as well as a neuropsychological evaluation within 60 days.

Yasinski tested positive for non-prescription controlled substances and was deemed not safe to practice medicine pending completion of an inpatient evaluation. He neglected to obtain the required neuropsychological evaluation.

Source: Interim Consent Agreement for Practice Restriction in the Matter of Michael S. Yasinski, M.D., license no. 44236, Case No. MD-18-0737A, Medical Board of Arizona, September 27, 2018.