Kevin Franke files lawsuit against Jodi Hildebrandt over alleged negligence in mental health treatment

SALT LAKE CITY — Kevin Franke filed a lawsuit against Jodi Hildebrandt for negligence after experiencing what his lawyers described as “unnecessary, damaging mental health treatments.”

The lawsuit is the latest development in a long-winding series of events involving Hildebrandt and the Franke family.

 

Jodi Hildebrandt, 56, pleaded guilty to four counts of aggravated child abuse, a second-degree felony, in Feb. 2024, for her treatment of four of the Franke’s children. Ruby Franke, Kevin Franke’s wife, was given an identical sentence of four consecutive terms of one to 15 years each in the Utah State Prison.

Hildebrandt was licensed as a clinical mental health counselor when she was treating Kevin Franke in 2022, though her license was revoked by the Utah State Division of Professional Licensing on May 10, 2024, according to the lawsuit.

Kevin Franke’s claims for damages exceed $300,000.

Related: 1 year since Ruby Franke, Jodi Hildebrandt arrested for child abuse: Where the case stands

Hildebrandt’s alleged negligence

According to the lawsuit, Hildbrandt acted negligently in her practice by failing to professionally diagnose patients, failing to explain said diagnoses, and not disclosing how much the diagnosis “warranted the applied treatment.”

The alleged negligence also included failure to “institute an appropriate method of treatment,” misdiagnosing patients’ conditions, and applying “unprofessional, inappropriate and improper methods of treatment,” according to the lawsuit.

Among “inappropriate” behaviors, Franke cited Hildebrandt’s conflicting relationship with his family and even other patients. The suit highlighted the criminal, “detrimental,” treatment of the Franke children.

Kevin Franke and his lawyers outlined how Hildebrandt’s relationship with Ruby Franke, including disclosing confidential information and providing advice that did not align with Kevin Franke’s best interests, was negligent in nature.

Hildebrandt’s actions were described as “dishonest and designed to benefit the self-interest of Ms. Hildebrandt and was contrary to the mental health and best interests of her patient.”

It was also noted Hildebrandt represented herself as a psychologist, “for which she was not licensed.”

Related: New law aims to crack down on unlicensed life coaches practicing mental health therapy 

Hildebrandt’s treatment: A timeline

Spring of 2022: According to the suit, Hildebrandt was acting as a clinical mental health counselor for Kevin Franke through her business, ConneXions. The two were reportedly introduced when Ruby Franke began associating with Hildebrandt.

She advised Kevin Franke without any formal protocol, “diagnosing” him as “being lustful, narcissistic, manipulative, deceptive, controlling and selfish,” and told him he needed to “overcome these adverse” conditions.

The lawsuit said in her position, Hildebrandt “thereby assumed a heightened position of trust,” advising Kevin Franke to cut off communication with the Franke children as he “might lead them to adopt these same negative behaviors and conditions.”

July 20th, 2022: Hildebrandt and Ruby Franke wanted to “protect the children and preserve the marriage and family,” by removing Kevin Franke and the couple’s 17-year-old son, from the family home. Their son was also advised to cut off communication with the family, according to the lawsuit.

Following their removal from the family, Kevin Franke and his son continued paying Hildebrandt for her services. Kevin Franke was enrolled in Hildebrandt’s online men’s group therapy and relied upon her expertise.

Franke said he paid between $300 and $375 monthly to join Hildebrandt’s men’s group therapy.

He disclosed in the suit that Hildebrandt directed other men in the support group to threaten Kevin Franke that if he did not change and comply with Hildebrandt’s teachings, his wife, Ruby, would divorce him.

This caused Kevin Franke to withhold communication from Ruby Franke and their children, while Hildebrandt and Ruby Franke acted criminally against the Franke children.

The lawsuit said Hildebrandt encouraged Kevin Franke to communicate with his wife twice, according to the lawsuit. Once was in Feb. 2023, and the other in June 2023.

Each time, Hildebrandt told Kevin Franke to write a letter listing everything he did that was “selfish, entitled, narcissistic, lustful and manipulative.” Then, Ruby Franke was advised to use the letters for leverage in divorce proceedings should they arise.

“Between August 2022 and August 2023, (Hildebrandt) was extremely mentally abusive to Kevin as he participated in an online men’s group therapy ran by (Hildebrandt).” Kevin Franke said his participation totaled over 300 hours.

The suit continued on, saying Hildebrandt “berated and belittled Kevin,” and accused him of being a “lover of darkness.”

Sept. 2022: Kevin Franke said Hildebrandt told him he was unworthy to hold a temple recommend to enter temples of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

“Her feedback and comments ultimately led Kevin to not attend a meeting to renew his temple recommend in 2023, after (Hildebrandt) convinced him that he was not worthy and would be a hypocrite if he attempted to renew the recommend,” the lawsuit said.

The suit states that failing to renew his recommend led to Kevin Franke being fired from his job at Brigham State University, as it was a requirement for his employment.

From May of 2023 until August 2023: The lawsuit stated that Hildebrandt and Ruby Franke had the Franke children living at Hildebrandt’s home in Ivins, Utah, but had never disclosed it to Kevin Franke.

July 26, 2023: Hildebrandt announced she was “suspending Kevin’s services with her,” and said God told her he “needed absolute solitude to heal.”