CASE · Clearance Adjudication Search EngineCASE

Loading case…

ISCR Case 23-02038 — CASE

DOHA Record Explorer

ISCR Case 23-02038

A decided public DOHA case, shown for research — not advice or a prediction.

Case Profile
Decision Date9/19/2025
Statusdenied
LevelHEARING
TypeSTANDARD ISCR
Related decisionSee the appeal decision (Case ISCR Case No. 23-02038) →
Participants
Judge: Ross D. Hyams
Government Counsel: Brian L. Farrell
Applicant's Counsel: Ronald C. Sykstus
Case Summary
The applicant in this case was a 40-year-old field service representative who had served in the Army from 2008 to 2017 and was seeking a security clearance. The Department of Defense issued a Statement of Reasons (SOR) citing security concerns under Guideline I, related to psychological conditions. The core allegation was that the applicant had been diagnosed with major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder, with a history of suicidal ideation and hospitalization following a suicide attempt in 2017. The evaluating psychologist expressed concerns that the applicant's mental health issues could impair his judgment and reliability.
The applicant admitted to the allegations in the SOR and provided a history of his mental health struggles, including multiple hospitalizations and treatment interruptions. He claimed to have focused on personal growth and education in recent years, stating that he felt stable and had been using coping mechanisms learned in therapy. However, he had not consistently engaged in mental health treatment, particularly from 2020 to 2022, which the evaluating psychologist noted as a significant concern. The applicant also submitted a recent psychological evaluation that found no current indicators of mental health issues but recommended continued therapy.
The administrative judge ruled against the applicant, concluding that he failed to mitigate the psychological conditions that raised security concerns. The judge emphasized the applicant's inconsistent treatment history and the guarded prognosis provided by the evaluating psychologist, which indicated a potential risk to his judgment and reliability. The decision ultimately denied the applicant's eligibility for access to classified information, prioritizing national security considerations.
Guidelines Evaluated
- Guideline IPsychological Conditions · Against Applicant
Similar decisions
Other decisions whose allegations read most like this one. Descriptive similarity of the allegations only — not a prediction.
Finding similar decisions…

Case Headnote

ISCR Case No. 23-02038

deniedSep 19, 2025· Hon. Ross D. Hyams· hearing

Summary

A 40-year-old field service representative and Army veteran was denied a security clearance under Guideline I (Psychological Conditions). The denial stemmed from a diagnosis of major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder, which included a history of suicidal ideation and a 2017 hospitalization following a suicide attempt. A DoD-connected psychologist evaluated the applicant, confirming these conditions and noting a period of depression, anxiety, and chronic pain from 2016 to 2018.

The Statement of Reasons cited these psychological conditions, raising disqualifying concerns under Adjudicative Guidelines paragraphs 28(a), 28(b), 28(c), and 28(d). The Adjudicator determined that the applicant failed to demonstrate consistent compliance with a treatment plan for his conditions.

Ultimately, the security clearance was denied because the applicant's mental health issues raised significant concerns regarding his judgment and reliability. Furthermore, his prognosis was considered guarded due to a lack of sustained treatment and ongoing symptoms.

Why the Applicant Was Denied

The applicant failed to demonstrate consistent compliance with a treatment plan for his psychological conditions.
The applicant's mental health issues raised significant concerns regarding his judgment and reliability.
The applicant's prognosis was considered guarded due to a lack of sustained treatment and ongoing symptoms.

Conditions Referenced

Disqualifying

AG ¶ 28(a)appliedBehavior That Casts Doubt on an Individual's Judgment, Stability, Reliability, or Trustworthiness
AG ¶ 28(b)appliedAn Opinion by a Duly Qualified Mental Health Professional That the Individual Has a Condition That May Impair Judgment, Stability, Reliability, or Trustworthiness
AG ¶ 28(c)appliedVoluntary or Involuntary Inpatient Hospitalization
AG ¶ 28(d)appliedFailure to Follow a Prescribed Treatment Plan Related to a Diagnosed Psychological/psychiatric Condition

Key Rule Quoted

“The protection of the national security is the paramount consideration.”

Procedural Posture

SOR issuedOct 16, 2023
Answer filedNov 6, 2023
Hearing heldJan 28, 2025
Decision dateSep 19, 2025

Cite For

Failure to Mitigate Psychological Conditions Under Guideline I
Impact of Mental Health Issues on Security Clearance Eligibility
Importance of Consistent Treatment for Psychological Conditions in Security Clearance Cases

Editorial summary generated for research. Not legal advice; not a prediction. Verify against the full decision before relying on any quoted language.

Standardized Decision Profile

SEAD-4 Guideline I (Psychological Conditions) · descriptive summary of a decided case

Posture: Decision on RecordDecided: denied

The judge found that the Applicant met the criteria for major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder, which raised significant concerns regarding his judgment, reliability, and trustworthiness. Despite the Applicant's admission of the allegations, the judge concluded that the security concerns were not mitigated, resulting in a denial of the security clearance.

¶	Allegation	Finding	Type	Response	Disqualifying (¶28)	Mitigating applied (¶29)	Mitigation
1.a	Applicant was evaluated by a DoD connected psychologist who found that Applicant met the criteria for major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder. Applicant experienced depression, anxiety, and chronic pain from 2016-2018, and was hospitalized after a suicide attempt in 2017.	Against Applicant	Mood Disorder Diagnosed	Admitted	(a) behavior that casts doubt on judgment/stability/reliability/trustworthiness, not covered under any other guideline, indicating an emotional/mental/per… (b) an opinion by a duly qualified mental health professional that the individual has a condition that may impair judgment/stability/reliability/trustwort… (c) voluntary or involuntary inpatient hospitalization (d) failure to follow a prescribed treatment plan related to a diagnosed condition that may impair judgment/stability/reliability/trustworthiness (incl. f…	—	—

Descriptive standardized rendering of a decided public case (Guideline I). The verbatim source decision is shown in full below.

Full decision

The complete, official text — footnotes and signatures included — is in the original PDF.