Forensic Psychiatry & Psychology Center
The Forensic Psychiatry and Psychology Center was established in 2009 to address clinical, legal, educational, and academic and public policy concerns involving law and mental health issues. The Center has implemented a broad scope of services and programs to serve the College of Medicine and the regional and state community.
Professional services are available to attorneys, judges, government organizations, law enforcement, businesses, schools and others. We offer experienced and unbiased professional opinions about a wide array of legal questions, including criminal and civil competency, the insanity defense, personal injury, medical malpractice, fitness for duty, and wrongful termination. The vast resources of the College of Medicine are available to provide comprehensive assessments and accurate, credible opinions and reports to referring parties. Deposition and testimony are easily scheduled. Rapid turnaround time is a priority.
The Center acts as a resource to state and administrative organizations in the creation of public policy or statutes when the disciplines of law and mental illness interface. We have contributed in the areas of sex offender evaluation, criminal responsibility, workers’ compensation, and civil commitment legislation.
We will coordinate the evaluation of all types of forensic mental health cases from start to finish. Our free, preliminary case review assists referrers in determining the next steps to take. Interviews with clients are scheduled promptly. Psychological testing is available in-house and is performed when indicated. Our accurate reports, written clearly and concisely, provide independent and supported opinions. We recognize the time constraints of many referrers, so we are experienced in ensuring easy communication and rapid turnaround.
The Forensic Psychiatry and Psychology Center at UICOMP offers unique advantages to referrers with our easy access to clinical consultation for complex cases. Clinical consultation has been a common and routine practice in medicine for decades. We will obtain consultation in a limited aspect of a legal case using a tested method that reflects best practices in an academic setting. The ability to consider the independent, blinded, input from a trusted colleague often proves exceptionally useful and will yield positive benefits in certain cases.
We have cumulatively assessed over 1,100 forensic cases and are experienced in deposition and expert testimony.