Forensic Assessments

Forensic Psychology is the application of specialized psychological knowledge to provide information relevant to a legal question. The goal is to assist judges, attorneys, jurors, and law enforcement agencies in making their decisions related to a law or statute.

• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and other related disorders arising out of work-related incidents
• Fitness For Duty Evaluations
• Legal and Court-Ordered Evaluations
• Court Ordered Assessment
• Child Endangerment Evaluations
• Violence Risk Assessments
• Sex Offender Risk Evaluations
• Malingering Assessments
• Competency Evaluations
• Independent Psychological/Psychosocial Evaluations in Child Custody disputes

Medico-Legal Assessments

There are many types of evaluations that can fall under this categoryand usually include assessments that focus on medical issues that may include some sort of litigation. A medico-legal psychological assessment may be required as part of evidence used in civil litigation, often in relation to compensation for work-related stress or after a traumatic event such as an accident. The assessment may be requested in order to establish a link between the trauma and the victim’s psychological condition, or to determine the extent of psychological harm and the amount of compensation to be awarded to the victim.

• Disability Evaluations/ADA Evaluations
• Dr. Dempsey is an Agreed Medical Evaluator/Qualified Medical Evaluator

Bonding Studies

In situations where child protection agencies, attorneys, or courts need feedback in deciding whether to work toward a return of custody versus exploring options such as guardianship, change of placement, continued foster placement, or adoption, psychologists often complete what is termed a “bonding evaluation.” A bonding evaluation is a specialized type of assessment where the goal is to determine the nature and quality of the child’s attachments to his or her caregiver. While mostly conducted in the context of child welfare cases, bonding evaluations are also used in divorce and custody cases, particularly if there are questions about the bond and relationship between a young child and a parent.