Board Certified Forensic Psychologist -Why do I need one?
As an attorney, employer, or other party requiring a psychological evaluation on a client, claimant, or employee, it can be difficult to find a competent expert for the job. In these types of situations you will need a board certified forensic psychologist.
What exactly is a forensic psychologist?
A forensic psychologist is a mental health professional with a doctoral degree in psychology. This person applies their understanding of human behavior to legal situations, such as civil and criminal court cases, but also contractual and administrative matters. They provide expert testimony, conduct psychological testing, and also provide a defensible written report to their referral source. Their role is to be impartial and fair because it is crucial for the forensic psychologist to maintain their competence; specifically, in their knowledge of the legal system and legal rights of individuals, their knowledge of the scientific foundation for opinions and testimony, and their appreciation of individual and group differences. Therefore, a forensic psychologist addresses a multitude of psycho-legal questions.
How do I find this type of specialist?
At Jones-Wood Psychological Associates, all of our forensic psychologists and psychiatrists have had extensive training, as required by the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, for consultants and employees of community forensic psychiatry centers. We also have board-certified forensic psychologists on our staff. As a result, you can trust the work we perform.
Another great place to find such individuals for criminal matters are the state-designated forensic evaluation centers. In our region of Northeast Ohio, the two regional centers are the Court Psychiatric Clinic in Cleveland and the Psycho-Diagnostic Clinic in Akron.
The American Board of Professional Psychology’s directory (https://www.abpp.org/Directory)is another fantastic source to find which has been in existence since 1947. Each psychologist must be independently licensed for at least five years before applying for certification by this board. They undergo a credential review, practice sample review, written examination, and oral examination. At present, there are only 19 board-certified forensic psychologists in the entire state!
Our board certified forensic psychologists at Jones-Wood Psychological Associates:
Our forensic psychologists/psychiatrists with consulting experience at state-designated forensic evaluation centers:
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