Forensic Psychiatry Services
The mission of the Division of Forensic Psychiatry at University Hospitals is to contribute to the field of forensic psychiatry through excellence in education, practice and research. We work collaboratively with colleagues in the justice system, healthcare system and general psychiatrists to increase understanding of the intersection of our fields and help improve outcomes.
Contact the Forensic Psychiatry Team
To learn more about our services, email Forensicpsychiatry@case.edu.
What Is Forensic Psychiatry?
The practice of forensic psychiatry is concerned with the connection of mental health and the law. A forensic psychiatrist may work with defendants or victims in criminal or civil cases. This can include evaluating the state of mind of someone who has committed a crime, helping to determine sanity, or consideration of competency to stand trial, and other competencies. They evaluate and diagnose mental disorders, provide violence risk assessments, and serve as expert witnesses during a trial.
The forensic psychiatrists at UH work closely with prosecutors, defense attorneys, judges, law enforcement and other members of the justice system to help support the judicial process.
Our Services
Our team provides high-quality forensic psychiatry evaluations to assist finders-of-fact deciding complicated legal issues. Some of the services we provide include evaluation for criminal responsibility, competency to stand trial, malingering, fitness for duty, and suicide and violence risk assessments.
Complete List of ServicesForensic Psychiatry Fellowship
A central goal of our service is to increase the expertise of future physicians in the field of forensic psychiatry. We provide teaching for trainees across disciplines. This includes the Forensic Psychiatry Fellowship program, electives for psychiatry residents and medical students, and the Psychiatry and the Law course at Case Western Reserve University School of Law.
Research
Research is a vital component of the forensic psychiatry team’s mission. Some of our research interests include mental illness and violence, homicide, women and violence, and social justice issues.
Learn More About Our Research