Mental Health Expert Witnesses in Florida

Forensic Psychology, Psychology - Damage assessment, mental health, trauma, therapy, prognosis, diagnosis, evaluation, personality cognitive testing, first responders, sexual abuse, sexual offenders, severe mental illness, psychosis, schizophrenia, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, anxiety, depression, suicidal, homicidal, self-harm

The primary focus of my practice is to evaluate individuals who are struggling with negative emotions or cognitions after a traumatic incident (i.e., sexual assault, car accident, physician abuse, neglect). If appropriate, I will complete a report to include diagnosis, prognosis, and a monetary damage amount for future mental health care. I require a retainer prior to beginning documentation review, evaluation, report writing, deposition or trial. Prior Experience: Criminal: Expert Testimony Consultation with attorneys: Over 65 cases from Department of State Hospitals Violence Risk Assessments: Over 1000 Short Term Risk Assessments, <50 Long Term Violence Risk Assessments, > 20 Sexual Violence Risk Assessments Main Disorders Assessed and/or Treated: Schizophrenia, Psychopathy, Bipolar, Depression, OCD, Antisocial Personality Disorder, Dissociative Identity Disorder Familiarity with Penal Codes: Not Guilty By Reason of Insanity, Incompetent to Stand Trial, Mentally Ill Inmate...

Boca Raton, Florida

Substance Abuse, Mental Health - Addiction treatment center, Substance abuse, Addiction, Suicide, Family law, ASAM criteria, Alcoholism, PTSD, DUI, Marchman act, Medical malpractice, Baker act, Wrongful death, Suicide prevention, Dram shop, Sexual assault in addiction and mental health facilities

John Puls is a licensed psychotherapist, Master's Certified Addiction Professional (MCAP), clinical social worker, and qualified expert witness based in Florida. He brings over a decade of direct clinical, administrative, and support staff experience across all levels of care in substance abuse and mental health treatment. This includes detoxification units, residential inpatient programs, partial hospitalization programs, outpatient services, crisis stabilization units, and Baker Act receiving facilities. Mr. Puls is recognized for his deep understanding of clinical best practices and standards of care in both mental health and addiction treatment settings. He has designed and implemented evidence-based programming for treatment centers, with a focus on aligning services with state and national standards, including the ASAM Criteria (American Society of Addiction Medicine) for determining appropriate levels of care in addiction treatment. He has been retained as an expert witnes...

Fort Myers, Florida

Psychology, Education & Schools - Psychological Trauma, Behavior, Disabilities, Group Home Abuse, Autism, Mental Health, Public Education, Threat Assessment, Physical Abuse, Title II, Evaluation, Special Education, Discipline, Sexual Abuse, IEP, Anxiety/Depression, 504, Learning Disabilities, Intellectual Disabilities, Adults

Dr. Taylor holds a PhD in Professional Psychology/School, Community and Clinical Child Psychology (APA-accredited program) from the University of Pennsylvania, MA in Multicultural Counseling from Teachers College/Columbia University, MEd in Counseling Psychology from Teachers College/Columbia University, and BS in Psychology from the University of Florida. She also has graduate certificates in Applied Behavior Analysis and Educational Leadership. Her predoctoral internship in Pediatric Psychology was at the Children's Seashore House/Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, and her four-year National Institute of Mental Health-funded postdoctoral fellowship was at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Taylor has been involved in 100+ legal cases based on her extensive clinical training and experience, as well as decades of experience overseeing programs of individuals with trauma, emotional, physical, learning, intellectual and/or developmental disabilities in a variety of sett...

Hollywood, Florida

Neuropsychology, Mental Health - Pediatric, Neuropsychology, Traumatic Brain Injury, TBI, Concussion, Stroke, Epilepsy, Prenatal Injury, Birth Injury, Teratogenic, Hypoxia, HIE, Developmental Disorder, Autism, ADHD, Learning Disorder, Childhood Dementia, Near Drowning, Memory, Attention

Double-boarded in Clinical Neuropsychology and Pediatric Neuropsychology by the American Board of Professional Psychology. I have also been certified as a Brain Injury Specialist through the Brain Injury Association of America. Employed by Nicklaus Children's Hospital for the past 18 years, where I work very closely with neurology and neurosurgical colleagues. Formerly "Miami Children's Hospital", we are the largest dedicated pediatric hospital system in the state. Clinical cases range from frank acquired brain injury to more subtle gestational or birth injuries. Most referrals have complex medical and psychiatric presentations, typically with multiple underlying etiologies. Training and experience spans from infancy to geriatrics, with patients seen from infancy through young adulthood. Expert witness for both plaintiff and defense: Independent Neuropsychological Evaluations /"CME's", record reviews, and consultation services. Forensic neuropsychology evaluations in the tri-co...

Osprey, Florida

Psychology, Mental Health - PTSD, Emotional distress, competency, neuropsychology, testing, malingering, Criminal responsibility, Testamentary capacity, Malpractice, Risk assessment, mental diagnosis, sexual abuse and harassment, personal injury

I have been qualified to testify in County and Federal Courts in several states on matters of civil and criminal litigation related to psychological issues since 1980. I was granted my Ph.D. in psychology from Temple University in 1975. . I completed formal psychoanalytic training in 1979 at the Post-Graduate Center for Mental Health in NYC. I am licensed to practice psychology in both Pennsylvania and Florida and hold a Certificate of Professional Qualification in Psychology from the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards. Additionally, I am certified to Practice Interjurisdictional Telepsychology (APIT). I served as President of the Pennsylvania Psychological Association (1990–1991) and was elected to the Governing Council of the American Psychological Association, representing Pennsylvania psychologists from 1992 to 1995 and again from 2001 to 2003. I was honored with the Distinguished Service Award from the Pennsylvania Psychological Association in 2001. I was...

Daytona Beach, Florida

Mental Health, Vocational Rehabilitation - functional limitations, stamina limitations, physical restrictions, post-surgical restrictions, work tolerance, fatigue impact, sedentary work assessment, activity tolerance, light duty analysis, physical job matching, physical capacity review, ortho, chronic pain impact, orthopedic disability, ergonomics, job demands analysis

Robin Richardson, M.S., CRC, is a highly skilled vocational evaluator with advanced expertise in analyzing the interaction between functional limitations, behavioral health factors, and work capacity. She specializes in complex cases involving orthopedic injuries, chronic pain, cognitive and emotional impairments, trauma-related symptoms, and long-term work disruption. Her evaluations provide a clear, defensible link between an individual’s medical conditions, functional abilities, psychosocial barriers, and vocational feasibility. Ms. Richardson brings more than a decade of experience serving individuals with a wide range of disabilities, including physical, neurological, developmental, and mental health–related conditions. Her background in counseling, case management, and career development allows her to assess not just what a claimant can do, but the behavioral, emotional, and environmental factors that determine whether they can sustain competitive employment. She is known for...

Melbourne, Florida

Forensic Psychology, Mental Health - social investigation, parenting coordination, family mediation, sentencing mitigation, risk assessment, competency evaluation, mitigation evaluation, mental health, expert witness, child custody, consulting expert, psychological assessment, malingering assessment, violence risk, juvenile competency, psychosexual evaluation

Attorneys handling criminal defense and family court matters hire Nella Albrecht when the psychological and behavioral evidence has to hold up — in the report and on the stand. Court-qualified as an expert witness on multiple occasions, she has completed hundreds of forensic mental health evaluations across criminal, civil, and family proceedings throughout Florida, with teleconsultation available nationwide. Nella is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and Certified Forensic Mental Health Evaluator with over a decade of experience at the intersection of mental health and law. She brings the rare combination of frontline clinical experience and rigorous forensic training — which means her evaluations aren't just credentialed, they're defensible under cross-examination. For criminal defense attorneys, she provides competency to stand trial evaluations, mitigation assessments, social history investigations, and psychological evaluations that integrate structured clinical interviews, ...

Florida

Child Abuse, Social Work - child custody, child development, child abuse, neglect, Family separation, Trauma, Best interest, Mental health, Reasonable efforts, Forensic social work, Removal, Foster care, Reunification, Adoption, Attachment, Termination of parental rights, Kinship care, Social work, child protective services, CPS

Jessica Duesler is a Board Certified Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Colorado, Utah, Texas, and Florida with nearly 20 years of experience. Holding certifications in Forensic Social Work and Multicultural and International Social Work Practice, other specialized expertise includes Adoption Trauma, Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health, Complex Trauma, the Harm of Removal, TPR, and Forensic Evaluations. Jessica's primary focus of work is centered around dependent and neglected children and domestic relations matters. She has also worked on juvenile delinquency and guardianship cases. Jessica's scope of work routinely involves legal advocacy, conducting mental health evaluations, child-focused trauma assessments, Parent-Child Interactional Evaluations, facilitating therapeutic out-of-home placement transitions, and serving as an expert witness throughout the country. Jessica is a certified Child & Family Investigator and Parental Responsibilities Evaluator. Jessica’s exp...

Ponte Vedra , Florida

Psychiatry, Forensic Psychiatry - hospital, malpractice, will contest, corrections, psychiatry, psychology, suicide, mental health, behavioral health, CMO, administrative, correctional psychiatry, litigation, JCAHO, law enforcement, telepsychiatry, business development, forensic psychiatry, fitness for duty, police

Dr. Ferguson, a board-certified Harvard trained forensic psychiatrist, is a respected active leader and experienced expert in the field of mental health litigation consultation. She is recognized by her peers for her administrative expertise in behavioral health organizations and has held many senior positions in national professional organizations for two decades. She has led or served on numerous community and national committees at the interface of law and psychiatry. At the earliest stage possible in her career, she was recognized as a Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association. As a forensic psychiatrist, chief medical officer, director of telepsychiatry behavioral health business development, and forensic psychiatry fellowship director she has a record of proven leadership in the clinical, educational, research, and public policy forums of psychiatric and telepsychiatric services. She greatly enjoys teaching psychiatrists how to testify and was the foundin...