Legal Consultation
Dr. D’Angelo and Dr. Kain have experience in dealing with mentally ill defendants in Los Angeles County. Consultation services offered range from defense consultations including competency to stand trial evaluations, mitigation and not guilty by reason of insanity, as well as expert witness testimony in criminal and civil proceedings.
Mental Health Diversion – Penal Code 1001.36 is the California statute that provides for mental health diversion. This program allows some people with mental health issues to receive treatment in lieu of prosecution and jail when they are charged with a crime. The defendant must be suffering from a mental health condition other than an antisocial personality disorder, borderline personality disorder, or pedophilia to qualify for mental health diversion. Some qualifying mental health conditions include:
- Bipolar disorder
- Psychotic disorders, such as schizophrenia
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Schizoaffective disorder
With many years of experience working with the forensic population, our licensed psychologists provide comprehensive evaluations to assess for psychological factors that can impact the behavior motivating the criminal act. The process typically involves the following:
- Consultation with the defendant’s attorney
- A clinical interview with the defendant
- Collateral interview with a family member or treatment provider
- An in-depth review of medical and mental health records including prior psychiatric treatment, as well as legal documents
- Administration and scoring of appropriate psychological tests including risk assessment tools
- Completion of a legally defensible and integrative report provided to the defendant’s attorney
