Applied Forensic Clinical Experience
This fellowship provides forensic training across inpatient, court and community settings. We believe that it is consistent with good preparation for a forensic psychology career for residents to obtain experience in multiple settings. Court clinics consist of forensic psychologists and social workers who provide on-site rapid forensic evaluations and consultation to the courts. Fellows will particiapte in a court-clinic rotation. Our community setting involves a one-day per week (for 3 to 6 months) optional rotation providing comprehensive risk assessments of mentally ill individuals with problematic sexual behaviors, should a supervisor be available.
Finally, the inpatient settings include Department of Mental Health state hospitals and Bridgewater State Hospital, which is a maximum security all-male forensic hospital run by the Department of Corrections and Wellpath. In addition to court-ordered evaluations, there are opportunities to provide violence risk assessment consultations to hospitals and community providers. Additional rotations, dependant on the interest of residents, may also be available.
Tracks:
Inpatient Track Fellows: Three fellows will be selected for this track which involves fellows completing the first 6-months of the fellowship at Worcester Recovery Center and Hospital (WRCH), a state hospital where they will conduct inpatient evaluations. The second half of the year, two of the three fellows (based on level of interest) will complete a rotation at Bridgewater State Hospital, a maximum-security forensic hospital for males. The third fellow will continue at WRCH. The three fellows in this track will also complete a six-month one-day-per-week rotation at an adult court clinic (described below).
Court Clinic Track Fellow: One fellow will be selected for this track which is funded by a separate DMH grant. The fellow will begin the year at the Worcester Recovery Center and Hospital (WRCH), a state hospital where they will conduct inpatient evaluations. The second half of the year, the fellow will spend four-days-per-week at an adult Massachusetts Trial Court clinic, where they will be immersed in conducting screening evaluations for the court system (see below for further details). This fellow will not have the option of participating in the Bridgewater State Hospital rotation (described below), as it also occurs during the second half of the year.
Forensic Experience Training Sites
We collaborate with several public sector forensic evaluation services and teams throughout Massachusetts to provide the above training experiences. The following are brief descriptions of those sites.
Worcester Recovery Center Hospital (WRCH)
Adjacent to the UMass Chan campus, is a Department of Mental Health facility that provides both treatment and evaluation services to both men and women. Forensic evaluation services are provided by a team of Forensic Psychologists through a contract with the UMass Chan Law and Psychiatry Program. This team provides the courts pre- and post-trial evaluations (e.g. competence to stand trial, criminal responsibility, aid in sentencing, as well as need for commitment) of defendants, as well as prisoners in need of treatment. Violence risk assessments are also provided to the treatment teams regarding patients with violence histories who are being considered for increased privileges or discharges. Consultations may also be provided to outpatient providers regarding clients with significant histories of violence. In addition, similar services may be provided at other Department of Mental Health facilities.
Bridgewater State Hospital (BSH)
Individuals housed at BSH undergo pre- and post-trial evaluations for the courts, including those for competence to stand trial, criminal responsibility, aid in sentencing, and need for civil commitment. Given its designation as a strict-security facility, BSH is often selected by the courts to manage the risk and treatment needs of individuals with extensive psychiatric and violent histories. The Massachusetts Department of Correction contracts with Wellpath to provide operations to the hospital.
Adult Court Clinic Services (District and Superior Courts): are provided by specially designated forensic psychologists and psychiatrists. Professionals in these settings provide forensic mental health screening evaluations (e.g., competence to stand trial, criminal responsibility, aid in sentencing, civil commitment, commitment of individuals with substance use disorders) , consultation and liaison to judges, court personnel, and community mental health agencies. Supervision of residents in the court clinics will be provided by highly experienced forensic psychologists. We have arrangements with several court clinics in different parts of the Commonwealth to provide placements for our residents. The decision about court clinic placements is a flexible one, taking into account the needs of the courts as well as the geographic preferences of the residents.
Mentally Ill Problematic Sexual Behavior (MIPSB) Services: In addition, Residents may be able to participate in a rotation to provide exposure to the assessment and treatment of Department of Mental Health clients who have engaged in sexually problematic behaviors. The rotation includes conducting assessments that incorporate clinical interview, review and integration of collateral information, and empirically-based actuarial and structured professional judgment measures. In addition, the rotation provides exposure to evidence-based treatments for these individuals, as well as dynamic risk assessment measures that examine changes in treatment over time for this population. This rotation is potentially available, based on MIPSB supervisor availability during the training year.
Supervision of all forensic evaluations is provided by forensic psychologists who have been certified by the Department of Mental Health. Supervisors at all sites prepare written evaluations of Residents each quarter. These are sent to Dr. Murray, the Program director. The director reviews these evaluations with the Residents and sets goals and expectations for satisfactory completion of the rotations. Residents are asked to provide mid-year and final evaluations of their supervision (and all other aspects of the training program). In addition, fellows will have weekly individual supervision sessions with Dr. Murray to integrate their clinical and didactic experiences as well as regular sessions with their research supervisor focusing on research topics.