Dr. Mark Ackerman specializes in conducting mental status examinations and generating evaluative reports for the legal system, health care providers and addiction treatment programs.
Mental status examinations are frequently requested by health care providers or the court system to provide a better understanding of an individual's behavior, cognitive functioning (e.g., memory, attention deficit), motivation for change or to address mitigating factors, probation or sentencing within legal contexts. My evaluations help to provide diagnostic clarification, treatment planning or mitigation for those individuals who have been accused or convicted of a crime. Presenting problems that I have expertise evaluating include personal injury conditions such as posttraumatic stress disorder and other traumas, sexual behavior, addiction and substance abuse disorders and questions regarding personality style. The need for such evaluation may arise within either a civil or criminal context. Examples of cases I have recently provided evaluations for include addiction and DUI, personal injury due to civilian trauma experienced working overseas in a war zone, parental fitness psycho-diagnostic evaluations for child protection matters, pre and post fitness for duty evaluations, family violence (e.g., battery and domestic abuse) and various sexual crimes (psychosexual evaluations). The mental status examination that I conduct is quite thorough and includes observation, clinical interview, self-report and objective psychological testing. The psychological testing battery includes objective measures that screen for purposeful deception and malingering. Information obtained through collateral interviews, medical or psychiatric treatment records and legal documents is also included. Following this an evaluative report is generated to answer the referral question which may be used to assist with treatment planning or legal proceedings. I have training and expertise as an expert witness and have testified in court within both civil and criminal contexts. Please click here to learn more.