Overview
The forensic psychology postdoctoral residency, which falls under the umbrella of the Emory University School of Medicine Postdoctoral Residency Program in Health Service Psychology and Emory’s Psychiatry and Law Service, involves advanced training experiences in forensic assessment, intervention, and research. Two full-time positions are available each year, with start dates between July and September. The postdoctoral residency is funded by the Grady Health System, the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities, and the Psychiatry and Law Service in the Emory University School of Medicine Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. The program trains forensic psychology residents alongside forensic psychiatry fellows. Upon completion of the program, many of the residents have taken positions with the forensic state hospitals in Georgia, forensic private practices, or federal positions across the country.
Curriculum
Specialized training in forensic psychology is provided in a variety of weekly activities and settings. Forensic psychology residents spend approximately 30 hours per week in direct and indirect forensic clinical activities, approximately 2 hours per week in forensic research, and 3 to 6 hours per week in forensic didactics and seminars. Residents also spend 1 hour per week in a professional development seminar with the Director of Postdoctoral Training, which includes supervision of the residents’ supervision of other mental health practitioners. Residents receive 2 to5 hours per week of formal supervision by a licensed psychologist. The training program also meets the requirements of the state of Georgia for licensure as an independent psychologist. In addition, the program has been determined to meet the American Board of Forensic Psychology (ABFP) criteria for the experience waiver for board certification. As such, all postdoctoral residents who successfully complete the postdoctoral residency will be immediately eligible to become board certified in forensic psychology.
All forensic psychology residents are based primarily at the Fulton County Jail on the Competency Restoration Program and the Grady Psychiatry and Law Service. Residents also spend 4 to 12 weeks on each minor rotation.
Forensic Clinical Activities
Grady Psychiatry and Law Service
Rationale
The Grady Psychiatry and Law Service is responsible for conducting court-ordered evaluations for competency to stand trial and criminal responsibility for the Fulton County courts. This is a contracted service through the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD). Cases are assigned to forensic postdoctoral residents and psychiatry fellows on a rotating basis and under the supervision of the Assistant Training Director for Forensic Psychology and the Director of the service. These evaluations are conducted as a “friend of the court” rather than as an expert retained by either the defense or the prosecution.
Court Ordered Evaluation Responsibilities
- Cases are assigned each week
- Evaluations take place at the Fulton County Jail or the Fulton County Courthouse for defendants on bond
- Residents complete 1 - 2 evaluations per week, including supervision and completing the report for the court
- Evaluation reports follow the state mandated format
Fulton County Jail Competency Restoration Program
Rationale
The Fulton County Jail Competency Restoration Program (FCJCRP) is a novel program in which selected defendants have their competency restored in the county jail rather than being transferred to the forensic unit of the state mental hospital. One advantage of this program is that defendants thought to be incompetent begin receiving services much more quickly than they would go through the routine process of multiple court hearings and transfers, and thus spend less time detained in jail or the hospital. Psychologists, through their education and training in assessment, psychotherapy, and research methods, are uniquely qualified to deliver competency restoration services in a forensic setting. Thus, the Fulton County Jail Competency Restoration Program provides a comprehensive array of services to best prepare forensic psychology post-doctoral residents for a future career in forensics.
Competency Restoration Program Responsibilities
Each postdoctoral resident presents on the restoration pod, conducting pod business, or performing competency/criminal responsibility evaluations approximately two days per week (15 hrs.). Their responsibilities include the following:
- Conduct 4 or more groups per week
- Manage a caseload of 3 to 4 inmates for weekly one-to-one sessions and writes notes about progress
- Provide 1 to 2 screenings (pod, mobile legal educations or hospital appropriateness) per week
- Conduct 2 mobile legal education sessions per week for each of the inmates on their assigned caseload
- Attend weekly team meetings and report on assigned one-to-one caseload
- Report psychological testing results and provide a brief written report for the unit chart, as well as document in related databases
Other Rotations
Residents can obtain additional opportunities, depending on their interests. The amount of time and days spent on rotations vary.
Georgia Regional Hospital in Atlanta
Georgia Regional Hospital (GRH), a state mental hospital, provides both forensic inpatient and outpatient services. Forensic psychologists and psychiatrists provide evaluations and treatment for men and women who require an inpatient setting. Outpatient services are provided by a team of forensic psychologists, including pre- and post-trial evaluations for men, women, and adolescents. This rotation is one day per week for 12 weeks. Residents have the opportunity to conduct 90-day competency to stand trial and violence risk assessments. There is also the opportunity to conduct outpatient forensic evaluations with juveniles depending on the interest of the resident.
Private Practice
One of the supervisors is a psychologist in private practice who has been practicing forensic psychology for over 10 years. As part of the residency, individuals have the opportunity to work with this supervisor on mitigation evaluations and competency and responsibility evaluations, most of which are federal cases.
Atlanta Veteran's Affairs Medical Center
Supervision is provided by a psychologist who specializes in disability evaluations. Fellows observe and conduct compensation and pension evaluations with Veterans under supervision. The rotation is one-half day per week, for eight weeks. The opportunity to do this elective is tentative depending upon the polities of the VA and the availability of supervisor at the time.
Sex offender evaluation
Residents have the opportunity to work with the clinic staff in conducting sex offender treatment and psychosexual evaluations. In addition, they learn about specific tests used in assessing sexual offenders.
Supervision
Residents receive a minimum of two hours per week of supervision by a licensed psychologist who is an expert in forensic and neuropsychology and is highly invested in training new professionals. Additional onsite supervision is provided by licensed psychologists with expertise in forensics while on rotations. In total, residents receive 2 to 5 hours per week of supervision.
Seminars and Didactic Training
Forensic psychology/psychiatry case law seminar
The main seminar is led by the service director and is approximately 2 ½ hours every Friday morning. The purpose of the seminar is to discuss ongoing cases and landmark case law related to psychiatry and psychology. These cases cover the recommended list provided by the American Board of Professional Psychology and the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law.
Forensic Assessment and expert testimony
Residents participate in a 2-hour seminar with a supervisor in private practice twice per month. The seminar will focus on the rules, procedures, and techniques related to expert witness testimony, and the knowledge, administration, scoring, and interpretation of forensic psychological assessments. In addition, the supervisor provides live supervision with the residents when providing expert testimony.
Mock Trial
Residents participate in Mock Trial exercises, often held at the Emory University Law School.
Postdoctoral Residency Seminar
Residents attend a weekly 1-hour seminar with all of the other residents in the Emory University School of Medicine Postdoctoral Residency Program in Health Service Psychology. The first half of the seminar focuses on a competency-based approach to supervision. Informed by recent scholarship on supervision, this seminar covers myriad topics, including but not limited to, the following topics: (1) supervision - types, methods, focus, models, theories, ethical and legal considerations; (2) supervisor competence – qualities, multiculturalism, and training; (3) supervisee competence – qualities, responsibilities, and problems of professional competence; (4) supervisory relationship – feedback processes, problematic relationships; and (5) culture of supervision excellence – transformational leadership and communitarianism. The second half of the required weekly Postdoctoral Residency Seminar is targeted toward professional and career development and advocacy. This includes discussion of revising one’s Curriculum Vitae for the job market, hearing from psychologists who have selected a broad array of career paths, learning about negotiation for new jobs, exploring work-life balance challenges, understanding the importance of board certification, exploring complex ethical and legal challenges, and developing beginning competence to engage in advocacy locally and nationally.
Job Mentorship Program
Postdoctoral residents also participate in a job mentorship program, which has been extremely successful since its inception over 10 years ago. The goal of this program is to assign each resident to 2 job mentors, forensic psychologists engaged in the career path of interest to the resident. Residents meet with these mentors monthly, and receive guidance throughout their job searches and help with networking.
American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law (APL) annual meeting
Residents attend the annual meeting of AAPL, including a three-day forensic review course and four-day annual conference. An educational stipend is provided to cover all costs associated with attendance.
Department of Behavioral Health Annual Forensic Psychology Training in Georgia
Residents attend the three-day annual Georgia training provided to state forensic examiners. An educational stipend is provided to cover costs associated with attendance.
Other Experiences
Residents attend a minimum of 10 Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Grand Rounds at Emory University School of Medicine. The program also offers the opportunity to attend an Expert Testimony course at the Emory University School of Law, which is meant to improve the residents’ abilities when providing testimony in court.
Research
Residents spend approximately 2-4 hours per week on research. Residents also present the findings at the annual AAPL conference.
Objectives
The goal of the program is to prepare psychologists to function as specialists in the area of Forensic Psychology. Residents learn the essential components of the American Psychological Association’s core competencies as related to forensic psychology. The following training goals of the program are consistent with recommendations made by the forensic division (division 41) of the American Psychological Association.
Training Goals
- Knowledge of the basic principles of the legal system
- Knowledge of relevant mental health case law
- Knowledge of forensic psychological evaluation methods
- Knowledge of rules, procedures, and techniques related to expert witness testimony
- Knowledge of, and practice consistent with, the Specialty Guidelines for Forensic Psychologists and the Ethical Principles and Code of Conduct for Psychologists
- Attainment of advanced skill in providing forensic psychological services sufficient to practice on an independent basis
- Ability to critically evaluate research and how it applies to forensic practice
- Knowledge of and skills in evidence based therapies in competency restoration treatment and ability to effectively implement restoration treatment
- Attitudes associated with professional, ethical, and culturally competent performance as a psychologist (additional training goal)
Evaluation
Residents are formally evaluated by all supervisors at the 6-month mark and then again at the end of the residency. Residents are also required to pass a written examination testing their knowledge of forensic psychology/psychiatry case law, court procedure, and forensic ethical guidelines.
Faculty
Core Faculty of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Emory University School of Medicine:
- Nadine J. Kaslow, PhD, ABPP, Professor, Vice Chair, Chief Psychologist and Director of Postdoctoral Residency Training in Health Service Psychology
- Glenn Egan, PhD, Assistant Professor and Assistant Director, Forensic Psychology Training
- Tomina Schwenke, PhD, ABPP, Assistant Professor
- Peter Ash, M.D, Professor and Director, Psychiatry and Law Service
- Adriana Flores, PhD, Adjunct Assistant Professor
Application Process
Download and complete the application.
Contact for more information
Glenn Egan, PhD, Assistant Director, Forensic Psychology Training
Email