PublicHealth said:
I always found it kind of odd that there isn't any professional board for forensic psychology or forensic neuropsychology.
As Janusdog pointed out, there are professional boards for cl psych, neuropsych, forensic psych, health psych, counseling psych, etc.-even for family, group, child and adolescent, and even more. check out:
www.abpp.org for clinical psych and its sub-specialties and
www.abpn.net for neuropsych.
However, while board certification exists in psychology this is as of yet not a requirement-unlike psychiatry,for example-to provide psych dx, testing, tx, expert witness testimony, etc. in general but neuropsych appears to be headed in that direction-"grandfathering" current practitioners while requiring certification for all new ones.
Many of the clinical neuropsychologists that I know conduct forensic examinations in addition to their work in rehabilitation hospitals, medical schools, etc. From what I have gathered, forensic work is VERY well compensated.
That's what I understand as well. I don't have statistical evidence, only anecdotal, but at least in South Florida, all the neuropsychs that I know-about 6-make much more money than cl psychologists (general practitioners).
One in particular, a forensic neuropsych, makes over 150k/yearly-she's in private practice and only does forensic neuropsych assessments.
sasevan, would you care to elaborate on your statement regarding forensic neuropsychologists being "the most sought after, compensated, and respected of all forensic examiners?" I have read some papers describing fees for forensic services, but didn't realize that neuropsychologists were the most sought after and respected in the forensic arena. In fact, I have read that being a psychologist often disqualifies one from making decisions regarding organic causes of brain dysfunction. I realize that the Reitan case may have set this straight, but attorneys do often bring the qualifications of the evaluator into question.
Again, this is anecdotal, but lawyers will of course question the credentials of any expert witness. In FL, psychiatrists, msw, mhc, mft as well as psychologists are eligible for certification as expert witnesses following post-degree training. The courts have a data bank of those certified professionals and prosecutors/defendors utilize only those experts in criminal cases. Of course, private attorneys can utilize other non-certified professionals, esp. in civil cases, but if they do that's when they really open themselves up for the opposing lawyer to discredit their expert witness.
I agree that many lawyers do seek to discredit cl psychs regarding organic causes but not neuropsychs. In fact, many attorneys have a preferential bias towards psychologists, in comparison to psychiatrists, citing that psychologists have 6 years of training/practicum in the "non-organic" basis of behavior while psychiatrists have relatively little training/practicum in that since the 8 yrs of med school/psych residency is focused on the organic dimension.
Of course, this impacts cl psych's credibility when the issue is an organic one but not neuropsychs because they especially come into the court as experts in both the behavioral and biological dimensions of affective/cognitive dysfunction. Also, attorneys appear to be impressed by the scope of neuropsych assessment which is often much more extensive than a psychiatric interview, mse, and some lab results. In effect, while cl psychs are considered experts in the psychological dimension and psychiatrists in the biological, neuropsychs are seen as being experts in both, especially when they provide the court not just with a dx but with the specific functional limitations found in the individual as well as with recommended tx strategies.
Also, do you know of any forensic neuropsychologists who spend most of the their time conducting forensic evaluations? How much money do they make? Are they satisfied with this work?
Thank you!
PH
Absolutely, see above.
Peace.
🙂
