Children and the Law Program - Massachusetts General Hospital
The Children and the Law Program (CLP) of the Massachusetts General Hospital is a consultation, teaching, and research unit within the MGH Department of Psychiatry and the Harvard Medical School. CLP provides comprehensive mental health expertise to organizations serving families with children and adolescents involved with the law, including the courts, and to individuals and families through their attorneys. CLP provides consultation and litigation support services to attorneys, the courts, government agencies and other organizations which confront issues at the intersection of the legal system and mental health professions.
As part of a world renowned academic medical center, the CLP has the resources to provide state of the art evaluations and consultations. Drawing on professionals with a broad and multidisciplinary range of experience, Children and the Law offers consultation, assessment, education, expert testimony, dispute resolution, and training in the following areas:
- Aid in Sentencing
- Assessment of severe forms of maltreatment
- Assessment of mental illness in court
- Dangerousness of juveniles
- Delinquency, youthful offender & status offense proceedings
- Divorce and visitation disputes
- Domestic Violence
- Ethical issues and boundary violations
- Fatal child abuse and infanticide
- Forensic assessment of Latino and Hispanic clients
- Foster care, permanency planning and adoption
- Juvenile sex offenses
- Malpractice claims
- Medical and legal risk management
- Munchausen by Proxy
- On-going post-divorce disputes
- Parent Coordination
- Parenting Evaluations and Consultations
- Psychological damages and personal injury
- Psychological and neuro-psychological testing in the context of legal proceedings
- Psychotropic medication and psychiatric diagnosis
- Relocation issues
- School related issues and conflicts
- Sexual abuse allegations arising in the context of high conflict divorce
- Termination of Parental Rights
- Trauma and its long term impact on children
- Violence Risk Assessment
Through its affiliation with Harvard Medical School and the Massachusetts General Hospital, the program sponsors two post-doctoral fellowships in forensic psychology. In addition, the program provides staffing and management for several juvenile court clinics in the Boston area. Program staff conduct evaluations on children, adolescents and adults in a wide range of settings.
The Children and the Law Program has been providing child and family focused mental health expertise to courts, attorneys and child welfare organizations for over 25 years. Founded in 1982 by Dr. Kenneth Herman, the program has been located within the Massachusetts General Hospital division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry since 1992.
For further information about the program, or to inquire about a referral, please contact Mary Corbett, Office Manager, at 617-585-7440, or via email at Mrcorbett@partners.org.
STAFF:
Catherine Ayoub, R.N, Ed.D.
Kelly Casey, Ph.D.
Andrew Clark, M.D., Medical Director
Mary Corbett, Office Administrator
Christine Darsney, Ph.D.
Robin M. Deutsch, Ph.D., Director of Forensic Services
Sara McLeod, Ph.D.
Susanne Meyer, LICSW
Consultants:
Joe Begany, Ph.D.
Patricia Brady, LMHC
David Medoff, Ph.D.
Jennifer Murphy, Ph.D.
Amy Tishelman, Ph.D.