Article archive / July 1, 2012
Originally published: . Volume 3, No. 11. Source pages: 5.
Forensic Psychologists Feel Budget Cuts As State Restructures, Lumps Services Forensic Psychologists Form Task Force To Study Issues
Forensic psychologists who work with state referred clients have formed a task force to study their concerns as the state continues restructuring and reducing its services due to overall budget problems.
In a presentation to the Louisiana Psychological Association (LPA) Executive Committee on June 9, 2012, Dr. Jesse Lambert, a forensic psychologist from Gonzales, Louisiana, outlined the situation for the committee members. The committee authorized the task force and also Dr. Lambert to lead the group.
Dr. Lambert told the committee that psychologists have for years provided the complex forensic evaluations sometimes needed by the Department of Child and Family Services (DCFS), and other agencies, but with the recent restructuring and streamlining, forensic matters are being funneled through mental health gatekeepers.
Lambert explained to the Times that he attended a recent informal meeting organized by Judge Kathleen Richey of the East Baton Rouge Parish Juvenile Court. He said that representatives from the Department of Health and Hospitals, Magellan, DCFS, the Department of Juvenile Services, Office of Juvenile Justice, and others, attended the meeting.
Dr. Lambert noted that when he asked for clarification, the representative from Magellan said, “We do authorize psychological testing, but not everyone needs an IQ test.”
Then Lambert was told to speak with the Department of Child and Family Services (DCFS), he said, and their representative told him the same thing in the same words.
As he explained to the LPA Executive Committee, Lambert was told that when psychologists’ services are needed by DCFS, the referral will be after approval from a licensed counselor or social worker.
At the LPA meeting, Dr. Lambert said that he had talked with a number of representatives and reminded them that evaluations in forensic matters are very different from an evaluation regarding mental health, such as one regarding termination of parental rights.
“The issue is not that psychological testing is required for diagnosis on these cases,” Lambert told the Times. “In a forensic assessment, diagnosis is not necessarily relevant unless it exerts a functional impact on the issue at bar. What is relevant,” he explained, “is that tests germane to parenting assessment, in the case of parenting evaluations, are necessary to assess the functional impact of given traits, behaviors, etc., on the issue at bar. These cases are robust with impression management.”
He noted “… testing can identify data which can depict a pattern of behavior and traits that are not directly accessible during a clinical interview and which can be utilized to support a conclusion beyond, ‘Well Your Honor, based on my interview with the client this is my opinion.’”
Lambert was told by state officials that evaluations would be ordered on a strictly limited basis. And when he contacted DCFS, “They said that they have decided to have Licensed Clinical Social Workers and Licensed Professional Counselors perform the front-line assessments.”
Dr. Tom Hannie, a retired clinical and forensic psychologist, explained to the Times, “LPCs and BCSWs are not competent to make the decision as to whether or not a psychological evaluation is needed in a forensic situation without much additional training and/or experience. This decision should be made by judge or attorney,” he said. “Or perhaps by a psychologist who can determine if the question the judge or attorney have at bar can be better answered by the psychologist with or without evaluation.”
“Forensic evaluations are not paid by health care insurance and do not fall under HIPAA. They simply aren't part of health care,” Hannie said.
In a related issue, the Times reported in April that Medicaid psychologists had contacted the DHH Medicaid Director about cuts to psychological assessments. A source told the Times that with the change to Magellan fees had been cut by 25 percent for therapy and by 42 percent for evaluations.
Forensic psychologist Dr. Jesse Lambert (R) speaks to the LPA Executive Committee regarding psychological evaluations. Dr. Paula Zeanah, incoming Director (L) and Ex. Director Gail Lowe listen to the review.
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