Our team of highly qualified Psychologist’s are available to complete a variety of psychological assessments, risk assessments, and medico-legal (court ordered) reports. These types of reports are helpful and necessary in a number of situations. Typically, they are requested when an individual’s risk needs to be understood to help in complex decision making. This might include situations where a magistrate needs to decide on an appropriate criminal sentence for someone who has a history of mental health difficulties. It might also include decision making around the custody or guardianship of children and young people. These reports are typically referred to as Parental Capacity or Social Assessments. Reports can also be requested by third-party organisations like Workcover to determine the type and nature of an individuals psychological injury.
If you have been charged with a criminal offence, your lawyer may request a report if you are suspected of having a mental illness or cognitive impairment. These assessments relate to the new Mental Health and Cognitive Impairment Forensic Provisions Act 2020 in New South Wales, Australia. They are commonly used to divert clients who are suffering from mental illness away from criminal punishment to ensure they get the help and treatment that they need. If you are based in Queensland and have been charged with a serious offence, then your lawyer may request a pre-sentence report. These assessments are designed to better understand those factors that contributed to the offending and are often recommended when there are thought to be mitigating factors that would likely result in a reduced sentence.
The Process
Medico-legal assessments can be lengthy and usually involve the following :
- A clinical interview
- Administration of psychometric tests or questionnaires
- File reviews
- Observations (especially in family matters)
- Consultation with other professionals or services involved in the care of the individual
The Cost
You will be provided with a quote prior to commencing an assessment. This will need to be partially paid on the day of your appointment and in full before your report is released.
Please contact us if you think you require a forensic report. It is helpful if you have terms of reference already prepared, as they will determine the costs of a report.