


	This is a list of our past meetings. This list contains everything that has already occurred as of yesterday. To check our current meetings schedule, please visit the Upcoming Meetings page. All content of the presentation descriptions on this page, and all content of the presentations themselves, are the responsibility of the presenters themselves and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Program in Psychiatry & the Law or its participants. Wednesday, December 18, 2024 Presenter: Meetali Jain, JD. Director of Tech Justice Law Project Title: What can we do with Deceptive and Abusive Chatbots? Background: Your Undivided Attention podcast of humanetech.com invited Meetali Jain to discuss the tragic story of Sewell Setzer, a 14 year old boy who took his own life after months of abuse and manipulation by an AI companion from the company Character.ai. The question now is: what`s next? Megan has filed a major new lawsuit against Character.ai, its co-founders, and Google in Florida, which could force the companies–and potentially the entire AI industry–to change their harmful business practices. So today on the show, we have Meetali Jain, director of the Tech Justice Law Project and one of the lead lawyers in Megan`s case against Character.ai. Meetali breaks down the details of the case, the complex legal questions under consideration, and how this could be the first step toward systemic change. Also joining is Camille Carlton, CHT’s Policy Director. Details: In September 2023, Meetali Jain founded the Tech Justice Law Project. Over the course of her career, Meetali has worked as a lawyer, policy advocate, campaigner and educator. She started her career by representing detainees post-9/11 accused of terrorism, including at Guantanamo Bay, and by organizing in South Asian and Muslim communities impacted by surveillance and racial profiling. She litigated cases involving civil and human rights, immigrant justice, and corporate accountability. She worked at the Morrison & Foerster and Goldstein Demchak law firms, taught human rights and constitutional law in law clinics at American University, Seton Hall, and in law schools across South Africa. In 2017, while working as Campaign and Legal Director at Avaaz, Meetali began working on issues of disinformation and broader tech harms globally. In 2021, she joined Reset Tech where she focused primarily on issues of tech law and policy in the US. Meetali clerked for the Honorable Virginia Phillips in the U.S. Central District of California and for Justice Yvonne Mokgoro in the Constitutional Court of South Africa. She sits on the board of the Integrity Institute, Type Media Center, and is an advisor to the California Initiative for Technology and Democracy (CITED) and Design It For Us (DIFU), a youth-led movement to build better tech spaces for young people. Wednesday, December 11, 2024 Presenter: Michael Perlin, JD Title: How "folk psychology" has contaminated forensic mental health law: The powers of heuristics and the fraudulence of “ordinary common sense Background: “Folk psychology” is a “ prescientific, commonsense conceptual framework” used to explain behavior, employed extensively by judges and jurors in all aspects of forensic mental health law. Importantly, empirical studies have disproved a number of legal folk psychology theories of human behavior and mental processes. Yet, it continues to hold sway in courtrooms. Details: This misuse is contaminated further by our reliance on heuristic devices (e.g,, the vividness heuristic, a cognitive-simplifying device through which a “single vivid, memorable case overwhelms mountains of abstract, colorless data upon which rational choices should be made”) and false “ordinary common sense” (a self-referential and non-reflective” way of constructing the world). These devices affect every aspect of testimony in forensic cases, and are regularly misused by fact-finders in criminal cases. We believe that the use of therapeutic jurisprudence – a legal school of thought that seeks to determine whether legal rules, procedures, and lawyer roles can or should be modified to increase their therapeutic potential while not subordinating due process principles – is the best way to correct the harms done by the misreliance on folk psychology. Wednesday, December 4, 2024 Presenter: Jackie Grimmett PsyD, ABPP Title: The Impact of Appearance and Gender on Credibility in the Courtroom Background: This workshop will identify challenges to experts with unique characteristics, with an emphasis on gender expectations, and will provide strategies to minimize their impact. Wednesday, November 27, 2024 Presenter: Day before Thanksgiving Title: No meeting today Wednesday, November 20, 2024 Presenter: Thomas G. Gutheil, MD and meeting participants Title: Difficult Judges We Have Known Background: Members will share their experiences with problem judges; publication may result. Wednesday, November 13, 2024 Presenter: Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, November 6, 2024 Presenter: Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, October 30, 2024 Presenter: Ed Bernstine, Ph.D. Title: Enforcement of Cultural Norms: Principles and Examples From the Past and Present Details: In this presentation, by "a culture" I will mean a group whose behavior in particular circumstances is determined by shared beliefs deemed essential to the group. Many cultural norms are enforced; that is, punitive measures are taken against those who violate them. Today, I will succinctly present examples from ancient and early modern times. Then, I will open discussion by making a few comments on what appear to be norms in today`s academic culture and how they are enforced. Wednesday, October 23, 2024 Presenter: Steven Hassan PhD Title: Forensic issues of evaluating labor trafficking Background: As PIPATL member know I did my doctoral dissertation work utilizing trafficking law. If you wish, see The BITE Model of Authoritarian Control: Undue Influence Thought Reform Brainwashing Mind Control Trafficking and the Law Hassan Steven Alan. Fielding Graduate University ProQuest Dissertations & Theses 2020. 28263630. Details: I would like to present some cases with a unnamed cult- (which is not regarded as a religion) but uses spirituality to read astrology charts, face, and palm reading, beliefs in reincarnation to induce people to believe their “destiny is to devote their live to the leaders and group. People work 16-20 hour days 7 days a week, no health insurance, no vacation time, received $35-150 a month and when they burn out or wish to leave, they are told to sign a binding arbitration agreement and offered a paltry amount of money and all kinds of stipulations including NDAs. I would love to have a conversation with members on how a forensic expert could evaluate their “state of mind” especially if they signed the agreement years ago and the stattue of limitations has elapsed. Wednesday, October 16, 2024 Presenter: Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, October 9, 2024 Presenter: Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, October 2, 2024 Presenter: Cheryl D. Wills, MD Title: The Role of Forensic Psychiatrists in Human Trafficking Evaluations Background: In September 2024, the NY Times reported on five high profile human trafficking cases in nine days. These reports describe the complexity of the multibillion-dollar human trafficking industry, though not the impact on its those who are trafficked. Details: Many victims, especially those who are trafficked for sex, are overlooked in the legal and healthcare systems which results in additional suffering rather than rehabilitation. Forensic psychiatrists and psychologists should be familiar with human trafficking, how victims may present in clinical and legal settings, approaches to assessment rehabilitation, and framing expert reports. Wednesday, September 25, 2024 Presenter: Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, September 18, 2024 Presenter: The Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, September 11, 2024 Presenter: Stan Brodsky PhD Title: Consultation on testimony and reports to forensic mental health practitioners Details: It is common for forensic mental health professionals to acquire and improve their skills from graduate and post-graduate education and training, from continuing education workshops and courses, from checking in with colleagues, from staying current with the literature, and, of course, from their own experiences with assessments, reports, and testimony. The overall focus of this talk will be the topics, methods, cases, and content of these consultations, with special attention to reports and testimony. Stan Brodsky will describe consultation to psychologists, psychiatrists, and psychiatric social workers on forensic reports and testimony. The topics discussed will start with consultation on unexpected CV hiccups raised on the stand, challenges to the choice and synthesis of assessment measures, and problems in report organization. It is not unusual for skilled attorneys during cross to find and dissect problems in wording, statements, thinking, and gaps in the progression from data to conclusions and opinions; consultation on those issues will be discussed. The talk will also discuss consultation on reports through zoom behavior rehearsals and role plays addresses substantive and ad hominem attacks, as well as how consultation on testimony addresses anxiety, befuddlement, defensiveness, and blacking out on the stand. Wednesday, September 4, 2024 Presenter: Thomas G. Gutheil, MD Title: Vicissitudes of an ethics consultation Background: On many occasions forensic practitioners face ethical dilemmas as a natural outgrowth of their functioning; in many cases, simply thinking thru the issue will resolve the dilemma. In some other cases, however, formal ethics consultation may be most helpful. Details: Case examples from my own past and recent experience will shed some light on this issue and open the discussion. Wednesday, July 10, 2024 Presenter: Barry H. Roth MD Title: Civil Society Supersedes Brainwashing, Gaslighting, Cults, Coercive Control, Trafficking, & Torture Background: In preparation for the Congress of International Academy of Mental Health and the Law Barcelona, 2024 Colleagues in this Panel discuss the interface of mind and law: the BITE Model, Authoritarian Control, Due & Undue Influence Continuum; Gaslighting; and legal protections extended to authoritarian cults, and trafficking. This talk contextualizes consciousness in the continuum of individual intrapsychic processes, and collective family, groups, clans, nations, and global humanity. Mindfulness of 50 years of psychiatric praxis generates these teaching points. Undue influence occurs when perpetrators, at multiple times, exploit their victims vulnerabilities --- mental, cognitive, and physical infirmities; isolation; financial insecurity; and betrayed expectations of a trusted “helper.” Intent to dominate victims, perpetrators seized the opportunity and exploited their vulnerabilities. It is absolutely critical to understand that brainwashing, coercive cults, gaslighting, and trafficking use malignant Low Intensity Warfare tactics: misinformation, disinformation, floods of useless information, lies, propaganda, psychological, social, cultural, economic, political, and spiritual distortion and manipulation. Torture is a crime of specific intent to shatter a person’s human ties, bonds, and connections. These non-material forces are the a priori categorical imperative of the social contract of culture and civilization. Robust, ever-expanding dialogue and activities in civil society are the antidote. Key Words: Non-Material Human Bonds, Civil Society; Undue Influence; Coercive Control. Details: Last meeting before summer break Wednesday, July 3, 2024 Presenter: Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, June 26, 2024 Presenter: Barry H. Roth, MD Title: Torture War & Other Crimes Background: In preparation for the Congress of International Academy of Mental Health and the Law Barcelona, 2024. Details: Working theory derives from eyewitness observation, forensic and clinical practice and collegial interactions; illustrated with global case reports. Formulation evolves from interdependent facts and findings of: trans-& supra-national structural and physical violence, and inhuman mentality perpetrating --- to date --- unending, boundless atrocities. Nonmaterial force of human ties, bonds and connections are the bedrock of social contract, culture, and civilization. The interactive dynamic with totalitarian terror and torture is a present process whose outcome every individual, family, group, clan, tribe, nation, and the global community determines. Torture and terror use systematic means to use fear to coerce and intimidate. When there is torture, you know there is state terror. “States” and “state actors” refer to “recognized” states, client-proxies, self-proclaimed military and paramilitary groups and insurgents… Such state-sponsored torture is not one-off, rather one band in the spectrum of war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity. Presentation will focus Forensic Psychiatric & Mental Health & Legal & related perspectives in 10-20 minutes: context, boundaries, roles, precedents. Human ties, bonds and connections are the shared indestructible core --- the a priori categorical imperative foundation --- of what allows human beings to be human. Civilization is the sum of each person’s thoughts, words and acts --- a force of geologic magnitude in this Anthropocene Era. We either opt for civil society or abdicate responsibility, opportunity and humanity. N.B.: Presenter requests a timekeeper who will specify rules of dialogue at the outset. Wednesday, June 19, 2024 Presenter: Seema Garg, PhD Title: Discussion of Narcissistic Abuse Details: This is the second in a series of discussions about the topic of narcissistic abuse (NA). NA is often a contributing factor to the distress that many of our patients feel, We will briefly review what NA is, who is more likely to be targeted, and how to identify if someone is suffering from narcisstic abuse. What are some of the predictable dynamics involved? What are some methods to break the cycle, once you realize what’s happening? How do you shield yourself from the destruction involved? This presentation will likely extend over multiple sessions, to discuss how narcissistic abuse plays out in different contexts Wednesday, June 12, 2024 Presenter: David Rosmarin MD Title: DID For the Dubious, Video Exam and Legal Topography Background: This talk will review the biological basis for DID, the clinical and legal approaches for insanity and present a defendant switching under exam. Wednesday, June 5, 2024 Presenter: Jonathon Sawyer Title: (Un)hidden from self: on LGBTQ students and the conspiratorial demonology of the New Apostolic Reformation Background: In a recently published conceptual essay, I draw upon scholarship to reflect on personal experiences in a school associated with the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR). The NAR is a neo-Charismatic Pentecostal network within the broader Christian nationalist movement. I discuss the educational implications of the NAR’s conspiratorial teachings about how demonic activity is believed to cause inner LGBTQ experiences. I show how conspiratorial demonology is present in the curriculum, pedagogy, and polices of P-16 schools influenced by the New Apostolic Reformation. I thus argue the need for constitutional protections and curriculum regulation for LGBTQ students in New Apostolic Reformation and other religious schools. Throughout the essay, I specifically reflect on students in religious schools who may have inner LGBTQ experiences but who do not conceive of themselves as LGBTQ. Wednesday, May 29, 2024 Presenter: Omar Sultan Haque M.D., Ph.D. Title: What is Health? Disability Rights vs. Human Flourishing;Concepts, Questions, and Opportunities Details: This presentation will explore two prominent conceptions of health: one from disability rights and the concept of human flourishing. Through various vignettes, it illustrates the diverse experiences of individuals with disabilities, emphasizing that disability can lead to unique forms of resilience, meaning, and growth. The talk challenges the traditional medical model of disability, advocating for a broader understanding that includes social and relational factors. It questions whether disabilities are inherently negative or can be sources of flourishing, proposing that human flourishing should encompass overcoming adversity and fostering hope. The presentation calls for a more nuanced approach in measuring flourishing among disabled and non-disabled individuals and suggests expanding the definition of disability to include broader aspects of human well-being. The goal is to integrate these insights into public health and clinical practices, recognizing the value of the varieties of human experiences. Wednesday, May 22, 2024 Presenter: Steven Hassan PhD Title: Unpacking details to help explain how informed consent should be given, and dealing with forensic issues around statues of limitations expiring Background: I am interested in learning more about how a person or group (secular or religious) should ethically recruit people and ask for their free labor and what, if any, interface there may be with labor trafficking law (fraud, force, or coercion). It seems many people are asked to sign contracts where they agree to binding arbitration, and when they exit are given contracts to sign where they do not understand their legal rights. Statutes of limitations for legal action are an issue- where people might realize years later that they had been unduly influenced. Details: NY State had provided a one-year window for ex-members who had been victimized by pedophiles in the Watchtower to file a claim- even though it was after the statute of limitations had passed. Wednesday, May 15, 2024 Presenter: Deborah Denno Ph.D., J.D. Title: Andrea Yates Continued Background: In 2001, Andrea Yates did the unthinkable: she drowned her five children one by one in a bathtub within the course of minutes. She immediately confessed and explained that she killed them because she under the influence of Satan did not want them to be “tortured by Satan” as she was. Despite the defense uncovering evidence of Yates’ history of postpartum depression and psychosis, the jury did not accept her insanity defense and convicted her of capital murder with a sentence of life in prison. Influential in this decision was the testimony of prosecution expert Dr. Park Dietz, who pushed the view that Yates had rationally planned the murders. Dietz’s testimony was troubling, not only because there was little, if any, empirical basis for his conclusions, but because the defense discovered that he had introduced false testimony during the trial. During cross-examination, Dietz explained that he was a consultant for Law & Order and that one episode aired prior to Yates’ crime involving a woman with postpartum depression who drowned her children in a bathtub and was found insane. Yet the defense discovered no such show existed. Even though a grand jury found Dietz innocent of perjury, the defense appealed Yates’ sentence. Given the degree of Dietz’s impact on the jury, the Texas Court of Appeals reversed the judgment and remanded the case. In this second trial in 2006, Yates was no longer eligible for the death penalty and much more information had been uncovered regarding Yates’ mental condition. The jury unanimously found Yates not guilty by reason of insanity. While the Yates case helped to inform the world of the pervasiveness of postpartum depression and psychosis, no substantive changes have been made in Texas insanity law. This talk explains how the state’s definition of insanity influenced the first trial and both constrained and confused how the jury could view Yates’ actions. Wednesday, May 8, 2024 Presenter: Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, May 1, 2024 Presenter: Steven Hassan PhD Title: AI, Informed Consent and Undue Influence Details: I have been researching and developing a customgpt.ai bot of myself, but while it is pretty darn accurate- as it draws from my own 5 million words, LLMs (Large Language Models) are flawed with bias and lots of misinformation. Liquid AI is new platform coming. Major efforts are coming. Wednesday, April 24, 2024 Presenter: Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, April 17, 2024 Presenter: Steven Hassan PhD Title: Update on Controversies Regarding Gender Culture Wars Details: Before our break for summer 2023, we listened to a detransitioner about her experiences with the Mayo Clinic. She has regretted not getting a thorough evaluation before taking testosterone (and losing an octave of her singing voice) and having a double mastectomy. Previous PIPATL sessions have included a talk by Dr. Lisa Littman and attorney Kara Dansky. At this session, I will provide an update on the “leaked” WPATH files. I sent the link to our discussion group. We can have a lively discussion. Wednesday, April 10, 2024 Presenter: Ed Bernstine, Ph.D. Title: CS Peirce’s “The Fixation of Belief” Details: Charles Sanders Peirce was the founder of Pragmatism and principal author of the scientific method as we know it today, especially as it pertains to formation of hypotheses. In his 1877 article “The Fixation of Belief”, Peirce offers us insight into the nature of "belief" and how it is adopted (fixed). He proposed four methods of establishment: authority, tenacity, a priori, and science. In this presentation, I will give a bare-bones summary of the paper. The importance of this topic stems from its consequences: Belief determines the circumstances that evoke action (behavior). I expect that our discussion will range across many of our shared interests. Wednesday, April 3, 2024 Presenter: Neşe Devenot PhD Title: The Ethics of Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy: Assessing the Risks of Groupthink and Suggestibility Details: Over the past decade, excited media coverage of psychedelic clinical trials has promoted narratives about psychedelics that are not in line with the existing scientific evidence base. Although preliminary research has presented signals about the potential for psychedelics to treat a broad range of diagnoses, more research is necessary to determine the safety and efficacy of psychedelics as pharmaceutical medications. In 2022, responding to widespread claims about clinical benefits, the American Psychiatric Association released an official position statement emphasizing that there is currently “inadequate scientific evidence” to support claims about psychedelics as a mental health treatment for any indication. Despite this disconnect between the hype and the evidence, some commentators have celebrated the hype as a welcome change after decades of stigma and a virtual moratorium on psychedelic research. Yet psychedelic hype is dangerous for both the science and the public: scientists captured by "true belief" in the efficacy of psychedelics can introduce biases into their research, while vulnerable groups are flocking to an underground that is increasingly filled with grifters and charlatans promising miracle cures. As the medical use of MDMA for PTSD approaches potential FDA approval, this discussion will explore the underacknowledged risks of psychedelic-assisted therapy. Wednesday, March 27, 2024 Presenter: Gerd Gigerenzer Title: The Intelligence of Intuition Details: People often confuse intuition with a sixth sense or the arbitrary judgments of inept decision-makers. Yet intuition is an ultimate experience, beyond words: We know more than we can tell. Chess masters, Nobel laureates, and physicians rely on their gut feelings, and switching back and forth between intuition and analysis is the secret of their success. But many executives would never admit in public making gut decisions, but rather hire a consulting firm to find reasons after the fact. How does intuition work? When can we rely on it, when not? One thing we know for sure: Without intuition, there would be little innovation. Wednesday, March 20, 2024 Presenter: Thomas G. Gutheil, M.D. Title: The Psychiatrist in Court A Survival Guide Wednesday, March 13, 2024 Presenter: Eric Y. Drogin and Thomas G. Gutheil Title: When Worlds Collide: The Promise and Perils of Cross-Referencing Scientific and Professional Web Presences Background: Much can be learned from interlinking the public-facing contact information and other online resources of similarly inclined scientific and professional organizations. Alliances may be forged and bonds may be strengthened, as the groups in question learn that in fact they are separated by little more than a common language. Counterbalancing such potential advantages is the possibility that one or more of these organizations may have offered themselves up in a less than optimal fashion. Participants will explore both positive and negative aspects of cross-referencing and will discuss the processes that inform decision-making in this regard. Wednesday, March 6, 2024 Presenter: Thomas G. Gutheil, MD Title: Dealing with difficult attorneys Details: Forensic work brings practitioners into contact with attorneys of various stripes, some more problematic than others (but none of our PIPATL group, surely). Coping with the problematic attorney is a useful forensic skill. This presentation will outline some problematic attorney types and proffer suggestions for how to cope. Questions will be welcome, as well as personal experiences. Wednesday, February 28, 2024 Presenter: Barry Roth, MD Title: Skirmishes with Abuse of Process Background: 60 Years of Ongoing Citizen and Professional Civil Society Acts of Social Justice in Context --- Neighborhood, City, State, Nation, Hemisphere, & Global Details: Following a quick synopsis of various issues that arise in the context of abuse of process, and a review of a decade’s worth of focused case examples from the United States and Canada, this presentation will describe the implications of these examples for professional practice, for the rule of law, and for fairness-based elements of participatory democracy. Participants will be invited to consider the contextual relevance of such overlapping phenomena as structural racism, organizationally perpetuated torture, mandatory reporting, whistleblowing, community organizing, and institutional abandonment of considerations of due process. Wednesday, February 21, 2024 Presenter: Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, February 14, 2024 Presenter: Bandy Lee, M.D., M.Div. Title: Trauma from a Global Public Health Perspective Details: The flip side of looking at violence as a global public health concern is to view trauma as one, also. In other words, how does trauma operate at the levels of individual, relationship, community, and society? Our forensic practice is often the only place where we can explain the bio-psycho-social-environmental aspects of trauma, and make recommendations that can help heal the whole human being—or even a whole system, when we are consulted about structural failures. Also, many cultures view trauma as a collective experience, rather than an individual affliction. These issues often come up in immigration court, but also in many other forensic and clinical settings. I will discuss what two decades of teaching law students representing asylum seekers have revealed, how both asylum law and our own concept of trauma have changed over time, and what the implications are for expert witnesses in a time of international conflict and a global refugee crisis. Wednesday, February 7, 2024 Presenter: Ed Bernstine Ph.D. Title: Junk Science or Junk Testimony Background: Testimony to bloodstain pattern analysis (BPA) in criminal trials has been sharply criticized for many years. The criticism has been provoked by prominent cases where wrongful convictions have resulted from testimony to BPA that was later brought into question and often refuted. Details: The most common reason proposed for excluding expert testimony to BPA is the allegation that it is unreliable "junk science." The purpose of this essay is to describe the nature and aims of BPA, to critically assess its soundness (for its proper use), and to suggest ethical and technical guidelines for testimony to BPA. A review of several litigated cases that ended in exonerations and the author`s own experience encourage the view that harm done by BPA testimony most often results from "junk thinking" leading to "junk testimony" rather than from "junk science." The ethical dimension of expert testimony in forensic sciences is underaddressed. Wednesday, January 31, 2024 Presenter: Benjamin A. Barsky J.D., M.B.E. Title: The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Neuroscience, and Criminal Legal Capacity Details: The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (“CRPD”) created a new paradigm by recognizing comprehensive civil, political, human, and social rights for persons with disabilities. The CRPD requires states parties to “recognize that persons with disabilities enjoy legal capacity on an equal basis with others in all aspects of life.” This mandate has sparked debate about the interpretation of legal capacity, including within the criminal context as it applies to the retrogressively named “insanity defense.” Yet under-examined are two critical and interrelated questions: First, what defenses, if any, should defendants with psychosocial disabilities be able to invoke during criminal prosecutions? Second, what kind of evidence is consistent with, on the one hand, determining a defendant’s decision-making capacity to establish culpability and, on the other hand, the right to equal recognition before the law? Developments in neuroscience and law offer a unique prism to understand and grapple with these issues. Consequently, we delve into this intersection of criminal law, disability human rights, and bioethics and argue that neuroscientific evidence of impaired decision-making, insofar as it presents valid and interpretable diagnostic information, can be a useful tool for influencing judicial decision-making and outcomes during criminal proceedings. In doing so, we oppose the prevailing argument espoused by significant members of the global disability rights community: that evidence of psychiatric disorder should be inadmissible to negate criminal responsibility. Such a position risks more defendants being punished harshly, sentenced to death, and placed in solitary confinement. Wednesday, January 24, 2024 Presenter: Deborah Denno Ph.D., J.D. Title: Neuroscience and the Personalization of Criminal Law Details: While objective standards of reasonableness permeate most legal disciplines, criminal law has trended toward personalization since the 1960s, when the Model Penal Code introduced conceptions of mental states based on Freudian psychoanalytic theory. Today, advancements in neuroscience offer inconceivable insights into living brain structures and damage. This talk contends that a criminal justice system that uses personalizing neuroscientific evidence will yield better outcomes. The talk contributes two unique tools to the personalized law debate. First are the results of my two-decade-long Neuroscience Study, in which I have compiled eight hundred criminal cases that addressed neuroscientific evidence in any capacity. The data gathered from these cases suggest that simplistic views that regard neuroscience as either entirely exculpatory or solely indicative of future dangerousness are misinformed. Second, this talk posits a probabilistic theory of analyzing evidence based on Bayes’s Theorem. Bayes’s Theorem offers a compelling model of human reasoning that comports with the process of assessing a defendant’s culpability in legal settings. Neuroscientific evidence can thus be understood as a means of modifying initial beliefs and mitigating implicit biases in criminal contexts. Employing these tools, I analyze the impact of personalized evidence on criminal defenses, which I argue are strongly motivated by probabilistic determinations of a defendant’s culpability. These determinations have significant impacts beyond individual cases and can contribute to trends in litigation funding. This talk systematically argues that personalization, fueled by neuroscientific evidence, can provide gains in fairness and efficiency, especially when admitted in the context of criminal defenses, due to their emphasis on probabilistic determinations of culpability. Wednesday, January 17, 2024 Presenter: Nancy Kehoe PhD and RSCJ (Nun) and Tom Gutheil MD Title: Assessing religious content in examinees Details: An examinee`s (or, for that matter, a patient`s) religious thinking may pose a problem to the forensic examiner. While religion may, remarkably, represent the only conflict - free area of a person`s life -- even a psychotic person`s - it is sometimes difficult to distinguish authentic matters of faith from forensically relevant issues such as delusions, incompetence and the like; clinicians joke: If you talk to God you are praying; if God talks to you, you are hallucinating. Nancy Kehoe, PhD, a clinical psychologist and a Religious of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, will lead a discussion of the review of the religious history and approaches to distinguishing the authentic from the psychopathological. Dr. Gutheil will comment. Wednesday, January 10, 2024 Presenter: William Bernet M.D. Title: Parental Alienation Theory is Frequently Misunderstood Details: The concept and the name of “parental alienation” (PA) was introduced by Richard A. Gardner in a newsletter article in 1985. PA theory is generally understood and accepted by mental health professionals and legal practitioners, i.e., that alienating behaviors by a favored parent can influence a child to avoid and reject a relationship with the other parent. However, there has been an unusual level of misinformation and misunderstanding regarding PA theory. This presentation will consider three common misunderstandings: (1) Blatant ad hominem attacks against Richard Gardner and other proponents of PA theory. (2) Recurrent misstatements of PA theory, which have been studied systematically by citation analysis, a type of bibliometric research. (3) Flawed criticisms of the Five-Factor Model (also called the Baker Model), which is used in evaluating families and for identifying or diagnosing PA. Take-home message: Mental health and legal professionals should try to identify and undo misunderstandings and misinformation that they encounter in scholarly literature as well as in their day-to-day professional activities. Wednesday, January 3, 2024 Presenter: Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, December 27, 2023 Presenter: No meeting today Title: No meeting today Wednesday, December 20, 2023 Presenter: Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, December 13, 2023 Presenter: Bandy Lee, M.D., M.Div.; Tina Swithin; Nataly Anderson Title: Two Family Court Cases Background: Bandy Lee will briefly introduce a judicial division that was not well known to herself until recently, in her two decades of practice. She will briefly introduce her foray into the family courts and how they handle cases of domestic violence, which the United Nations Human Rights Council recently declared a global human rights problem. She will then introduce two representative spokespersons in the field of family court reform: Tina Swithin from the U.S. and Nataly Anderson from the U.K. and the Hague. Wednesday, December 6, 2023 Presenter: Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, November 29, 2023 Presenter: Tom Gutheil, MD and Stan Brodsky, PhD Title: Fun with cross-examination Background: Tom and Stan will practice, demonstrate and model ways of experts` dealing with cross examination; the questions will draw from both reality [examples from life] and fantasy you`ll see; the expert answers will similarly be authentic, facetious and/or opprobrious. Audience participation will be demanded as to alternative or improved answers. No small handful of audience members will be allowed to offer more than 2 examples; we want to spread this around. Wednesday, November 22, 2023 Presenter: No Meeting Title: Day before Thanksgiving Wednesday, November 15, 2023 Presenter: Steven Hassan PhD Title: AI, Informed Consent and Undue Influence Background: I plan to present at IALMH 2024 on how we need to seriously update the law from the industrial age to the digital age. Therefore, forensic evaluations need to consider neuroscience, digital platforms, and undue influence. This will be more of a conversation after a short presentation. President Biden just signed a sizeable executive order regarding AI under the Defense Production Act. Wednesday, November 8, 2023 Presenter: Oren Asman LL.D. Title: Responsible Artificial Intelligence and Mental Health Background: Advances in generative artificial intelligence, including large language models like ChatGPT, create new opportunities but also risks for the mental healthcare system. Meaningful and responsible planning, design, and integration of AI in mental health care requires collaboration among clinicians, patients, industry as well as regulators and government. This talk will explore some of the expected possibilities of the use of AI to expand access and quality of care while upholding ethical standards and professional accountability. Generative AI could support administrative and repetitive tasks, facilitate training and supervision, serve as a therapy co-pilot for therapists, patients, and relatives. The new concept of an "artificial third" in the therapeutic relationship will be discussed with a focus on the primacy of human-driven care with technology. Recommendations will be provided for leveraging AI`s advantages as an additional layer, while monitoring its limitations and risks Wednesday, November 1, 2023 Presenter: Peter D. Kramer MD Title: Death of the Great Man Details: Death of the Great Man is a new novel centered on a psychiatrist`s efforts to use an empathy-rich psychotherapy to treat a national leader, a buffoonish, narcissistic autocrat in his disastrous (and stolen) second term. I will discuss my efforts to plot out and write the novel (it has obvious Trump-on-the-couch overtones) and turn to its implications for psychiatry in terms of medical ethics and in particular work with difficult patients who have great power to do harm. Death of the Great Man: A Novel https://a.co/d/84Mknk0 Wednesday, October 25, 2023 Presenter: Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, October 18, 2023 Presenter: Profs. Michael L. Perlin J.D. & Heather Ellis Cucolo J.D. Title: “I saw guns and sharp swords in the hands of young children”: Why mental health courts for juveniles with autism spectrum disorder and fetal alcohol spectrum/disorder are needed. Details: Courts are overwhelmingly dismissive of mitigation (and other) arguments made by persons on the autism spectrum (ADD) and those with fetal alcohol syndrome/disorder (FAS/FAS), and fail to take such claims seriously. In this paper, we propose the creation of (separate sets of) problem-solving courts specifically to deal with cases of juveniles in the criminal justice system with ASD, and with FAS/FASD. Such courts will best promote the use of therapeutic jurisprudence in the disposition of the cases in question. Wednesday, October 11, 2023 Presenter: Matt Bywater, MSc International Relations Title: A Human Right to the Freedom of Mind Background: This presentation outlines what is the human right to freedom of mind and sets out a roadmap for how to advance it. It explores the elements of this right that are already present in international human rights documents, and discusses how we may afford freedom of mind a firmer footing in international law, including some of the obstacles that such efforts will encounter. In particular, the Declaration of Freedom of Mind issued by the World Mental Health Coalition (https://worldmhc.org/declaration-of-the-freedom-of-mind) articulates freedom of mind in written form for the very first time and opens up an exciting new avenue to promote freedom of mind: submitting the Declaration to the United Nations General Assembly for adoption. Details: The need for protection for the mind in today’s world is urgent. These efforts must take place at a national and international level. Fundamentally, we must raise our understanding of authoritarianism and destructive mind control up to an issue of fundamental human rights. Their human rights are systematically violated, including the most precious and fundamental of freedoms: the freedom of the mind. Thus, a rights-based approach to the global problem of authoritarianism has freedom of mind at the centerpiece of this endeavor. Authoritarianism, before becoming a political problem at the country-level or a social problem at the group-level, is a psychological problem afflicting individuals: the blind submission to authority and suppression of one’s free will. With this in mind, ensuring the right to freedom of mind is as much a matter of education as it is of law. In order to exercise the right to freedom of mind, individuals need to know what this right constitutes and how to make a claim for it. We must help people to form and articulate their own opinions. To achieve a true democracy, people need to be able to think freely. By learning to challenge the opinions of others, they will overcome their submissive attitudes and resist the malign influence of authoritarian predators. In so doing, we will build a popular understanding of what is ‘freedom of mind’ and elevate the right to established and recognizable rights such as freedom of speech and of belief. At the same time, we must search for and empower those authoritarian predators who demonstrate a capacity to change. Wednesday, October 4, 2023 Presenter: Drs. Norris, Gutheil & Goldenson Title: Sexual Abuse by Clergy: An Overview of the History and Associated Harms Details: This presentation will outline the history of sexual abuse by clergy. We will also discuss harms to survivors and implications for forensic assessment practice. Wednesday, September 27, 2023 Presenter: Gerd Gigerenzer Title: How to stay smart in a smart world Background: From self-driving cars and dating apps to recidivism prediction and cancer diagnosis, the increasing presence of AI has been widely championed – but there are limitations and risks too. Is more data always a good thing? When do algorithms make better decisions then humans, when not? What is the difference between human and machine intelligence? And how can we stay in control in an increasingly automated world? Details: Based on my new book “How to Stay Smart in a Smart World.” Wednesday, September 20, 2023 Presenter: Barry H. Roth, MD Title: Torture vs. Rights to a Safe Planet, Rule of Law and Living Wage Background: To be presented at the UNESCO Chair in Bioethics 15TH WORLD CONFERENCE, Bioethics, Medical Ethics and Health Law PORTO OCTOBER 16-19, 2023. Details: Working theory derives from eyewitness observation, forensic and clinical practice and collegial interactions; illustrated with global case reports. Formulation evolves from interdependent facts and findings of trans-& supra-national structural and physical violence, and the inhuman mentality of perpetrators acting under false color of authority. It is uniquely fruitful to ask survivors: “How Did You Survive?” When survivors chose to hold together --- and do not get killed --- torture could not break them. Nonmaterial force of human ties, bonds and connections superseded torture tools. Torture and terror use systematic means to use fear to coerce and intimidate. There is state terror when there is torture --- not one-off, rather one band in the spectrum of war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity. Human ties, bonds and connections are all of our shared indestructible core --- the a priori categorical imperative foundation of the social contract of civil society. Civilization is the sum of each person’s thoughts, words and acts --- a force of geologic magnitude in this Anthropocene Era. We either opt for civil society or abdicate responsibility, opportunity and humanity. Wednesday, September 13, 2023 Presenter: Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, September 6, 2023 Presenter: Usual Participants Title: First meeting after the summer break Wednesday, July 12, 2023 Presenter: Ramadan Shabazz and Rich Parker, M.D. Title: Mental illness experienced during 51 years of incarceration Background: I am going to talk about my personal experience as a prisoner over 51 years, dealing with many inmates with mental illness. Wednesday, July 5, 2023 Presenter: Madison Judd and Steve Hassan PhD Title: A Detransitioner comes to share her journey and answer questions Background: Madison Judd is a 24-year-old woman who was diagnosed with gender dysphoria in 2018. She took testosterone for a total of 2.5 years and underwent a double mastectomy in January of 2020. Madison made the decision to detransition at the beginning of 2021, realizing the impacts of social media, peer influence, and the “hive mind” of the well-meaning arts community around her at the time. It is only recently that she has begun to be willing to share her experiences publicly; she is happy to be open about her story and answer questions. Wednesday, June 28, 2023 Presenter: Deborah W. Denno, Ph.D., J.D. Title: The Chaos and Cruelty of U.S. Execution Methods Background: his talk aims to survey the history and current status of this country’s six primary execution methods: hanging, firing squad, electrocution, lethal gas, lethal injection, and nitrogen hypoxia. While lethal injection remains the most common execution method, inmates continue to challenge the method’s experimental and scientifically dubious procedures on the grounds they are inhumane and unconstitutional. Indeed, this country’s ongoing transition from one method to another—then back again—is replete with detailed accounts at the legislative, judicial, and correctional levels that explain why each method failed so appreciably in its goal to be more humane than the method superseded. Wednesday, June 21, 2023 Presenter: Robin Stern, PhD Title: The Gaslight Effect Background: The term gaslighting is everywhere. While it may be a new concept for many, I have been exploring this space for 30 years in my private practice. I have witnessed thousands of women struggle and suffer The Gaslight Effect: the devastating impact of enduring a gaslighting relationship over time. Details: In this conversation with esteemed members of PIPATL I will talk about what gaslighting is and what it is not, the signs to look or red flags of gaslighting, the stages of gaslighting, and the types of gaslighters I have worked with through the years. And, importantly, how to stop or limit the gaslighting in your relationship – and how to decide to stay or go. Wednesday, June 14, 2023 Presenter: Seema Garg, PhD Title: Narcissistic Abuse Background: We will discuss some of the red flags for someone who is suffering from narcisstic abuse. What are some of the common dynamics involved? How do you shield yourself from the destruction involved? This presentation will likely extend over multiple sessions, to discuss how narcissistic abuse plays out in different contexts. Wednesday, June 7, 2023 Presenter: Tom Gutheil MD Title: Early career forensic marketing Background: Especially early in forensic practice, it is not always clear what constitutes ethical marketing and what is hype, exaggerated or understressed marketing and similar questions. This presentation, previously given to PIPATL some time ago, may help with these areas. Wednesday, May 31, 2023 Presenter: Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, May 24, 2023 Presenter: Deborah Denno Ph.D., J.D. Title: The Criminal Justice System’s First Peek Inside a Defendant’s Living Brain Background: In 1925, in People v. Krauser, Walter Krauser claimed an insanity defense to avoid the death penalty for the brutal killing of one of his co-defendants. (146 N.E. 593, 596 (Ill. 1925). To prove that Krauser was not faking his symptoms, his attorneys requested a medical approach showing Krauser suffered from a brain tumor, given the increasingly bizarre nature of his behavior. Defense experts took “[r]adio pictures” (essentially X-rays) of Krauser’s skull that showed a “thickening over the back of the occipital bone, encroaching somewhat upon the space that should be occupied by the part of the brain known as the cerebellum.” Krauser also underwent a range of mental and psychological tests. Based on these tests, experts concluded that Krauser was “of subnormal—of feebleminded— intelligence” and had the mental age of an eight-year-old and should be rendered insane. As a result, Krauser, was the first defendant in my Neuroscience Study (1900-2022) to undergo what then mimicked brain imaging. Details: The Krauser case is significant for several reasons pertaining to modern neuroscience. It represents one of the criminal justice system’s earliest efforts to examine inside a defendant’s brain, recognizing that Krauser’s behavior alone and other psychological testing would not sufficiently reveal the true causes of his violence. It also shows the societal concern at the time regarding an impoverished defendant’s fair socioeconomic access to sufficient neuroscientific testing, especially in light of the Leopold and Loeb case, which took place a year earlier. In essence, my study of all criminal cases involving neuroscientific evidence from 1900 to 2022 indicates that even starting a century ago, the criminal justice system was dealing with themes that resonate today. What we consider modern arguments derive from much earlier efforts to answer similar questions about human behavior and to forge beyond the psychology of the day. Wednesday, May 17, 2023 Presenter: Steven Hassan PhD, Ed Bernstine PhD, possibly Gordon Harper Title: The Cult beliefs, hazmat suits and charred remains: Key revelations from Lori Vallow’s murder trial so far Background: The murder trial of Lori Vallow Daybell is taking place in Idaho. It is a very complex case involving not only the murder of her two children Tylee and JJ, but her ex husband and Chad Daybells wife. Understanding the Mormon (LDS) upbringing and context is critical to this Prepper cult led by Daybell. Wednesday, May 10, 2023 Presenter: Gerd Gigerenzer, PhD Title: Helping doctors and patients make sense of health care statistics Details: Many doctors and patients alike do not understand health statistics, and they consistently draw wrong conclusions without noticing. I document the amount of collective statistical illiteracy and show how industry and medical organizations exploit doctors’ lack of understanding to exaggerate benefits and downplay harms. I also describe methods of transparent framing of information that are easy to learn and help both doctors and patients understand statistical evidence. Wednesday, May 3, 2023 Presenter: Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, April 26, 2023 Presenter: Felicia Rosario MD, Steven Hassan PhD and Daniel Levin Title: Survivor of Larry Ray cult with Steve Hassan Background: Hulu has released a docu-series called Stolen Youth: Inside the Cult at Sarah Lawrence. https://www.vulture.com/2022/12/stolen-youth-sarah-lawrence-cult-larry-ray-doc-release-date.html Details: On Hulu IMPACT x Nightline did an updated segment so there are 4 in all. We presented previously and this is an opportunity to talk with Felicia and Daniel and continue Q &A. Felicia testified against Ray, which resulted in a conviction and 60-year sentence. Wednesday, April 19, 2023 Presenter: Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, April 12, 2023 Presenter: Cheryl D. Wills, MD Title: Preempting Workplace Violence Details: Although healthcare professionals are at high risk of being assaulted, they have been conditioned to minimize aggression and harassment by patients. This affects employee morale, burnout, and turnover as well as workplace safety and quality of care. In 2020 the Covid 19 pandemic and civil unrest began to alter our perceptions about healthcare and safety while bringing attention to inequities in healthcare access, treatment, and outcomes. Since then, the philosophy about workplace safety in healthcare has begun with healthcare agencies slowly and publicly raising the bar for patient conduct. This talk will introduce data about healthcare workplace safety, risk factors, outcomes, and ways to address the problem. Wednesday, April 5, 2023 Presenter: Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, March 29, 2023 Presenter: Elissa Gentry JD, PhD Title: Damned Causation: Probabilistic Harm in Medical Malpractice Cases Details: This presentation will describe the traditional legal approach to probabilistic harm and present an alternative process that better adheres to statistical principles rather than legal fictions. The inherent mismatch between the questions law asks and the answers statistics provides has led courts to create arbitrary rules for statistical evidence. Adherence to these rules undermines deterrence goals and runs the risk of depriving recovery for whole categories of injuries. In response, some courts adopt new theories of recovery, relying on the loss of chance doctrine to provide some relief to injured plaintiffs. These solutions, however, only serve to exacerbate the fundamental misunderstanding of probabilities. While these doctrines largely operate within the context of medical malpractice, the increased ability to capture more statistical data may prompt courts to acknowledge the probabilistic nature of causation in other contexts. It is important to ensure that courts correctly approach this information. The presentation will walk through a proposed framework, which identifies the "attributable risk rate" as the correct metric for assessing whether a plaintiff belongs to the "avoidable" class—people who would not have experienced harm in the absence of negligence—or the "inevitable" class—people who would have experienced harm even in the absence of negligence. The presentation will then propose a practical two-step ("personalize/operationalize") process for using attributable risk rates to assess causation. It provides a concrete example of how this process compares to other legal rules and demonstrates that the process is compatible with current legal requirements, harmonizes the treatment of causation in probabilistic and non-probabilistic contexts, and ensures that statistical evidence is taken seriously. Wednesday, March 22, 2023 Presenter: Ed Bernstine Ph.D. Title: Admissibility of Physical Evidence in the Murder Trial of Alex Murdaugh Details: In 2009, the National Research Council (NRC) issued a report on several disciplines in forensic sciences. It was highly critical of some. This publication, written with the Daubert standard in mind, accepts some questionable assertions. This presentation will examine the status of the analysis of bloodstain patterns in government reports, in actions spurred by them, and in the double murder trial of Alex Murdaugh that is ongoing today - February 15, 2023. Wednesday, March 15, 2023 Presenter: Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, March 8, 2023 Presenter: Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, March 1, 2023 Presenter: Felicia Rosario MD and Steven Hassan PhD Title: Survivor of Larry Ray cult with Steve Hassan Details: Hulu is releasing a docu-series called Stolen Youth: Inside the Cult at Sarah Lawrence. https://www.vulture.com/2022/12/stolen-youth-sarah-lawrence-cult-larry-ray-doc-release-date.html I presented previously and this is an opportunity to talk with Felicia about her experiences in and the problems she has had exiting and becoming whole. She testified against Ray, which resulted in a conviction and 60-year sentence. Wednesday, February 22, 2023 Presenter: Stanley Brodsky, PhD and Julie Goldenson, PhD Title: The Feedback Debate in FMHA Details: The provision of feedback in forensic mental health assessment has received minimal attention. One presenter will present the case against feedback both in terms of maintaining clinical and forensic role distinction and practical challenges. The other presenter will present the case for feedback; i.e., that this practice is aligned with trauma-informed principles and therapeutic jurisprudence. The last part of the presentation will involve a joint coming together, and a more nuanced discussion around feedback; i.e., that it is not a unitary construct and that it could be a meaningful option in some circumstances but is in no way obligatory. Wednesday, February 15, 2023 Presenter: Barry H. Roth, MD Title: Clinical and Forensic Psychiatric Pearls: PTSD and Color of Authority Background: Directly lived and seen experiences of three decades are the source of the `pearls`. Non-material human ties, bonds, and connections sustained survivors against torture`s specific intent to break them. Universal condemnation and practice of torture occur because of the conspiracy between antisocial perpetrators and state actors. Torture is hard to recall, report, and hear. Istanbul Protocol examinations unavoidably provoke suffering when survivors think and talk about their torture. Objective attention to real-time mental status changes requires empathy; and the quintessential question, “How did you survive?’` Torture occurs in the spectrum of human rights violations, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. State-sponsored torture and civil society are mutually exclusive. Rights to the rule of law, sustenance, and a safe home are inseparable, universal, and non-derogable. Did torturers have absolute control? Evidence of the superseding power of nonmaterial forces was concrete and incontrovertible when survivors chose to hold together. Refugee asylum examination and related encounters etched indelible impressions on the presenter`s professional consciousness. Case reports illustrate conceptual statements. Wednesday, February 8, 2023 Presenter: David L. Hoffman M.D., M.F.A. Title: Treatment of Cult Members Background: During my PGY2-4 years as a psychiatry resident at MMHC (1986-1988), a was a Burroughs-Welcome Fellow at the APA, where I chose to serve on the Committee on Psychiatry and Religion. During that time, the Committee, under the leadership of Marc Galanter, M.D., produced a book entitled “Cults and New Religious Movements.” I was the co-author of a chapter entitled “Psychotherapy of Cult Members.” While the field of psychiatry and the nature of cults and cult-like movements may have evolved over the past 35 years, I believe this chapter could still serve as the basis for a productive discussion. Wednesday, February 1, 2023 Presenter: Gregory W. Moore and Christopher J. Ryan Title: Wit v. United Behavioral Health: The state of affairs with judicial enforcement of mental health parity Background: In 1996 Congress enacted the Mental Health Parity Act of 1996 (MHPA 1996) which required “parity” in aggregate lifetime and annual dollar limits for mental health benefits and medical/surgical benefits in employment-related group health plans and health insurance coverage offered in connection with a group health plan. However, it wasn’t until October 3, 2008 when The Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 (MHPAEA) was signed into law and March 23, 2010 when the Patient Protection and Affordable Care act was signed into law that Managed Medicaid Plans and health insurance plans offered in the individual and small group markets had any mental health parity obligations. Details: So where are we 15 years later? Regulatory enforcement of MHPAEA is nearly nonexistent and discrimination against those seeking benefits for mental health, and all behavioral health benefits for that matter, continues to be on the rise. Consequently, health insurance beneficiaries have turned to the courts for relief. Perhaps the mostly widely discussed and celebrated cases examining a plans discriminatory conduct toward individuals seeking behavioral health benefits is Wit v. United Behavioral Health (UBH) wherein the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in March of 2022 ordered UBH to reprocess more than 60,000 claims that had initially been denied for not meeting UBH’s medical necessity guidelines. The bottom line in the litigation is that the court said medical professionals should be deciding what is and is not medically necessary treatment and not business professionals hired by insurance companies. In this presentation, Greg and Chris will discuss the most recent developments in Wit and what it means for parity compliance and litigation around the country. Wednesday, January 25, 2023 Presenter: Jacob Holzer M.D. Title: Extremism – Neuropsychiatric and Forensic Aspects Details: This presentation will be in two parts a) a brief PowerPoint presentation discussing a case and some interesting neuropsychiatric findings related to extremism (presented at AAPL), b) open discussion about the above case in relationship to forensic psychiatry. Wednesday, January 18, 2023 Presenter: Steven Hassan PhD Title: The Sarah Lawrence Cult Leader, Larry Ray: A Window into Pimp/Trafficker Mind Control Background: Discussion about Larry Ray, convicted of trafficking. Known as the Sarah Lawrence cult leader. He is scheduled to be sentenced Friday. Former member Daniel Barban Levin wrote a memoir, Slonim Woods 9, and Hulu has a 3 part docuseries scheduled for February 9th release that I previewed. One of the victims of the cult was a Harvard grad, Columbia Medical School psychiatrist Felicia Rosario. Details: https://www.thecut.com/2022/04/larry-ray-sarah-lawrence-students.html Wednesday, January 11, 2023 Presenter: The Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting (Treatment of Cult Members - postponed) Background: The discussion about the treatment of cult members to be led by David Hoffman will take place on a different Wednesday, to allow time for the participants to read the background material. Wednesday, January 4, 2023 Presenter: Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, December 28, 2022 Presenter: No meeting today Title: No meeting today Wednesday, December 21, 2022 Presenter: David M Benjamin, MS, PhD, FCP - Clinical Pharmacologist and Forensic Toxicologist Title: Pharmacology and Toxicology of Nerve Gas (organophosphate inhibitors) Background: Pharmacology and Toxicology of Nerve Gas. Mr. Putin worries me. He keeps threatening to use WMD on the people of the US, and he is unstable enough to do so. One of the weapons he may use is an organophosphate nerve gas like Sarin or Tabun. These agents inhibit cholinesterase and cause a strong cholinergic effect in humans. Details: This presentation will review the pharmacology and toxicology of "nerve gas" agents and the antidotes that can be used to stop or reverse the effects and help the attacked population to survive. Cholinergic effects cause a firing of cholinergic nerves in the CNS and the intercostal muscles along the rib cage leading to an interference with normal respiration and a "chemical suffocation." Atropine or other belladonna alkaloids are among the first agents that can be administered to restore normal respiratory function, but the beneficial effect may wear off quickly. Oxygen may be used as an interim agent, but close patient monitoring is required. The use of 2-PAM (pralidoxime) can regenerate the cholinergic/cholinesterase balance and restore some semblance of normal respiratory function, but whether or not 2-PAM is available to the medical professionals called to treat the poisoned patients (subjects) is another potential problem. Hopefully, we will not have to deal with this horrible scenario, but now you know the basic "pharmacologic tools" to have available to first responders. Masks, gowns and gloves should be used by all treaters, as the nerve gas can be absorbed percutaneously and acts rapidly. Wednesday, December 14, 2022 Presenter: Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, December 7, 2022 Presenter: Walid Yassine, DMSc, MMSc Title: Machine learning and biological markers in mental health conditions and violent behavior Background: Several acts of violence and harmful behaviors (including school shootings) have been attributed to different mental health conditions. Details: The mental health condition label has been previously misused in the courtroom to justify aberrant behaviors. Doing so increases the stigma, and acts as a discriminatory factor against those with different mental health challenges.  Are we able to distinguish between mental health conditions and harmful behavior using more objective approaches? Wednesday, November 30, 2022 Presenter: Donald J. Meyer, MD & Eric Y. Drogin, JD, PhD Title: Whose Insanity Is It, Anyway? How America Grapples with NGRI in the Past and in the Modern Era Background: The centuries-old notion of “Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity” (NGRI) has been a core theme of law and forensic practice. Details: Revisiting what the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law (AAPL) has designated as the “landmark cases” in this area—e.g., McNaughten, Durham, Powell, Egelhoff, and Clark—and their more recent successors shows a tension between legal and societal views of aggravating and mitigating factors and a tension about due and undue lenience for mental illness. Participants will explore ongoing developments in this area, and will have the opportunity share their own recent experiences in conducting and consulting upon NGRI evaluations. Wednesday, November 23, 2022 Presenter: No Meeting Title: Day before Thanksgiving Wednesday, November 16, 2022 Presenter: Thomas G. Gutheil, MD and the participants Title: Discussion of the Program`s future Background: In a recent email, Tom articulated some principles and limits, and encouraged us to focus. We`ll have a discussion about these and more. Wednesday, November 9, 2022 Presenter: Thomas G. Gutheil, MD Title: A Hierarchy of Defenses Background: Tom will outline a hierarchy of defenses to aid in the assessment of individuals at different points in a episode of illness; the functions of some of the basic defenses will be addressed. Wednesday, November 2, 2022 Presenter: Donna M Norris, MD; Edward G Bernstine PhD; Juan A LaLlave PhD Title: Cognitive Bias in Forensic Psychiatry or Work - In A World of Bias: Race, Politics and Cognition Details: The problem of cognitive bias in Expert Witness’ evaluation of evidence will be introduced with clinical court case examples. Following will be a brief description of the theoretical basis for biases. Concluding with practical influences and application of bias in practice, in the field, in the courts and among the police. For discussion and dialogue. Wednesday, October 26, 2022 Presenter: No meeting this week Title: No meeting this week Background: Many of the usual participants will be at the APPL conference Wednesday, October 19, 2022 Presenter: Oren Asman, LL.D. Title: Therapeutic Jurisprudence in Involuntary Commitment Legal procedures in Israel Details: The Israeli Law for the Treatment of the Mentally ill authorizes the District Psychiatric Committee to discusses involuntary psychiatric hospitalization and treatment both in Civil and in Criminal psychiatric commitment. Based on several years chairing such committees, the presenter will share his concept of Therapeutic Jurisprudence (TJ) as it applies to the committees’ work, stating that a balanced application of TJ in these regards may serve to increase patients’ sense of liberty and independence, to promote the process of “rehabilitating autonomy”, and increase the patient’s personal interest in their treatment and rehabilitation process. All these, with the intention to respect the patients’ dignity and with the hope to reduce the “revolving door” phenomena. Wednesday, October 12, 2022 Presenter: Linda C. Rourke, M.S. and Edward G. Bernstine, Ph.D., M.S. Title: Evidence and experts in the capital case of Cameron Todd Willingham Details: Willingham was executed on February 17, 2004 for murdering his three children. During the trial, the prosecution offered expert testimony that the fire that gutted the Willingham house and killed the children had been intentionally started by Willingham. We review this expert testimony, present our views on expert qualifications, and comment on upcoming changes to Rule 702. Wednesday, October 5, 2022 Presenter: William Bernet M.D. Title: Making History – Parental Alienation Relational Problem and DSM-5-TR Details: The updating of DSM-5 is an ongoing process. Proposals for additions or changes to DSM are made to the DSM-5-TR Steering Committee, which sends the proposal to a subcommittee that is familiar with the topic being proposed. Members of a scholarly organization, the Parental Alienation Study Group, are proposing that parental alienation relational problem (PARP) be added to the DSM chapter, “Other Conditions That May Be a Focus of Clinical Attention.” The presenter will summarize the criteria for adding a new relational problem to DSM and will explain how PARP meets those criteria with an overwhelming amount of research and other data. The presenter will also explain how members of PIPATL can add their endorsement to this proposal. Wednesday, September 28, 2022 Presenter: Dr. Bandy Lee Title: Where Does “Responsibility to Society” Begin for Psychiatry, and Where Does It End? Background: The ethics code of the American Psychiatric Association states explicitly, in its preamble, that psychiatrists have a “responsibility to patients … as well as society.” What are the parameters of this second responsibility? Do we keep with rules or with principles when a society is endangered because of manifest mental unfitness and psychological dangerousness in a powerful public figure? Details: I will present my own experiences as well as public reception of The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump: 27 Psychiatrists and Mental Health Experts Assess a President. Discussion will be informal and open. Optional reading: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2022/sep/15/john-kelly-dangerous-case-donald-trump-peter-baker-susan-glasser-divider?CMP=oth_b-aplnews_d-1 https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2022/08/donald-trump-violence-mental-health-dangerous-jan-6-fbi-mar-a-lago-civil-war-bandy-lee-psychiatry-goldwater-rule/ Wednesday, September 21, 2022 Presenter: Ed Bernstine Ph.D. Title: Religion and Government, Then and Now Details: The aim of this talk is to open a group discussion of matters of "church and state," a subject that has emerged as a forceful matter in America`s politics. I will give an historical summary of the topic (dare I say `deconstruction?`) and look forward to a vigorous exchange of your ideas. Wednesday, September 14, 2022 Presenter: Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, September 7, 2022 Presenter: Usual Participants Title: First meeting after the summer break Wednesday, July 13, 2022 Presenter: Usual Participants Title: Last meeting before summer break Wednesday, July 6, 2022 Presenter: Anne Speckhard, Ph.D.; Molly Ellenberg Title: More info to be added soon Wednesday, June 29, 2022 Presenter: Jacob Holzer M.D. Title: Book Development - Ideas to Publication Background: This presentation will be an openlinformal discussion about experiences In publishing an academic book from ideas thru publication, based on the presenter`s and other`s experiences, with a focus on pros/cons of editing a multi-authored book vs. writing on your own. Wednesday, June 22, 2022 Presenter: Seema Garg, PhD Title: Near-Death Experiences Details: This will be a continuation of our previous discussion regarding NDE’s. Wednesday, June 15, 2022 Presenter: George Drinka, MD Title: The Murder Room: the Agony and Death of Grigory Rasputin Background: Forensic components of Rasputin`s murder Wednesday, June 8, 2022 Presenter: Tom Gutheil MD Title: Basic Marketing in Forensic Psychiatry Background: I will be presenting this at AAPL and would like feedback and suggestions. Wednesday, June 1, 2022 Presenter: Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, May 25, 2022 Presenter: Proposal for a Fall PIPTAL Conference Title: Stanley L. Brodsky, Ph.D. Background: Multiple options are presented for a possible fall 2022 PIPATL live conference, including format, presentations, peer review, structure, site, length, participants, and COVID-prevention strategies. Wednesday, May 18, 2022 Presenter: Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, May 11, 2022 Presenter: Cheryl D. Wills, MD Title: The Culturally-Informed Forensic Assessment: Striving for Objectivity Background: Striving for objectivity includes being cognizant of how culture affects the forensic mental health assessment. The evaluator should appreciate how structural racism and other forms of bias affect the presentation, perceptions and lived experiences of the evaluee. The speaker will introduce research that substantiates cultural bias in medicine, including psychiatry and what organized medicine is doing to address the problem. The presenter will describe skills that are conducive to conduct dispassionate culturally-informed forensic evaluations. Wednesday, May 4, 2022 Presenter: Charles Dike, MD Title: Enforcing Medical Ethics Background: In stunned disbelief, I watched clips of the Florida Senate confirmation hearing of Dr. Joseph Ladapo, a Harvard trained M.D., Ph.D., for surgeon general of Florida in January. Dr. Ladapo’s nonresponse to questions about the effectiveness or lack thereof of the COVID-19 vaccine was striking. Given his educational and research pedigree, it is understandable that his public proclamations on medicine and public health would hold sway with the unsuspecting public. Notably, physicians, including psychiatrists, who are publicly spreading disinformation about public health measures against COVID-19 including vaccines are small in number but loud. Their comments have contributed immensely to vaccine hesitancy and other negative responses to public health measures. Details: For more: https://psychnews.psychiatryonline.org/doi/10.1176/appi.pn.2022.03.3.37 Wednesday, April 27, 2022 Presenter: J. Tyler Carpenter Ph.D. Title: An Overview of the Continua Bioethical Issues Intrinsic to the Successful Management and Reintegration of Forensic-Correctional Populations Details: The bioethical care and management of forensic-correctional adjudicated mentally ill offenders extends across multiple co-existing continua from trial and incarceration, through incapacitation and treatment, to reintegration and return to their communities. Although cultural-legal contexts, and the construction of bio-ethical imperatives, differ from country to country and reflect and depend on numerous factors, the general principles have much in common. The purpose of this multi-author panel is to examine these bioethical challenges and issues as they are managed in forensic-legal and medical-social contexts for commonalities, differences, and complementarity. Wednesday, April 20, 2022 Presenter: Thomas G. Gutheil, MD Title: Psychodynamics in the Courtroom Details: Dynamics are usually considered to be a unique element of psychotherapy, especially if that therapy is analytically based. However, the courtroom and testimony have dynamics of their own; these are not usually addressed. This presentation is intended to outline these issues and to open this topic for discussion. Wednesday, April 13, 2022 Presenter: Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, April 6, 2022 Presenter: Thomas G. Gutheil, MD Title: A Taxonomy of Bias for the Expert Testifying Witness Details: The testifier’s commitment to truth is promised in the oath by which the expert is permitted to testify. A number of sources have cautioned against bias as slanting the truth in testimony. This presentation attempts to categorize the forms of bias in order to aid recognition and perhaps, remedy. An active discussion is solicited. Wednesday, March 30, 2022 Presenter: Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, March 23, 2022 Presenter: Linda Chiu Rourke M.S. & Edward G. Bernstine M.S., Ph.D. Title: Uncertainty in Criminalistics: Consequences for Testimony Background: We will review the question of uncertainty in the practice of several disciplines in criminalistics. We will then suggest limits imposed on testimony to these methods by the uncertainty. Wednesday, March 16, 2022 Presenter: James R Ross Title: Journalism and Hate Crimes: Finding Reality Details: During the pandemic, hate crimes have increased in the United States and around the globe. Media coverage of hate crimes and hate speech often lacks context and nuance. I’ll explore the history of hate crime coverage in the media and suggest how journalists can cover these stories without promulgating racism, sexism and xenophobia. Wednesday, March 9, 2022 Presenter: Michael Lamport Commons Ph.D. Title: An Alternative Explanation for Why Some People Do Not Get Vaccinated Details: The most common explanation for why people do not get vaccinated is an ideological one. For example, it’s said that people follow different media sources and these sources provide different information about the necessity for vaccinations. Here, we propose a different explanation. Understanding why you should get vaccinated is actually a reasonably difficult task. The presentation will discuss two different ways that adults generally solve tasks and problems, and will show how these different ways are related to how receptive they are to vaccination. Wednesday, March 2, 2022 Presenter: Leroy Maxwell, Jr. MS, JD Title: How Miller v. Alabama changed the Role of Mental Health Experts Background: Why Mental Health experts are necessary for appeals involving Defendants who were convicted under the age of 21. Wednesday, February 23, 2022 Presenter: Bandy Lee, M.D., Myra White, Ph.D., J.D., and Edward Bernstine, Ph.D. Title: Culture and the Law Details: Bandy Lee will give a brief outline of case she did of a Swahili-speaking man who was found incompetent to stand trial on the basis of culture. Myra White will make observations on differences in justice systems in the U.K. and U.S. Edward Bernstine will speak of the philosophical issues that arise from the disembodiment of the individual from cultural context and propose solutions that begin with the education of young people. Wednesday, February 16, 2022 Presenter: Deborah Denno Ph.D., J.D. Title: How Neuroscience Drives the Legal System: 1900-2020 Background: This talk examines trends over 120 years regarding how neuroscientific evidence has influenced the legal system by way of an analysis of over 8,000 criminal cases. Wednesday, February 9, 2022 Presenter: Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, February 2, 2022 Presenter: Mitzi White Title: The Legal Word Game Details: This presentation will discuss the language of the law and what it really means. Wednesday, January 26, 2022 Presenter: Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, January 19, 2022 Presenter: Anne Speckhard, Ph.D Title: Legal and Psychological Issues Pertaining to Men, Women and Children Repatriating from ISIS Territory Background: The U.S. government is insisting that ISIS men, women and children currently held in NE Syria be repatriated to the countries from which they departed but many countries, particularly in Western Europe are outright refusing. Some of the ISIS former members have managed to escape from the camps and make their way home on their own, others have been repatriated. Details: How the women in particular are viewed as active agents, passive victims or on a spectrum is of particular interest as is the issue of separating children from parents in order to repatriate them or separating them once they are home. Battlefield evidence is hard to collect, and many countries fear they won’t be able to prosecute or push ISIS returnees into rehabilitation programs. What are the psychosocial issues to consider in terms of prosecution and defense of these persons. How do they compare to white supremacists? The author has in-depth interviewed 271 ISIS members and has interviewed over 800 terrorists and white supremacists over the years. Wednesday, January 12, 2022 Presenter: Joyce Baker Title: Regular Meeting Background: A case from Bridgewater which seems to very appropriate for a discussion of undue influence, duress, context, intent and the issue in Tom’s email of a recent article sent by Ken Pope re: Forensic Evaluator Opinions…Evaluating Competency to Proceed. Wednesday, January 5, 2022 Presenter: Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, December 29, 2021 Presenter: No meeting today Title: No meeting today Background: Best Wishes for the New Year Details: We have a week off to celebrate the holiday season and get ready for the New Year Wednesday, December 22, 2021 Presenter: Stanley L. Brodsky, Ph.D. and Eric Y. Drogin, J.D., Ph.D., ABPP Title: Post-suicide litigation by families of rape victims, and issues related to civil liability of the assailant Wednesday, December 15, 2021 Presenter: Gordon Harper MD Title: “On Being Understood” Background: Feeling understood is a key part of human relationships, especially important in treatment, but not discussed as much as might be useful. It is captured in phrases like, “…gets it,” “…doesn’t get it”, “nobody gets it.” What’s the path through which we develop (or don’t) this feeling of being understood and the capacity to elicit and respond to being understood, as conveyed verbally? Details: The capacity to respond to words builds on the comforting/calming experience of the infant being held, and the experience of the toddler seeing/connecting with a known, sympathetic person. What later experiences support and manifest this capacity, as verbal exchange comes to play a larger part in our experience? When and how do we learn to respond to words that have a connecting/calming/affirming effect, akin to what the nonverbal interactions play in earlier development? Feeling understood – and understanding others – as part of a developmental process may be useful, but is not always inquired about.... Wednesday, December 8, 2021 Presenter: Jane Anderson, Attorney Advisor with AEquitas Title: Using Experts to Combat Common Defenses in Human Trafficking Cases Details: Common defenses to human trafficking cases often rely on myths and misconceptions about trafficking, offender tactics, and victim behavior. This can negatively affect how investigations are conducted, cases are charged, and evidence analyzed by judges and juries. Experts with specialized trafficking knowledge are invaluable assets in any human trafficking case because they can provide context about the modes, means, and methods of trafficking as well as common victim responses to trauma. By providing this context, qualified trafficking experts can assist prosecutors in ensuring that fact finders make informed decisions based on the evidence. The presenter will analyze statutory and case law related to the introduction of expert testimony and highlight the importance of deciding if and when to introduce expert testimony in a case. The presenter will also discuss strategies for the identification and qualification of experts, as well as the importance of working with experts to prepare a case for trial, even if expert testimony will not be introduced. Wednesday, December 1, 2021 Presenter: Bart Johnson Ph.D. Title: Psychiatry in Aeromedicine Details: What are the mental health standards for piloting an airplane? What is the law? How is it applied? This is a general introduction to these subjects, along with my personal experience in the system. There is ample room for discussion of forensic psychiatry and medical ethics in this subject. My book on this subject, Can’t Be Trusted, is available in paperback and electronic formats on Amazon.com. Wednesday, November 24, 2021 Presenter: No Meeting Title: Day before Thanksgiving Wednesday, November 17, 2021 Presenter: Joyce Baker & Dr. Terry R. Bard, Rabbi Title: Helplessness Wednesday, November 10, 2021 Presenter: Dr. Seema Garg Title: Near Death Experiences: What are they, what is the evidence for and against them, and how can they inform us about our lives going forward? Background: This will be a description of the Near-Death Experience (NDE). We will examine some of the evidence supporting the veracity of reports of NDE’s, as well as evidence challenging it. We will also consider what sorts of lessons an NDE can offer to those of us who have never experienced one. People who have experienced NDE’s report they come back with special knowledge, and answers, that they couldn’t have gotten thru their normal daily routines. Can any of this knowledge be helpful to the rest of us? Wednesday, November 3, 2021 Presenter: Tom Gutheil, MD Title: TBA Wednesday, October 27, 2021 Presenter: Dr. Julie Goldenson Title: Trauma-Informed Forensic Mental Health Assessment: Ethical Tensions and Practical Suggestions Background: The concept of trauma-informed practice has proliferated many settings. This talk explores what it means to apply trauma-informed practices, and pathways for navigating ethical tensions that can arise. Wednesday, October 20, 2021 Title: No Meeting due to AAPL Wednesday, October 13, 2021 Presenter: Ed Bernstine, Ph.D and Linda Chiu Rourke Title: Criminalistics - Science Under the Microscope Wednesday, October 6, 2021 Presenter: Steven Hassan PhD Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, September 29, 2021 Presenter: Yuval Laor, PhD Title: What’s awe got to do with it? Background: This presentation will discuss how awe experiences and the induction of fervor are used to further the emotional control that certain groups exert on their members. A new paradigm that helps elucidate the significance and the power of emotional states will be offered. Of course, these emotional states of awe and fervor can be used to motivate and indoctrinate people into authoritarian relationships and groups. Wednesday, September 22, 2021 Presenter: Ed Bernstine Title: Science and Pseudoscience: A Discussion Details: a discussion of Michael D. Gordin`s On the Fringe: Where Science Meets Pseudoscience Wednesday, September 15, 2021 Presenter: Germaine Odenheimer Title: Alzheimer Quick Fix Scams Wednesday, September 8, 2021 Presenter: Usual Participants Title: First meeting after the summer break Wednesday, July 14, 2021 Presenter: The Usual Participants Title: Last meeting of this year - Summer break begins after this meeting Background: We will be thinking ahead, anticipating our potential meeting topics and speakers for when we resume in September. Wednesday, July 7, 2021 Presenter: Thomas Gutheil, MD and Steve Hassan, Ph.D Title: TBA Wednesday, June 30, 2021 Presenter: Dr. Thomas Gutheil Title: Perspectives on violence Background: An invitation to members to discuss violence against staff, featuring the email from 6/23/21 about a hospital suit for attack on resident. Members who are attending, I urge them to read or reread the article. Wednesday, June 23, 2021 Presenter: George Drinka Title: Charismatic Leaders and Cults Wednesday, June 16, 2021 Presenter: Julie Goldenson, Ph.D., Suvidha Karla, LLB & Tessa Colthoff, Ph.D. Title: Trauma, Neurobiology and the Courtroom Details: People who come before the courts have often experienced multiple forms of trauma both at a systemic and individual level. This is especially true in the context of proceedings related to criminal law, family law, civil law, and immigration and refugee hearings. We will discuss the impact of trauma on peoples` capacity to provide testimony, and how to use what we know from research on trauma and neurobiology to increase the ability of trauma-exposed individuals to be able to participate effectively in court proceedings. Wednesday, June 9, 2021 Presenter: Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, June 2, 2021 Presenter: Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, May 26, 2021 Presenter: Alan Scheflin J.D; MA in Counseling Psychology; LLM. Professor of Law, Santa Clara Law School, Emeritus Title: The Social Influence Model to Assess Legal Responsibility Background: The Social Influence Model (SIM) is a visual structure for understanding cases involving Undue Influence, Coercive Control, Predatory Alienation and other issues of interpersonal responsibility. It aids lawyers presenting cases in court, experts testifying in court, jurors evaluating the evidence, and judges making rulings on evidence and jury instructions. Wednesday, May 19, 2021 Presenter: Ed Bernstine, Ph.D., and James M. Wilson, III, Ph.D. Title: Robespierre Crosses the Line Wednesday, May 12, 2021 Presenter: Julie Goldenson, Ph.D Title: Gender and the Offender: Implications for Policy, Assessment, and Treatment Background: Reports of intimate partner violence (IPV) have increased steeply during the pandemic. Research remains limited with respect to female perpetration of IPV. This talk will review theories of perpetration across genders, towards the aim of suggesting important considerations for policies, treatment, and risk management. Wednesday, May 5, 2021 Presenter: Dr. Frances E. Chapman, PhD, LLM, JD, BA Title: “A Recipe for Wrongful Confessions: A Case Study Examining the ‘Reid Technique’ and the Interrogation of Indigenous Suspects” Details: The Reid Technique of police interrogation needs to be removed as the preferred method for interrogation for Canadian police forces, but especially for Indigenous suspects. Comparison will be made to Australian criminal law research which focuses on the dangers of interrogation of Indigenous subjects and suggestions will be made for this proposed shift in the Canadian criminal justice system. There is an inherent risk of eliciting false confessions in culturally unaware interrogations which can allow vulnerable populations to fall victim to questioning which exploits their unexamined vulnerabilities. Wednesday, April 28, 2021 Presenter: Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, April 21, 2021 Presenter: Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, April 14, 2021 Presenter: Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, April 7, 2021 Presenter: Eric Y. Drogin, J.D., Ph.D., ABPP; Thomas Gutheil, MD; Donald Meyer, MD Title: Doull v. Foster (2021) Wednesday, March 31, 2021 Presenter: David Rosmarin, MD Title: Fitness for Duty Evaluations: Special Considerations Wednesday, March 24, 2021 Presenter: Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, March 17, 2021 Presenter: John Williams, LL.B. Wales, LL.B. Cantab., Barrister-at-Law Title: Discussion on - Doctors Should NOT Use Video Assessments to Detain Patients During Pandemic, Say Judges—Mental Health Act Wednesday, March 10, 2021 Presenter: Steven Hassan, Ph.D. Title: The BITE Model of Authoritarian Control: Undue Influence, Thought Reform, Brainwashing, Mind Control, Trafficking and the Law Background: Here is the link to download my dissertation - https://www.proquest.com/docview/2476570146/ Link to the oral presentation at Feilding University- https://freedomofmind.com/the-bite-model-of-authoritarian-control-undue-influence-thought-reform-brainwashing-mind-control-trafficking-and-the-law/ Wednesday, March 3, 2021 Presenter: Eric Drogin, J.D., Ph.D., ABPP & Thomas Gutheil, MD Title: “Honesty and Striving for Objectivity”: Political Revulsion and the Forensic Mental Health Evaluator Background: Contemporary trends in American society include politically inspired acts of violence that in many instances may eventually result in the provision of forensic mental health services. This presentation will address practical considerations and ethical obligations that arise when evaluators—and the attorneys who retain them—find themselves in a clash of political cultures with criminal defendants. Wednesday, February 24, 2021 Presenter: William Bernet, M.D. Title: Parental Alienation and Misinformation Proliferation. Background: Since parental alienation syndrome (PAS) was identified in the 1980’s, there has been a remarkable amount of misinformation regarding both PAS and parental alienation (PA), which was published in professional journals, presented at conferences, and distributed through internet websites and blogs. This presentation summarizes several examples of published misinformation regarding PAS/PA in the following categories: Blatantly False Personal Attacks; Quotations that Misquote; An Army of Straw Men; and Lack of Knowledge. The writers of the misinformation were from Sweden, Tunisia, Spain, and the United States, which illustrates the international scope of PAS/PA. In one example, the misinformation reached the U.S. House of Representatives and could have been included in a formal resolution adopted by that body. Clinicians, forensic practitioners, and legal professionals should stay vigilant when they read articles or listen to presentations about topics that might be considered controversial. Wednesday, February 17, 2021 Presenter: Kara Dansky, J.D. Women’s Human Rights Campaign Title: The Dangers of Enshrining “Gender Identity” in the Law Background: Ms. Dansky will speak on the topic of so-called “gender identity” and the danger of enshrining it as a discrete category in civil rights law. She will present information about the global Declaration on Women’s Sex-Based Rights and why it is preferable as a guiding framework for legally protecting the rights, privacy, and safety of women and girls. Wednesday, February 10, 2021 Presenter: Usual Participants Title: Discussion on a case - Colorado man, 95, denied bond in fatal shooting of assisted-living worker Wednesday, February 3, 2021 Presenter: Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, January 27, 2021 Presenter: Dr. Julie Goldenson, Clinical and Forensic Psychologist, University of Toronto Title: Remote Forensic Mental Health Assessment of Historical Abuse: Considerations for Experts Left to their own Devices. Background: Using remote methods to conduct mental health assessments in high-stakes cases is currently contentious. Although potentially more widely applicable, this talk explores issues related to videoconference technology when assessing plaintiffs alleging historical abuse. Wednesday, January 20, 2021 Presenter: Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Background: United States Inauguration Event! Wednesday, January 13, 2021 Presenter: Gordon Harper, MD Title: Decreasing Ambiguity in Child Protection Background: PIPATL meetings have addressed how to think of and how to respond to situations where the forensic consultant cannot meet the request, from counsel or from judge, for an unambiguous “yes”-“no” finding. The findings are ambiguous. In those situations, the assessment function and the action function have been separate. In the child protection system, often these two functions belong to the same parties: protective workers are asked both to make a protective assessment and to manage the case, based on that assessment. They must decide whether to open a protective case or, when a protective case has already been opened, to ask for judicial support to constrain parental rights in order to protect the child. Sometimes, the data are not clear. These are situations of “protective ambiguity”. In this PIPATL meeting, we will consider an approach in two parts. First, we reframe the assessment as reflecting a situation at a point-in- time, as opposed to a fixed parenting capacity. Second, we expand the protective worker’s role to include taking action that can clarify (or even foster) a protective capacity. Comments from the larger PIPATL group will be welcome. Wednesday, January 6, 2021 Presenter: Dr. Michael Lamport Commons Title: Discussion on what are the "actual tasks" used to access competence of a person. Background: I would like to know the actual task in which they were accessing the competence of the person. What was the response of the person being accessed? What was your opinion? How did you argue this legally? Did the Judge and jury accept your opinion of the expert? Purpose - does it vary much with the Model of Hierarchical Complexity stage. Wednesday, December 30, 2020 Title: No Meeting - Happy Holidays Background: Best wishes for a Happy Healthy and prosperous New Year! Wednesday, December 23, 2020 Presenter: Dr. Thomas Gutheil, MD Harvard Medical School Title: Forensic Billing Issues: PIPATL Publications and Personal Peccadillos Details: Forensic billing is different in numerous and potentially highly consequential ways from clinical and research billing. Drawing upon a wealth of prior PIPATL publications on this topic, participants will explore these differences not only from an academic/scholarly perspective but also based upon their shared professional experiences. Wednesday, December 16, 2020 Presenter: Dr. Eric. Y.Drogin, J.D., Ph.D., ABPP. Harvard Medical School Title: Trying to Be Helpful, Trying to Be Responsible: Public Sector Funding Orders and Private Sector Retainers in Forensic Mental Health Assessment Details: In public sector criminal matters, the vast bulk of non-institutional forensic mental health funding—except in those rare jurisdictions in which public defenders and prosecutors purchase expertise via their own discretionary budgets—proceeds from a court order. From time to time, expert witnesses may provide services in advance of formal approval due to the urgent nature of a given case. In private-sector criminal and civil matters, experts are well advised to utilize retainers to ensure funding and to avoid complex and relationship-eroding collection procedures. participants will review these notions with sensitivity toward ethical as well as practical issues. Wednesday, December 9, 2020 Presenter: Stanley L. Brodsky, Ph.D. & Caroline Parrott Title: When the Results of Forensic Evaluations are Equivocal? Wednesday, December 2, 2020 Presenter: Michael Perlin Title: TBA Wednesday, November 25, 2020 Presenter: Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, November 18, 2020 Presenter: Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, November 11, 2020 Presenter: Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, November 4, 2020 Presenter: Hal Bursztajn, MD and Tom Gutheil, MD Title: The writer’s “cross.” Background: Hal Bursztajn and Tom Gutheil will present on the issue of published material being used or misused in cross-examination of that author; members will be asked to contribute their stories and discuss their experiences. Best approaches may be derived. Wednesday, October 28, 2020 Presenter: Eric Y. Drogin, J.D., Ph.D. Title: “Diversity Optics” and Legal Team Composition Background: Criminal and civil practitioners may be inclined to consider the visual impact of the teams they employ to try cases in court. To what extent are lawyers willing to shuffle personnel on display in pursuit of a desired legal effect? Are such ploys likely to be effective? Are they likely instead to inspire an equally cynical, perhaps indignant backlash? PIPATL members will discuss the legal, ethical, and practical dimensions of employing “diversity optics” in this fashion—an approach to legal team composition that is distinct from attempts to promote broader, more typically favored notions of fairness, inclusivity, and multicultural perspective-taking. Wednesday, October 21, 2020 Presenter: Dr. David Henderson, MD Title: FY21 Expansion of BPD - BEST Partnership Wednesday, October 14, 2020 Presenter: Erik Plakun Title: Can we tame the “Wild West” of managed care? Background: Upon completion of this activity, participants will be able to: 1-Review the generally accepted overarching goals of treatment for medical and substance use disorders from the perspectives of insurance entities and clinicians 2-Describe the influence of federal legislation [e..g., affordable care act, mental health parity law] on generally accepted standards for provision of treatment 3-Describe how a landmark class action [wit v ubh] defines generally accepted standards for provision of treatment Wednesday, October 7, 2020 Presenter: Mark J. Hauser, MD & PIPATL members Title: Discussion about the meaning of PIPATL "membership" Background: PIPATL is an inclusive group of talented and thoughtful people who get together for lively discussion, design, development & conduct of research projects leading to publication, and lifelong learning - with a central focus on the interface of psychiatry and law. Details: PIPATL receives requests from people who want to "join" PIPATL, and/or become "members." We maintain a spirit of inclusiveness and nonetheless need to discuss the implications of expansion. Wednesday, September 30, 2020 Presenter: Mitzi White Title: Fraud case against Elizabeth Holmes Background: Elizabeth Holmes, the former CEO of Theranos, is considering claiming mental illness as a defense. Wednesday, September 23, 2020 Presenter: Willard W C Ashley, Sr DMin, SCP, NCPsyA Title: Rules for 21st Century Radicals: Medicine, Law, Science and Local Activists Working Together Details: How can medicine, science, law, and faith-based leaders working together make a difference in the world? What strategies for community engagement offer synergy and synchronize religion, community psychology, the federal courts, epidemiology, technology, government, and activism for the 21st century? Fifty years after Saul Alinsky’s groundbreaking book, what are the new rules for radicals for today? Rules for 21st-Century Radicals offers a framework for community stakeholders who want to address social justice issues within medicine, law, and religion. Willard W. C. Ashley Sr. honestly addresses the realities of congregational and community life and the challenges systemic racism creates as multiple disciplines address the social determinants of health. Listen to a seasoned psychoanalyst, pastor, and professor share his learnings from a landmark federal court case. Learn the essential spiritual challenges, psychological resiliency protocols, and legal battles during a thirty-two-year fight to break ground to build 8,000 affordable housing units in Jersey City, New Jersey. Hear one of the plaintiffs on the winning side to clean-up 200 acres of toxic land in two different busy urban neighborhoods. The milestone victories at the time were the most significant environmental federal lawsuits in the United States of America. Wednesday, September 16, 2020 Presenter: Usual participants Title: New Two Hats Discussion Wednesday, September 9, 2020 Presenter: Dr. Michael Lamport Commons Title: Problems with taking the perspective of people with various disabilities- this includes therapists and expert witnesses. Details: Biases due to clients having different disabilities than the therapist - the reasons they gave such a problem treating the biological disabilities, coz they don’t experience these disabilities in the textbooks. They miss interpret the behavior of the clients and replace it with attributions of free will and resistance. Give examples- Dependent personality and narcissism. Open for discussion for all the members. Wednesday, September 2, 2020 Presenter: Usual participants Title: No meeting Wednesday, July 15, 2020 Presenter: Donna Norris Title: Perspectives on Race in Psychiatry and Psychoanalysis and Article on history of psychology`s racism Wednesday, July 8, 2020 Presenter: Dr. Harper Gordon, MD Title: Politics Wednesday, July 1, 2020 Presenter: Thomas Gutheil, MD and Stan Brodsky Title: Discussion on experiences in court Wednesday, June 24, 2020 Presenter: Usual participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, June 17, 2020 Presenter: Judge Nancy Gertner Title: Admissibility and evidentiary issues relative to expert psychological testimony in the Cosby and Harvey Weinstein cases Details: Judge Gertner was appointed to the Federal District Court of Massachusetts in 1994 by Bill Clinton. She retired from the court in 2011 and now is a Senior Lecturer at Harvard Law School. She will be speaking about the admissibility and evidentiary issues relative to expert psychological testimony in the Cosby and Harvey Weinstein cases. Wednesday, June 10, 2020 Presenter: Usual participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, June 3, 2020 Presenter: Usual participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, May 27, 2020 Presenter: Usual participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, May 20, 2020 Presenter: Usual participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, May 13, 2020 Presenter: Eric Y. Drogin, J.D., Ph.D. Title: Where Did Our Love Go? Modern Politics and the Supremes Background: A recently distributed Washington Post review of Adam Cohen’s Supreme Inequality: The Supreme Court’s Fifty-Year Battle for a More Unjust America (2020) examines that book’s argument that modern political pressures have resulted in a Court that routinely disfavors the rights of “poor and other marginalized people.” PIPATL members will discuss the validity of this assertion, from the perspective of their own legal and forensic experiences with members of groups most affected by recent key SCOTUS decisions. Wednesday, May 6, 2020 Presenter: Usual participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, April 29, 2020 Presenter: Usual participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, April 22, 2020 Presenter: Dr. Judith Stevens - Long Title: Personality, Grief and National Mourning after Covid-19 Wednesday, April 15, 2020 Presenter: The usual participants Title: Regular Meeting with thoughtful discussion Wednesday, April 8, 2020 Presenter: Usual participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, April 1, 2020 Presenter: Usual participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, March 25, 2020 Presenter: Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, March 18, 2020 Presenter: Eric Plakun, M.D., Donald Meyer, M.D., Thomas Gutheil, M.D., Eric Drogin, J.D., Ph.D Title: Wit v. United Behavioral Healthcare: The Perspective of an Expert Witness Details: Following up on a recent PIPATL presentation that addressed the implications of Wit v. United Behavioral Healthcare (2019) for mental health parity, Dr. Plakun—who testified as an expert witness in this matter—will further illuminate these issues from a litigation participant’s perspective. Dr. Plakun’s presentation will be online, via zoom. Please send an email to Dr. Myra White at mswhite@fas.harvard.edu to receive the zoom link. Wednesday, March 11, 2020 Presenter: Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, March 4, 2020 Presenter: Donald Meyer, M.D., Thomas Gutheil, M.D, Eric Y. Drogin J.D., Ph.D Title: An insurer’s definition of medical necessity meets the standard of care Details: In Wit v. United Behavioral Healthcare (2019), the United States District Court, Northern District of California recently ruled that UBH had violated the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008, a federal law that generally prevents group health plans and health insurance issuers that provide mental health or substance use disorder benefits from imposing less favorable limitations on those benefits than on medical/surgical benefits. The court concluded that UBH had used flawed medical review criteria in wrongfully rejecting the claims of more than 50,000 individuals. This presentation will describe the Wit case and its implications in detail—including discussion of the Court’s perspective on the contributions of various expert witnesses who testified in this matter—within the context of an overview of modern mental health parity law and policy. Wednesday, February 26, 2020 Presenter: Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, February 19, 2020 Presenter: Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, February 12, 2020 Presenter: Brian Hart Title: Parental Alienation Wednesday, February 5, 2020 Presenter: Carol Williams ,LL.B Aberystwyth University and Eric Drogin, J.D., Ph.D. Harvard Medical School Title: Distinguishing Malingering from Other Forms of Dissimulation Background: Malingering is a persistent focus of forensic mental health assessment, in both civil and criminal matters; however, despite its ubiquity as a diagnostic consideration, it is often conflated by evaluators with other forms of dissimulation. This can result in confounding, unfair, and at times highly consequential outcomes for litigants who—rather than exaggerating or fabricating symptoms for some secondary gain—are instead responding randomly, exerting subpar effort, or failing in other ways to engage effectively with the examination process. This presentation will review relevant diagnostic entities, assessment strategies, reporting/testimony approaches, and the experiences of meeting attendees. Wednesday, January 29, 2020 Presenter: Dr. Harper Gordon, MD Title: Factitious Illness Induction aka Munchausen by Proxy (MBP) 2014-2020 Wednesday, January 22, 2020 Presenter: Dr. Harper Gordon Title: Therapy in Administration, Revisited Wednesday, January 15, 2020 Presenter: Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, January 8, 2020 Presenter: Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, January 1, 2020 Presenter: No Meeting Title: Happy New Year! Wednesday, December 18, 2019 Presenter: Dr. Harper, Gordon P, MD Title: Child Protection Around the World Wednesday, December 11, 2019 Presenter: Dr. Thomas Gutheil, MD Title: Risk Management in Couples` Therapy Background: This talk was recently given to an association; I am seeking comments; after general risk management advice, I will focus on special issues with couples. Wednesday, December 4, 2019 Presenter: Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, November 27, 2019 Presenter: Dr. Gutheil Title: No meeting - enjoy Thanksgiving Background: As in year`s past there is no meeting 11/27 so that we get an early start to Thanksgiving Festivities! Wednesday, November 20, 2019 Presenter: Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, November 13, 2019 Presenter: Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, November 6, 2019 Presenter: John Williams, LLB Title: “Cross-Disciplinary Teaching, Training, and Supervision Background: Professional teaching, training, and supervision have typically been driven by a classic monodisciplinary model that reflects—in no particular order—such factors as convenience, familiarity, proprietary knowledge, licensure concerns, resource limitations, territoriality, and administrative complications. Cross-disciplinary approaches are increasingly prevalent, driven most prominently by a combination of pilot programs, conference presentations, and—on an individual basis—intellectual curiosity and practice opportunities. PIPATL members will explore theories, examples, and prospects for promoting cross-disciplinary teaching, training, and supervision, involving such fields as medicine, psychological, social work, and the law. Wednesday, October 30, 2019 Presenter: Ziv E. Cohen, M.D. Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, Weill Cornell Medicine Title: Pitfalls of Celebrity Psychiatry in Jail Background: The suicide of Jeffrey Epstein at Metropolitan Correctional Center (MCC), a maximum-security federal jail in downtown Manhattan raises important questions about mental health care in jail. Dr. Cohen will discuss suicide in jail and the risk factors associated with it. Dr. Cohen will review policies and procedures in place at federal jails to assess for mental health emergencies and to monitor inmates for safety. Errors in the assessment and monitoring of Jeffrey Epstein will be discussed, and the pitfalls of providing mental health care to a VIP inmate will be explored. Participants will gain an understanding of “suicide watch” in the federal jail setting and how multiple systems failures may have led to the negative outcome in this case. Ziv E. Cohen, M.D., is a forensic psychiatrist and clinical assistant professor of psychiatry at Weill Cornell Medicine and adjunct faculty at Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons. Dr. Cohen directs the forensic psychiatry curriculum at Weill Cornell Medicine, where he teaches psychiatry residents and forensic fellows. Dr. Cohen regularly evaluates inmates at MCC and has conducted research on suicide in the correctional setting. He is in private practice in New York City. Wednesday, October 23, 2019 Title: No meeting due to AAPL Wednesday, October 16, 2019 Presenter: Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, October 9, 2019 Presenter: Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, October 2, 2019 Presenter: Richard Sobel Title: Update on Privacy and Health Policy Issues. Wednesday, September 25, 2019 Presenter: Robin Boyle Laisure , JD Title: Litigating Against Cults: Avoiding Undue Influence Conundrum Background: The legal theory of Undue Influence has been a hurdle to seeking justice against cults and high demand groups. Should we disregard the theory or refine it? Wednesday, September 18, 2019 Presenter: Lisa Litman, M.D. Brown University School of Public Health Title: Informed consent questions when minors and young adults seek medically and surgically enabled gender transition Background: Dr. Littman will describe her research about an emerging population of adolescents and young adults. Information gained from the experiences of families of gender dysphoric youth and from individuals who have reversed their gender transitions (detransitioned) raise important questions to explore about informed consent for medical and surgical gender transition in adolescents and young adults. Wednesday, September 11, 2019 Presenter: Steven Hassan, M.Ed., LMHC, NCC Title: Presentation on proposing the forensic model Details: 3 days for the congress, Dr. Weisstub begged me not to attend and promised to reimburse my expenses, give me a talk at the next Congress in Lyon, and publish an IALMH journal article (2) about what happened as well as what I was planning to present: A Proposal on how to conduct a forensic evaluation for undue influence. Bottom line, I was framed, Academic freedom was undermined. I found it the person threatening was Opus Dei and knew about my forthcoming book, The Cult of Trump. Wednesday, September 4, 2019 Presenter: Steven Hassan, M.Ed., LMHC, NCC Title: Threat to cancel IALMH Congress in Rome if Hassan attends? What’s the story? Background: 3 days for the congress, Dr. Weisstub begged me not to attend and promised to reimburse my expenses, give me a talk at the next Congress in Lyon, and publish an IALMH journal article (2) about what happened as well as what I was planning to present: A Proposal on how to conduct a forensic evaluation for undue influence. Bottom line, I was framed, Academic freedom was undermined. I found it the person threatening was Opus Dei and knew about my forthcoming book, The Cult of Trump. Wednesday, September 4, 2019 Presenter: The Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, July 10, 2019 Presenter: Dr. Harper, Gordon P Title: Getting Psychiatry Back in Place, Background: Psychiatry today has largely lost sight of the social context of human development, health, and illness. That larger view has been replaced by a view of individuals out of context, in effect “decontextualized”. Wednesday, July 3, 2019 Presenter: No Meeting Title: No Meeting Wednesday, June 26, 2019 Presenter: Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, June 19, 2019 Presenter: Steven Hassan, M.Ed., LMHC, NCC Title: Proposing a new model for doing a forensic evaluation for undue influence Background: In British Law, undue influence is a 500-year-old legal concept. Currently, Testamentary Capacity has a very low standard of competency and does not consider modern knowledge about hypnosis, social influence, nor characteristics of predatory individual and organizations. Several cases that show how social influence can be used to subvert an adult’s capacity to give informed consent will be discussed. One involves a case of a divorce attorney, Michael Fine, who was covertly hypnotizing his female clients to have sex with him and give amnesia to his victims, so they could not report the crime. Another case involves a 21-year-old man who was recruited into a destructive cult and who gave his inheritance to the cult guru. Two models will be presented which might be useful to begin to frame how the legal system should be looking at Undue Influence. The first is an Influence Continuum which goes from ethical, healthy influence on one end to unethical destructive mind control on the other end. The second is the BITE model of unethical mind control which uses four overlapping components: Behavior Control, Information control, Thought Control and Emotional Control to begin to evaluate where on the continuum any particular case may be. Alan Scheflin’s Social Influence model is the framework. Wednesday, June 12, 2019 Presenter: Judith Stevens-Long, PhD Title: New ideas about Advanced Directives Background: A short presentation on new directions in Advanced Directives, emphasizing the quality of life rather than procedures and treatments. Discussion of the types of conflicts that arise, a critique of existing formats Wednesday, June 5, 2019 Presenter: Eric Y. Drogin J.D., Ph.D., ABPP Title: Wartime Propaganda and Expert Witness Testimony: Common Dynamics and Lessons Learned Details: Wartime propaganda—particularly as it flourished during the First and Second World Wars—is a highly instructive albeit deeply controversial mode of communication. The same is often asserted with respect to expert witness testimony. This presentation will address the historical development, dissemination, and efficacy of wartime propaganda, with particular attention to common dynamics and practical implications regarding the role and functioning of the expert witness in civil and criminal matters. Wednesday, May 29, 2019 Presenter: Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, May 22, 2019 Presenter: Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, May 15, 2019 Presenter: Harold J. Bursztajn, M.D. Title: The Biopsychosocial Model Meets Forensic Neuropsychiatry Background: Neuroscientific evidence increasingly is finding its way into the courtroom, without clear standards for its reliability or relevance. This accelerating trend presents a challenge for experts called upon to present or rebut such data, which are most reliably and effectively used in the context of a comprehensive, multifactorial forensic neuropsychiatric evaluation. Recent literature and court cases will be discussed for guidance in separating the wheat from the chaff in this emerging area of forensic mental-health testimony. Wednesday, May 8, 2019 Presenter: Steve Hassan Discussant; Harold Bursztajn Title: Forensic mental health perspectives on how the separation of church and state protects against authoritarian cults. Wednesday, May 1, 2019 Presenter: Usual Participants led by Dr. Gutheil Title: Blame My Brain: Killer`s Bold Defense Gets a State Supreme Court Hearing; Increasing Forensic Use of Behavioral Genetics & Other Neuroscience Research Background: This is the topic for the discussion on May 1, 2019. Tuesday, April 30, 2019 Presenter: Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, April 24, 2019 Presenter: Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, April 17, 2019 Presenter: Dr. Lee and Dr. Gilligan Title: Informal Discussion Wednesday, April 10, 2019 Title: Meeting Canceled due to Hasenbush Day Wednesday, April 3, 2019 Presenter: Dr. Seema Garg, Ph.D. Title: A discussion of the experiences and remedies for writers’ block Background: A discussion of the experiences and remedies for writers’ block: forensic, clinical and publication-oriented; making Program articles more publishable will be part of the discussion. Wednesday, March 27, 2019 Presenter: Mitzi White, JD., PhD. Title: Legal Elements of Conspiracy and Obstruction Wednesday, March 20, 2019 Presenter: Usual Participants Title: Communication and Discussion Background: Discussion on Communication, as in how to do a presentation, how to contribute to Program discussions, groups dialogue, etc. Wednesday, March 13, 2019 Presenter: Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, March 6, 2019 Presenter: Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, February 27, 2019 Presenter: Bandy X. Lee, M.D., M.Div., James Gilligan, M.D. Title: Do We Surrender Our Moral Compass to a Technical Rule? Background: Given our professional responsibility to society, if we see dangers to public health and wellbeing, should we refrain from speaking up in professional ways because of a technical rule? Details: How many mental health professionals would have spoken up if the American Psychiatric Association had not emphatically instructed that we fall in line with the Goldwater rule? How much did the public expect to hear from experts about the president before it was told we had no role? As citizens, do we have a responsibility to share the special knowledge we have acquired from our privileged position in society? Is expertise to be used to enlighten and empower, or to exclude and oppress? As for the First Amendment, is it not specifically intended to prevent tyranny? What is more helpful to tyranny than the imposition of silence and depriving the people of the most relevant information? Do we not have faith in the usefulness of psychiatric knowledge, and the benefits of our clinical experience? The half of the Goldwater rule that encourages education of the public is ignored. Even where we are to refrain from diagnosis (“professional opinion”), it falls under the overarching principle that we are to contribute to the betterment of public health. How do we reconcile a clear, legally-binding duty to protect patients but no duty to protect society? (and only an obligation to protect a public figure’s privacy?). How seriously should we take our responsibility to society, as outlined in the code of medical ethics, and our humanitarian mandate, as outlined in the Declaration of Geneva? This talk will mostly be of questions, with a desire to hear more from the audience. Wednesday, February 20, 2019 Presenter: Dr. Liza Gold Title: Forensic Assessment of Sexual Harassment Cases Background: Dr. Gold will present a case study/example, and will allow time for discussion with q and a. Wednesday, February 13, 2019 Presenter: Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, February 6, 2019 Presenter: Usual Participants Title: AAPL Proposals Wednesday, January 30, 2019 Presenter: Usual Participants Title: Case Discussion and article discussion on expert immunity Background: Binder, R:Liability for the psych expert witness. Am J Psychiatry 2002; 159:1819-1825 Wednesday, January 23, 2019 Presenter: Bandy X. Lee, M.D., M.Div. Title: Professional Responsibility to Society versus the Goldwater Rule in Dangerous Times Background: We will discuss the psycho-societal dynamics that occur when a dangerously impaired individual ascends to a powerful office through the influence of his psychological pathology; the historical origins and meaning of the Declaration of Geneva, or the universal physicians’ pledge, and our responsibility as experts in psychological medicine; and the dangers of a professional association’s modification of ethical standards to suit the regime in power. Wednesday, January 16, 2019 Presenter: David Cooperson Title: Denial, and Indifference of Legalized Child Abuse in America by the Public,Congress and the Courts. Is the Growing Acceptance of the Adverse Childhood Experiences Research a Ray of Hope. Background: A prime example of legalized child abuse in America is the legality of child corporal punishment in schools in 19 US states (usually paddling) with devastating effects on the children. It is disproportionately used with the disabled, autistic, and minority children, so it is a Civil Rights issue. Corporal punishment at home is legal in all 50 states despite 40 years of research that clearly demonstrates the danger. A significant portion of the world has made corporal punishment illegal in schools and homes. I will discuss the effects of child maltreatment on the developing brain and I have a published article for the National Association of Social Workers on this topic. I will also briefly discuss the distressing legal history of child corporal punish in America. The massive Adverse Childhood Experience research is being accepted and spread in organized ways to almost all states. I will discuss why this may be a welcome ray of hope. I have written a book that elaborates on these topics and will send copies to the participants of the meeting in advance. Wednesday, January 9, 2019 Presenter: Dr. James Tyler and Dr. Seema Garg Title: Forensic relevant material about psych testing Wednesday, January 2, 2019 Presenter: Dr. Thomas Gutheil and Dr. Eric Drogin Title: Personality Testing in the Courtroom Background: Personality testing is commonly featured in criminal and civil legal proceedings, but its forensic use is fraught with controversy from prosecution and defense perspectives alike. Following a review of likely Daubert challenges to this assessment modality, attendees will discuss counsel’s practical concerns with various forms of personality testing as well as the strategies and tactics counsel might employ should a Daubert challenge fail to accomplish the exclusion of such evidence. Wednesday, December 26, 2018 Presenter: No Meeting Title: No Meeting Wednesday, December 19, 2018 Presenter: John Torous, MD MBI Title: Meeting the Challenges of Security and Privacy in Scaling Digital Mental Health Interventions Details: This talk with discuss the evolving legal and ethical issues in digital mental health with a focus on smartphone apps. Wednesday, December 12, 2018 Presenter: Nathan Blenkush Ph.D., LP, BCBA-D, LABA Title: The Extraordinary Controversy Surrounding the Use of Contingent Skin Shock to Reduce Destructive Behaviors Background: Destructive behaviors are generally characterized by high intensity and/or high-frequency aggression, self-injury, and/or property destruction that is refractory to typical behavioral and psychopharmacological interventions. These behaviors cause severe injuries; force the person to leave their family home; make it difficult for them to receive an education or acquire new skills, and result in frequent or long-term psychiatric hospitalization. Contingent skin shock used to supplement a comprehensive behavioral program often eliminates destructive behaviors and results in dramatic improvement in the quality of life. However, the procedure is highly controversial and often misunderstood. As a result, regulatory agencies and advocacy groups have sought to ban the practice. Here, I briefly review safeguards for the use of skin shock, summarize the results of legal challenges, and discuss ongoing controversies. Wednesday, December 5, 2018 Presenter: Dr. Michael Lamport Commons Title: Building a Self-Report Instrument for Personality Disorders with Behavioral-Developmental Items across Eight Domains Details: We introduce eight variables common to all personality disorders. They are long-term patterns of behavior falling on the following variables: 1) Attachment; 2) Empathy; 3) Impulsivity; 4) Anger; 5) Depression; 6) Narcissism (exaggerated dependence on attention seeking reinforcements); 7) Psychoticism (paranoia); and 8) Awareness of boundaries (differentiating oneself from others). We introduce a self-report instrument, in development, to measure these variables in order to predict the presence of personality disorders from a behavioral-developmental perspective. Item selection is generated from both previously established scales and novel scales. Many of the scales come from the Gangqin and Commons (in press) criminality study. Scales for narcissism, psychoticism, and awareness of boundaries are being developed in this study. Each scales is to be unidimensional as shown by factor analysis and Rasch Analysis. Wednesday, November 28, 2018 Presenter: Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, November 21, 2018 Presenter: Brenda Bemporad, PhD Title: Question: How to deal with a judge who has made a directive inappropriate for children I see in treatment? Background: I am the therapist for twins whose mother is directed by a court to take them to see their abusive father regularly. I sent a letter to the judge who would not read it Wednesday, November 14, 2018 Presenter: Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, November 7, 2018 Presenter: Professor John R. Williams Title: A Gilded Cage is Still a Cage: Mental Capacity and Deprivation of Liberty Background: In 2017 the UK Law Commission issued its final report on “Mental Capacity and Deprivation of Liberty,” addressing “how the law should protect people who need to be deprived of their liberty in order to receive care or treatment and lack the capacity to consent to this.” The report recommended that current “Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards” should be repealed and “a new scheme introduced as a matter of pressing urgency.” Proposed “Liberty Protection Safeguards” would be accompanied by the publication of a new “Code of Practice” covering all aspects of the current “Mental Capacity Act.” PIPATL attendees will review these innovations and contrast them with existing provisions in other jurisdictions. Wednesday, October 31, 2018 Presenter: Myra (Mitzi) White Title: The End of Expertise Background: Today everyone thinks that they are an expert. People feel no need to seek or listen to expert opinion. This is compounded by a stream of fake experts who parade across the internet and make frequent appearances in the media. This creates serious problems for people who have spent years honing their area of expertise. How do you get heard and ensure that your opinion is given weight when people who lack expertise in your area think that their opinion is equally valid? Wednesday, October 24, 2018 Title: No meeting due to AAPL Wednesday, October 17, 2018 Presenter: Thomas Gutheil, MD Title: Predicting treatment Background: Using an actual contemporary case, we will discuss the challenge of predicting the amount and length of treatment required after an injury in civil litigation. This common issue may be speculative at best, but the group can share their visions of how to approach this question. Wednesday, October 10, 2018 Presenter: Prof. Marci A. Hamilton. J.D., M.A. (Phil), MA (English) Title: Developments and Trends in Child Sex Abuse Statutes of Limitation Reform Background: There has been an active movement since 2002 to expand child sex abuse statutes of limitations to increase access to justice. The movement has resulted in more knowledge about CSA, more validation of survivors, and more accountability. Yet, there remain significant barriers to improving the SOLs in every state, some of which result in negative outcomes for survivors. Wednesday, October 3, 2018 Presenter: Barry Roth, MD Title: Complicity: Impunity or Accountability? Background: The reason for this presentation is to get feedback on content and style for a PANEL PROPOSAL DRAFT to convene following the Pre-Conference: XXXVIth International Congress on Law and Mental Health Pre-Conference Sunday, 21st of July 2019 ` Medical Complicity` David N. Weisstub, Chair; Vincenzo Mastronardi, Co-Chair. Details: The Panel aims to upgrade and enhance shared vocabulary and concepts dialogue encountered in the dynamics of jurists and forensic expert in their common struggle for civil society. The UN Convention Against Torture (CAT) torture definition anchors the Istanbul Protocol [IP] Manual on the Effective Investigation and Documentation of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. The Rome Statute established the International Criminal Court, a “last resort” for prosecution of Crimes Against Humanity, War Crimes, and Genocide. Birthed at the UN, these multi-national standards, treaties, and structures configure venues where IP reports of forensic expert findings, opinions, interpretations may be used as evidence. The ICC is one such law and psychiatry interface. The ground of forensic expert opinions includes knowledge, education, training, skill and experience, brought to bear on enough information, with reliable methods, and applied to the facts at hand. Jurists manage courtroom process (inter alia), which may follow “civil law” (“inquisitorial”) or “common-law” (“adversarial”). Juridical rules of evidence shape admissibility and the value of expert opinions. EVIDENCE is the nexus. In general, forensic experts may opine on ultimate issues in civil litigation; while, in contrast, expert testimony in the ICC more often is subordinate or auxiliary. That is, forensic expert testimony may help establish specific required elements (i.e., whether torture did occur) necessary to meet the weight of evidence to establish the “actus reus”, “mens rea” or “proximate causation”) of other grave crimes. The CAT definition of torture includes severe pain and suffering, inflicted with various intents, under the color of authority. Conspiracy of state actors and perpetrators is explicit. Generally, crimes under ICC jurisdiction imply or include conspiracy of state actors and perpetrators. Medical complicity is one subset of such evil. Why is there virtually universal condemnation and practice of torture? Both torture and terror inflict inconceivable pain and/or fear, with intent to intimidate or coerce. Crimes under ICC jurisdiction, for the most part, include illegitimate justification by perpetrators who act under bogus and counterfeit color of authority. Categories of both forensic expert diagnoses and juristic crimes are polythetic and isomorphic. Moreover, scrutiny (of the required intents and conspiracy of perpetrators) ICC crime constructs demonstrate that Rights to the Rule of Law, Fair Wages and a Safe Home are inseparable, universal, and non-derogable. The abyss between state terror and civil society knows no bottom. Non-material human ties, bonds and connections of social contract are the a priori categorical imperative in the calculus of the individual and civilization. KEYWORDS: CAT, IP, Rome statute, ICC, jurists, forensic experts Wednesday, September 26, 2018 Presenter: Matthew S. Katz. M.D. Lowell General Hospital Title: Sharing Stories on Twitter: Humanizing Doctors, Exposing Patients? Details: What are the boundaries between preserving patient privacy and clinicians being able to share meaningful experiences on social media? Overview and proposal for a study. Wednesday, September 19, 2018 Presenter: No Meeting Title: Yom Kippur Wednesday, September 12, 2018 Presenter: Dr. Richard Sobel Title: TSA and Questions of Abuse: A Followup Background: It will explore recent press reports of abusive TSA searches and also a recent appellate decision regarding whether the TSA as a government agency can be held accountable for misbehavior. It`s a followup to previous PIPATL seminars on the psycho-social implications of these issues. Wednesday, September 5, 2018 Presenter: Usual Participants Title: First meeting back from Summer break Wednesday, July 11, 2018 Presenter: Steven Hassan, M.Ed., LMHC, NCC Title: Proposing a new model for doing a forensic evaluation for undue influence Background: Using Alan Scheflin’s Social Influence model, the Lifton 8 point model and the Hassan BITE model, I would like to share some of my ideas for how an expert could have a method for evaluating where on the Influence Continuum a specific case falls. I would like to discuss: sex trafficking in the Nxivm case, as well as a 21 year old in a group like the Moon group who wishes to turn over his inheritance of $two million dollars to the group, and the Michael Fine case where as a divorce attorney he was hypnotizing his female clients, having sex and then giving them amnesia to the assault. I am interested in discussing legal and psychology arguments why this approach would not be viable or acceptable. I am thinking about the forensic psychiatrist who met members of Nxivm who were branded and said there was no evidence of brainwashing. Wednesday, July 11, 2018 Presenter: The Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Background: This is the final meeting for the spring - enjoy your summer and we`ll see you the first Wednesday after Labor Day! Details: There might be meetings about research projects over the summer; more details to come soon. Wednesday, July 4, 2018 Title: No meeting - enjoy July 4 Background: See you at our last meeting for the season on July 11 Wednesday, June 27, 2018 Presenter: Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, June 20, 2018 Presenter: Stanley L. Brodsky and Jennifer Cox Title: Illusory Excellence and Practical Usefulness Background: The term “the gold standard” in psychology and psychiatry is overused and misleading. It is often blatant hyperbole, a marketing device, or exaggerated praise of a well-validated procedure. In its place, we propose the phrase the pyrite standard. Pyrite, or “fool’s gold”, is iron sulfide and is more useful than gold in many ways and has applications in sulfuric acid, in sulfuric dioxide, for cathodes in lithium batteries, in metal detectors, and in inexpensive photovoltaic solar panels. Inn our field it moves us away from the overused and inaccurate frame of reference of “the gold standard.” In the social sciences the pyrite standard allows for a nuanced means of conceptualizing desirable and useful procedures. Wednesday, June 13, 2018 Presenter: Zenobia Morrill. Ed.M., MA. University of Massachusetts in Boston Title: Moving “Global Mental Health” Toward a Rights-Based Approach Details: Abstract: Recently there has been increased attention to the “global disease burden of depression.” In 2017 the World Health Organization (WHO) developed a campaign to address the under-diagnosis and undertreatment of depression in developing countries. However, this campaign and the disease burden framework reifies Western descriptions of mental disorders, diverts attention away from the political and social factors that contribute to depression, and reinforces the pharmaceuticalization of distress. In response to the WHO campaign, the United Nations Special Rapporteur, Lithuanian psychiatrist Dainius Pūras, released a statement calling for a shift “from focusing on ‘chemical imbalances’ to focusing on ‘power imbalances’ and inequalities.” In this presentation we will discuss the results of our discourse analysis of the WHO campaign and, following Puras, argue for a framework that emphasizes the right to health and the global burden of obstacles. Wednesday, June 6, 2018 Presenter: The Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, May 30, 2018 Presenter: Richard Sobel Title: Legal Aggression: In travel and domestic spheres Background: As recent changes in TSA procedures and the front page New York Times series on courts’ abetting landlord aggressiveness against long standing residents show, established institutions have increased their perpetration of aggressive behaviors in their "legal" tactics against people and humanistic values. Details: How are these related to cause and effect of the current triumphal era? What are the implications for the health of the persons targeted and the body politics? And what can be done about them by individuals and institutions aiming to uphold healthier and more just values and environments? An opening dialogue. I. Introduction to “legal aggression: vs. the rights to roam and to remain II. TSA whole body “scans” and “searches” III. “Landlord” and court aggressions against protections for people IV. How are causes and effects related and amplified? V. Human consequences vs. humane values? VI. What can be done? The contributions of P&L. VII. Followups? Wednesday, May 23, 2018 Presenter: The Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, May 16, 2018 Presenter: The Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, May 9, 2018 Presenter: Archie Brodsky and Joel Ziff Title: Continued Discussion on Legal Issues in the Treatment of Sex Addiction Wednesday, May 2, 2018 Presenter: Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, April 25, 2018 Presenter: Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, April 18, 2018 Presenter: Joel Ziff & Archie Brodsky Title: Legal Issues in the Treatment of Sex Addiction Background: This will be a continuation of Joel Ziff`s January 31 presentation followed by additional commentary by Archie Brodsky offering his perspective. Wednesday, April 11, 2018 Presenter: Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, April 4, 2018 Presenter: Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, March 28, 2018 Presenter: Dr. Michael Lamport Commons Title: DNA Sequences of “Smarts” and 6 Factors of Interests: Their Impact on Psych and the Law Wednesday, March 21, 2018 Presenter: Dr. David Benjamin Title: The Heroin/Opioid Crisis Details: In 1971, I took an external rotation in Molecular Pharmacology at UCSF and became friendly with Dr. EL Way, an internationally-known morphine investigator. I became so fascinated with opioids that I did my oral comprehensives for my PhD on the Mechanism of Action of Opioids and have been studying them for more than 40 years. I am pleased to be able to talk about heroin (opioids) at our PIPATL meeting. Madonna once quoted another notable who said, "Have something to say and say it as well as it can be said." That`s what I hope to do. Wednesday, March 14, 2018 Presenter: Dr. Michael Lamport Commons Title: DNA Sequences of “Smarts” and 6 Factors of Interests: Their Impact on Psych and the Law Wednesday, March 7, 2018 Presenter: Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, February 28, 2018 Presenter: Steven Hassan and Douglas M. Brooks Title: Undue Influence in Multi-Level Marketing Schemes Background: I am writing this at the suggestion of Steve Hassan. I am interested in talking with your members about business opportunity cults. I am an attorney with over 35 years of experience in complex civil litigation. I have represented victims of multi-level marketing (MLM) schemes in a number of class actions involving companies such as Herbalife, Omnitrition, Nu Skin, Melaleuca and others. I have also represented, pro bono, consumer advocates who have spoken out against pyramid schemes and cults. I have been advocating for better regulation and disclosure in the MLM industry for over 20 years. I am frequently consulted by journalists on issues concerning MLM and pyramid schemes. I was featured in a documentary concerning Herbalife called “Betting on Zero” which premiered at the 2016 Tribeca film festival. Participants in MLM schemes are typically urged to purchase thousands of dollars worth of products or services in order to ascend through the various levels of the compensation plan and to qualify to earn commissions based on purchases by participants whom they recruit. The vast majority lose their investments and eventually drop out. One of the most intriguing issues that arises with MLM and pyramid schemes is why people stay involved even after losing thousands of dollars or more. I do not believe that the use of fraudulent and deceptive representations by the promoters of these schemes provides a complete answer. Rather, I believe that the promoters exercise undue influence, similar to the techniques utilized in some dangerous cults, to induce victims to stay in the organization and continue to purchase products they don’t need and can’t profitably sell. I would appreciate the opportunity to talk with your members about these issues and any related questions they may have about business opportunity cults. Wednesday, February 21, 2018 Presenter: Steven Hassan Title: NXIVM group uses MD to brand initials and gets them to give incriminating nude videos and confessions to be used to instill obedience- in case they ever think of leaving the group. Many women are on 500-800 calorie a day die and have peri- menopausal sym Details: This October, the NY Times published a front page article on Sarah Edmundson, as actress who defected. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/17/nyregion/nxivm-women-branded- albany.html A second article on December 21st , New York Times article spells out another portion of disturbing story. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/21/nyregion/nxivm-women-branded-federal- investigation.html about this group. In this second article, Forensic psychiatrist Park Dietz was quoted as having no evidence of “brainwashing.” Keith Raniere, who is referred to as “Vanguard” claims to be the smartest person in the world, and has two wealthy Bronfman sisters in the group helping to fund it. Raniere’s right hand person is trained in Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) and some of the policies seem to mirror policies that Scientology uses. An very interesting discussion is to be had, as I know a good deal about this group and how it operates. Wednesday, February 14, 2018 Presenter: Oren Asman Title: Introducing durable power of attorney, advanced directives and supported decision making into Israeli law Details: Recent changes in Israeli law on competence have the potential to introduce mental disability rights -based practices to the work of lawyers, health care providers and courts. While this seems to be the golden hour for autonomy in Israeli legislation, it is also a practical and conceptual challenge to professional. The talk will focus on these changes, gradual implementation of these concepts and tools and current worries and dillemas they seem to have created Wednesday, February 7, 2018 Presenter: Dr. Michael Commons and Mansi Shah Title: The Evolution Of Punishment And Why It is The Basis Of Psychiatry And The Law Wednesday, January 31, 2018 Presenter: Joel Ziff Title: Legal Issues in Treatment of Sex Addiction Wednesday, January 24, 2018 Presenter: Dr. Susan Hatters Friedman Title: Forensic Psychiatry in New Zealand Background: Dr. Hatters Friedman is in Boston for a week on a sabbatical from her work in Auckland, New Zealand. She will join us at our meeting on 1/24 and share with us her experiences practicing psychiatry, and forensic psychiatry, in New Zealand. Wednesday, January 17, 2018 Presenter: Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, January 10, 2018 Presenter: None Title: Strasburger Ceremony (no talks) Wednesday, January 3, 2018 Presenter: Kevin Huckshorn RN PhD Title: Bridgewater State Hospital, again a hospital Details: While Bridgewater State Hospital (BSH) has been in the news recently because of the trial of three former guards in the death of a person there in 2009, less attention has been given to the dramatic transformation of BSH in the past year, prompted by incidents like that death. BSH has gone, in less than ayear from a prison where incidents led to indictments and political outcry to a facility (not yet quite a hospital) where the “persons served” receive profoundly different care. Kevin Huckshorn RN PhD, a leader for decades in the movement to reduce the use of restraint and seclusion, has led this effort. She will join us on January 3 to give an update of this change along the forensic-clinical interface. Wednesday, December 27, 2017 Presenter: There is no presentation; Happy New Year! Title: Cancelled! There is no meeting 12/27 Background: given people being out of town and bad weather we should NOT meet on 12/27; be sure to join us on Jan 3rd and 10th. Wednesday, December 20, 2017 Presenter: James Hilliard, Esq Title: Various topics related to Psychiatry and the Law Wednesday, December 13, 2017 Presenter: Omar Haque Title: Forensic Psychiatry as a Tool for Nonpartisan Political Reform: The Case for Screening Politicians Prior to Elections Wednesday, December 6, 2017 Presenter: Hellen Farrell Title: CTE & Legal Considerations Wednesday, November 29, 2017 Presenter: Daniel Brown Ph.D. Title: Hypnosis and Undue Influence Details: Dr. Brown was summoned to Ohio to render his expert opinion on recordings made by attorney Michael Fine who was using covert hypnosis on female clients in order to rape them and then gave amnesia instructions, so they could not remember and report the crime. He will also speak about his multi year series of interviews with Sirhan Sirhan and the in depth investigation into his recruitment into a Manchurian candidate role in the assassination of Robert Kennedy almost 50 years ago. The evidence is overwhelming that Sirhan Sirhan did not do the kill shot and the case will be featured in a 2 hour documentary done with Sundance, Showtime and Netflix June 2018. Wednesday, November 22, 2017 Presenter: Donald Meyer, MD and Thomas G. Gutheil, MD Title: Goldwater vs Tarasoff Details: Don Meyer and Thomas Gutheil will lead discussion on the Goldwater rule Wednesday, November 15, 2017 Presenter: Mitzi White Title: The Complexities of Sexual Harassment Wednesday, November 8, 2017 Presenter: James T. Hilliard Title: The Massachusetts Board of Registration in Medicine (BORM); its’ process for physician complaints and discipline. Details: Massachusetts licenses approximately 36,000 physicians. On an annual basis it opens approximately 400 (receives a number much greater than the 400) complaints resulting in 45 disciplinary findings. I will present an overview of the BORM, its mission and a detailed discussion on its disciplinary process involving physicians. Wednesday, November 1, 2017 Presenter: Steven Locke, MD Title: Telemental Health is a Disruptive Innovator in Health Care Organizations: Challenges and Opportunities in Collaborative Care. Wednesday, October 25, 2017 Title: No meeting due to AAPL Wednesday, October 18, 2017 Presenter: Judge Lisa I. Swenski Title: The Earth is Flat, Climate Change Ain`t Real, and Hypnosis Doesn`t Work Like "That": One Judge`s Journey Through Unethical Hypnosis & Undue Influence from Cynical Denier to Shocked Victim to Informed Advocate Background: Lisa Swenski is a Judge with the Lorain County (Ohio) Court of Common Pleas, Domestic Relations & Juvenile Divisions. In 1996, Swenski was a 2nd year law student whose only exposure to hypnosis was a brief experience in 1983 while in the U.S. Army at the Intelligence School at Ft. Devens, Mass. When her fellow law student/roommate and several of his friends claimed to be using hypnosis to have sex with women, she thought that he was "crazy" and said "everybody knows that hypnosis isn`t real." What happened to Swenski the next month when she was unlawfully civilly committed for 72 hours because she was "delusional re cult activity" would change the course of her life and would ultimately result in her educating herself about hypnosis & the "Pick Up Artist" sub-culture. Details: In 2012, Judge Swenski was elected to her judgeship and had every reason to believe that her experience with covert hypnosis and the PUA community was long over. Unfortunately, she was wrong. In 2014, Judge Swenski recused herself from domestic cases involving divorce attorney Michael Fine. Fine had been caught (on surveillance police video) using hypnosis to sexually assault his women clients. He would later plead guilty to multiple counts of kidnapping with sexual motivation and in 2016 he was sentence to 12 years in prison. Unfortunately, Judge Swenski had several bizarre experiences with Fine while he was practicing in front of her and thus, once again, Swenski had to face the unethical use of hypnosis. More importantly, Judge Swenski was again placed in the position of trying to educate law enforcement and lawyers about hypnosis and to dispel the most common myths that uninformed & misinformed professionals - including psychiatrists - hold about covert hypnosis and undue influence. That journey continues to this day. Wednesday, October 11, 2017 Presenter: Professor John R. Williams Title: The Mental Health Infrastructure: An International Perspective Details: There often exists a significant disparity between (1) treatment guarantees proffered by case law, statutes, and regulations, and (2) treatment opportunities limited by funding, geography, and bureaucracy. Mental health clinicians who attempt to commit patients civilly or refer them for outpatient services often learn too late that legally sanctioned options simply cannot be realized, due to such factors as downsized facilities, staffing shortfalls, budgetary woes, or limited transportation resources. This presentation describes the current status of the mental health infrastructure in the United Kingdom and invites comparison with the experiences of PIPATL attendees. Wednesday, October 4, 2017 Presenter: Harold J. Bursztajn, MD Title: How SCOTUS McWilliams 5-4 can be read as a 9-0 Details: This June SCOTUS issued a ruling in the McWilliams v. Dunn case. It spelled out minimal standards for forensic mental health assistance to counsel when the mental state of the defendant is in question. McWilliams v. Dunn, 137 S. Ct. 1790, 582 U.S. (2017). In April 2017 I attended SCOTUS, arguments as a guest. After reviewing the oral arguments Amicus briefs I wrote the column below. Trust in the midst of Death Penalty adjudication The June 2017 SCOTUS decision was a split decision in favor of the defendant, 5-4. Nonetheless a plausible reading of the majority decision and the dissent is that in effect the McWilliams decision was a unanimous rejection of the pro forma trail judge application of Ake’. Rather McWilliams can be well read as a robust 9-0 reinvigoration of the defendant’s right to funds for a comprehensive and thus effective forensic psychiatric assistance to counsel when the mental state of the defendant is in question. Wednesday, September 27, 2017 Presenter: Barry Roth Title: Teamwork to optimize forensic reports and coordinate related SCOTUS Amicus Brief Wednesday, September 20, 2017 Presenter: Stanley L. Brodsky Ph.D. Title: “I was blown out the door” A strange forensic case study Details: Report of assessment of a man charged with abuse of a corpse for setting his deceased wife on fire Wednesday, September 13, 2017 Presenter: Jhilam Biswas M.D., Thomas Gutheil M.D., Eric Y. Drogin J.D., Ph.D. Title: Is Treatment Delayed, Treatment Denied? Details: Delays—inherent in court-based procedures, and sometimes occasioned by counsel’s perceived obligations—may ironically lead to an acute illness becoming chronic, and to a single bout of inpatient services being transformed into a lifetime of revolving-door psychiatric admissions. A particularly problematic example is the “Rogers Guardianship” model currently prevalent in Massachusetts. Laws that effectively place on counsel and courts the challenge of second-guessing medical treatment decisions—with minimal latitude for counsel to exercise measured professional judgment—will inevitably generate, and empirically do generate, a degree of delay that ironically deprives patients of the liberation from illness that is the common goal of all stakeholders. The presenters suggest possible solutions to these difficulties. Wednesday, September 6, 2017 Presenter: Usual Participants Title: First Meeting After Summer Break Wednesday, July 5, 2017 Presenter: Usual Participants Title: Final Meeting Before Summer Break Wednesday, June 28, 2017 Presenter: Dr Gemma Edwards-Smith Title: Regulation of Psychiatrist Practice in Australia -taken too far? Details: I will present an update on the outcome of changes in regulation of Medical practitioners and the impact of mandatory health reporting by treating doctors Wednesday, June 21, 2017 Presenter: Richard Sobel Title: TSA: Mass Psychology Wednesday, June 14, 2017 Presenter: Steven Hassan Title: Part 2 Wednesday, June 7, 2017 Presenter: David Benjamin Title: The Salem Witch Trials Details: The Salem Witch Trials:Sociopolitical Hysteria, Systematic Persecution of Women, or Ergot Poisoning? Wednesday, May 31, 2017 Presenter: Steven Hassan Title: Introduction to controversies involving Social Influence and my interviews with a number of Detransitioners who describe the “cult of Trans” Details: While I do believe there are individuals who biologically and organically feel like they were born into the wrong body. However, having worked with victims of a wide variety of undue influence groups and programs, including “conversion therapy” I am in the early stages of research into powerful social influences including, use of drugs, proselytization by protrans people, transitioners on social media including Youtube, reddit, as well as teachers and schools and overzealous therapists who encourage children to believe they are other gendered and who do not do a thorough history especially trauma and dissociation. While I am by no means an expert in sexuality, pediatrics, or gender identity, I have worked with members of Heaven’s Gate who believed they were aliens inhabiting human bodies and 8 males had orchiectomies. One of my Detrans people not only went on estrogen and had than orchiectomy and now realizes he is a gay male and wants his testicles back. He wishes to warn young people. Another woman wants her breasts back as she has realized she is a lesbian and that it is ok to be a butch lesbian. She feels testosterone was very negative on her body. Wednesday, May 24, 2017 Presenter: David Rosmarin, MD Title: Guns, Dangerousness and a Statutory Proposal for Massachusetts Clinicians Details: The talk will review Mass. legal landscape concerning guns, approaches elsewhere, risk assessment, and present medico-legal cases involving guns Wednesday, May 17, 2017 Presenter: Jacob Holzer MD Title: (reschedule to later date) Individual Anti-government Rhetoric, Violence, and Vulnerability Background: This presentation reviews individuals who, due to a ‘vulnerability’, may be prone to act in a violent manner in ‘geopolitical’ context. Details: Key points of this presentation are: 1- geopolitical context is broad: domestic politics, causes (anti-development, anti-abortion), nationalism, racism, etc. 2- the predisposing vulnerability factors are broad, incl. psychiatric disorders, personality disorders, cognitive disorders, TBI, etc. Insanity defense would not apply in most cases. 3- salient issues include: a) thoughts of harassment, victimization, b) mental health issues/symptoms, c) external inciting event 4- despite the variance, some patterns run through man Wednesday, May 10, 2017 Presenter: Barry Roth & Eric Drogin Title: A survey of forensic scams Wednesday, May 3, 2017 Presenter: David Benjamin Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, April 26, 2017 Presenter: Michael Lamport Commons, Ph.D. Title: Higher behavioral-developmental-stage delusions. r = .7 in predicting stage Details: This is a presentation on an invited DARPA grant proposal. Stacked-Neural Networks are smarter than a single-stack neural network. Single neural networks are only as smart as insects. They operantly condition by learning from what is rewarded. There can only be one neural net operating in a only first stack. Second stack neural networks integrate A large number of first-stack-neural networks. The 2 stacks together have the smartness of rats and pigeons. No present single neural network can emulate them. Wednesday, April 19, 2017 Presenter: Alexandra Harrison, MD Title: 28th Annual L. Lee Hasenbush Visiting Lectureship at MMHC Details: 28th Annual L. Lee Hasenbush Visiting Lectureship Alexandra Harrison, MD Wednesday, April 19, 2017 Massachusetts Mental Health Center 75 Fenwood Road 2nd Floor Conference Room Boston, MA 02115 Schedule of Events: 10:30 – 12:00 You Can Have Your Opinion: Integrating Developmental and Psychoanalytic Theories” 12:00 – 12:30 Lunch 12:30 – 2:00pm Case Conference Wednesday, April 12, 2017 Presenter: Mickey Arieli, Affiliation Research Fellow –ICT International Institute For Counter-Terrorism IDC Israel -Founder and former Director of the Division of Enforcement (pharmaceutical crime ) Ministry of Health Israel Title: Forensic and Bioethical reflections on Psychoactive Drugs & Terrorism Details: Whereas most studies regarding terrorism and drugs focused on the methods of financing terror-this presentation will review and reflect upon the use of psychoactive drugs by lone wolf and organized terror groups.The introduction of such drugs as Captagon,which according to forensic lab tests including our own contain methamphetamine and the abuse of synthetic cannabinoids will have a definite effect regarding the profiling and later the operational actions against terrorists. The abuse of such substances and its pharmacological effects regarding aggression,violence and depression of moral and otherwise normal ethical behavior has had a major effect globally. We will also look at the dangers regarding comorbity of substance abuse and other mental disorders. The operational and ethical effects regarding anti-terrorist units in hostage holding situations whereby such terrorists are under the effect of such substances will also be discussed. Wednesday, April 5, 2017 Presenter: Eric Drogin Title: Professional Liability for Forensic Activities: Liability Without a Treatment Relationship Wednesday, March 29, 2017 Presenter: Paul Morantz Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, March 22, 2017 Presenter: The Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, March 15, 2017 Presenter: The Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, March 8, 2017 Presenter: Steven Hassan M.Ed., LMHC, NCC Title: Steven Hassan M.Ed., LMHC, NCC Wednesday, March 1, 2017 Presenter: Michael Lamport Commons, Ph.D. Title: Michael Lamport Commons, Ph.D. Details: Michael Commons will present on some variables involved in cult behavior Wednesday, January 25, 2017 Presenter: Michael Lamport Commons, Ph.D. Title: Rescheduled Details: The first is about why one needs developmental scales for almost all tests. Experts have to inform lawyers about the defensive of IQ, MMPI, etc that they are not developmentally well constructed so that competence id not clear. Mark among others is heavily involved with Autism and deals with the legal issues surrounding quality of services and needs. Wednesday, January 18, 2017 Presenter: Tony Leys, Des Moines Register Title: Journalism and Mental Health Details: I’ve written regularly over the years about mental health, including how Iowans with mental illness become trapped in the criminal justice system. I’d be very interested in hearing thoughts from you and your colleagues on how the media could strengthen our coverage of these issues. Besides working for the newspaper here, I’m on the board of the national health-care journalism association, and we’re always seeking ways to improve our craft. Wednesday, January 4, 2017 Presenter: Eric Y. Drogin and Leigh D. Hagan Title: Expiration Dates: Can States Use Superseded Medical Standards to Establish Death Penalty Eligibility? Details: After the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) prohibited the execution of persons with intellectual disabilities in Atkins v. Virginia (2002), a Texas “habeas court” found pursuant to the definition currently employed by the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD, 2010) that Bobby Moore was ineligible for execution. The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, however, held that Moore was “death-eligible” on the basis of the AAIDD’s 1992 intellectual disability definition, adopted in the Texas case of Ex Parte Briseno (2004). In Moore v. Texas, the SCOTUS is preparing to determine whether the use of outdated “medical standards” and non-clinical criteria violates the Eighth Amendment and contradicts guidelines recently established in Hall v. Florida (2014). PIPATL attendees will review and discuss evolving legal and scientific standards in capital jurisprudence. Wednesday, December 14, 2016 Presenter: Regular Meeting Title: Regular Meeting Details: Regular Meeting Wednesday, December 7, 2016 Presenter: PIPATL Title: Connection trial Wednesday, November 30, 2016 Presenter: Omar Sultan Haque, M.D, Ph.D. Title: Dehumanization in Hospitals: Causes and Cures Background: Dehumanization is a social and psychological phenomenon in which a distinctively human mind is not attributed to another person. Dehumanization is endemic in hospitals, as seen in the treatment of marginalized groups, including persons with psychiatric illness and substance use disorders. Why is this the case? Details: By translating basic psychological science to clinical settings, I identify nine causes of dehumanization in hospitals resulting from common features of medical settings, the doctor-patient relationship, and routine clinical practices (deindividuating practices, impaired patient agency, impaired human prototype, power differences, inter-group biases, disgust, mechanization, dysregulated balancing of empathizing and analytic problem solving, technology that increases psychological distance). Knowing what some causes are of dehumanization in hospitals, how should hospitals be optimally re-designed, from a moral standpoint? I discuss when dehumanization in hospitals is potentially functional or not, and based on the overall framework developed, I articulate a novel research program, including principled research questions and predictions, that can provide an empirical foundation for reforms to hospital practices, and medical culture more generally. Wednesday, November 23, 2016 Presenter: Dr. Stan Brodsky Title: Research in Jury Selection Details: research in Jury Selection Wednesday, November 2, 2016 Presenter: Steven Hassan M.Ed., LMHC, NCC Title: Undue Influence: An introduction to destructive c ults, mind control, brainwashing and deprogramming Background: The media: the internet, press and even just day to day life are filled of stories of control. How can individual’s minds be manipulated through thought control, persuasion and brainwashing? Most mental health professionals have not had any specific training on the issue of undue influence, mind control, hypnosis, brainwashing and therefore are not equipped to identify victims, nor help them recognize, recover and heal from its effects. From abusive relationships with controlling, narcissistic people to multi-level marketing groups, to political cults, to trafficking, and even to extremist terrorist cults like ISIS. Details: The most recent version of the American Psychiatric Association diagnostic manual, the DSM— 5, identifies this group of patients under a special category: Other Specified Dissociative Disorder 300.15 (F44.9). If one goes to page 305, number 2, one will read: “Identity disturbance due to prolonged and intense coercive persuasion: Individuals who have been subjected to intense coercive persuasion (e.g., brainwashing, thought reform, indoctrination while captive, torture, long-term political imprisonment, recruitment by sects/ cults or by terror organizations) may present with prolonged changes in, or conscious questioning of, their identity.” Wednesday, October 19, 2016 Presenter: Steven Hassan M.Ed., LMHC, NCC Title: Undue Influence: An introduction to destructive cults, mind control, brainwashing and deprogramming Background: The media: the internet, press and even just day to day life are filled of stories of control. How can individual’s minds be manipulated through thought control, persuasion and brainwashing? Most mental health professionals have not had any specific training on the issue of undue influence, mind control, hypnosis, brainwashing and therefore are not equipped to identify victims, nor help them recognize, recover and heal from its effects. From abusive relationships with controlling, narcissistic people to multi-level marketing groups, to political cults, to trafficking, and even to extremist terrorist cults like ISIS. Details: The most recent version of the American Psychiatric Association diagnostic manual, the DSM— 5, identifies this group of patients under a special category: Other Specified Dissociative Disorder 300.15 (F44.9). If one goes to page 305, number 2, one will read: “Identity disturbance due to prolonged and intense coercive persuasion: Individuals who have been subjected to intense coercive persuasion (e.g., brainwashing, thought reform, indoctrination while captive, torture, long-term political imprisonment, recruitment by sects/ cults or by terror organizations) may present with prolonged changes in, or conscious questioning of, their identity.” Wednesday, October 12, 2016 Presenter: The ‘Health Research Authority’: Conducting Psycholegal Studies in the United Kingdom Title: Professor John R. Williams, LL.B. Wales, LL.B. Cantab., Barrister-at-Law Details: The National Health Service (NHS) established the Health Research Authority (HRA) in 2011 “to protect and promote the interests of patients and the public in health research, and to streamline the regulation of research.” The HRA has deployed over 80 Research Ethics Committees (RECs) across the United Kingdom, each consisting of as many as 18 members, one third of whom must be laypersons. RECs “safeguard the rights, safety, dignity, and well-being of research participants, independently of research sponsors.” This presentation addresses legal, ethical, and scientific perspectives on the HRA process and contrasts these with issues faced by colleagues conducting psycholegal studies in the United States. Wednesday, October 5, 2016 Presenter: Eric Y. Drogin, J.D., Ph.D., ABPP Title: If You Already Know, Why Ask? A Deposition Consultation Case Study. Details: The classic expert witness deposition in civil or criminal matters consists of progressively aggressive questioning by opposing counsel, who hopes to score a decisive pretrial victory by exposing among other things the expert s deficient command of relevant facts, lack of familiarity with the professional literature, and poorly grounded professional opinion. That is not, however, the only way for opposing counsel to plot or conduct a deposition. This deposition consultation case study will provide one example of a rather different approach, and will highlight legal, ethical, and clinical considerations i n what participants will be encouraged to recognize as a distinct form of forensic service provision that is incompatible with the role of the testifying expert witness. Wednesday, September 7, 2016 Presenter: Barry H. Roth, M.D. Title: Torture: What is it and Why does it Matter? Wednesday, July 6, 2016 Presenter: Miloslava Kozmova Title: Executive Skills (Ego Capacities) in Non-Lucid Dreaming Background: Last meeting before summer break! Wednesday, June 29, 2016 Presenter: Michael Lamport Commons Title: Crime, gangs, and terrorists differ in behavioral stage development ways Background: Crime, gangs, and terrorists differ in behavioral stage development ways Wednesday, June 22, 2016 Title: Regular Meeting Background: Regular Meeting Wednesday, June 15, 2016 Title: Regular Meeting Background: Regular Meeting Wednesday, June 8, 2016 Presenter: Richard Sobel, Ed.D. Title: Update on Medical Privacy Issues Background: Discussion of medical/health privacy issues including Medicare renumbering and update on body scans and searches at the airports. Wednesday, June 1, 2016 Presenter: Richard Sobel Title: Dynamics of Housing and Expansion Controversies around HMS and MMHC Details: Discussion of controversies around HMS and MMHC expansion, including the community participation dynamics in the related housing developments. Wednesday, May 11, 2016 Presenter: Chiara S. Haller PhD Title: Mother bear: An common ethical dilemma with forensic pressures Details: Teenage Patient referred for clinical neuropsych testing by her mother in order to get extended time for academic testing. Neuropsychologist reports difficulties in cognitive functioning. However, the difficulties do not warrant a DSM-V supported diagnosis, which leads to disappointment of the mother because her daughter will not receive extended time on academic testing. Wednesday, May 4, 2016 Presenter: Mitzi White and Tom Gutheil Title: Patient Suicide: Is Impulse the only factor? Background: Suicide is becoming an increasing problem in the US and courts are beginning to look more closely at psychiatrist’s liability when a patient commit suicide. Studies of behavioral indicators of a patient’s susceptibility to committing suicide such as impulsivity will be reviewed and suggestions for the use of more valid measures and indicators will be made. Wednesday, April 20, 2016 Title: General Meeting Background: General Meeting Wednesday, April 13, 2016 Presenter: Gordon Harper MD Title: Alliance Formation, Mandated Reporting, Protective Ambiguity Details: The interface between clinical care and child protection: a clinician’s view Wednesday, April 6, 2016 Presenter: Steven Locke, MD Title: Opportunities and Challenges in Implementing Telemental Health Programs (continuation from previous talk) Background: Telemedicine offers opportunities to improve access to care for millions of patients facing barriers such as geography, weather, travel, childcare, illness and disability. Details: Telemental health should be the poster child for telehealth because of the ability to deliver evidence-based psychotherapies by licensed and trained clinicians using secure videoconferencing to patients at home, minimizing stigma and maximizing convenience. A telemedicine-enabled behavioral health medical home facilitates collaborative care among PCPs, care managers, home health agencies and behavioral health providers. Technology-supported integrated care is a disruptive innovation that raises issues in the realms of quality, safety, privacy, liability, regulation and licensure. This session will be a case study of a Massachusetts company’s computer-guided program for clinician tele-delivered CBT for the collaborative care of depression. Wednesday, March 30, 2016 Presenter: Barry Roth, MDA Title: Torture in the Anthropocene Background: Survivors are not the exception to the rule, but exceptional people who make the rule exceptionally clear. This draws from many streams: 1) reflections editing chapters of other authors; 2) over 2 decades of work with torture survivors; 3) formulated and presented in recent years. Details: Human thoughts and acts are elemental forces of biblical proportions that impact the future of the Earth and create a new epoch of geological time: The Anthropocene Epoch. We require upgrades and updates to our definition of torture---stronger language to name, unmask and stop the crimes. Torture is a conspiracy crime of perpetrators under the color of authority, intent to break the human ties, bonds and connections which sustain survivors and underlie all culture and civilization. Torture cannot break these more powerful non-material forces which transcend space and time when humans choose to hold together. We have the force to do right. This ongoing state of a priori categorical imperative is our shared heritage and future. The 100 year span from the Armenian genocide and Nazi Holocaust to today’s crimes against humanity teaches a clear lesson. Unless we build and maintain serious structures of justice, we will face serious injustice. We can and must make a better definition to end torture. - Why: There is universal condemnation of torture while it is universally practiced. - What: A heuristic that transcends differences and synergizes power. - Who: Clinicians (especially mental health) and jurists (lawyers and courts). - Where: Local, regional and global “universal” - How: Thought, word, and acts--- vis-à-vis and published - When: Here and now Wednesday, March 23, 2016 Presenter: Steven Locke MD and Tom Hunter Title: Opportunities and Challenges in Implementing Telemental Health Programs Background: Telemedicine offers opportunities to improve access to care for millions of patients facing barriers such as geography, weather, travel, childcare, illness and disability. Details: Telemental health should be the poster child for telehealth because of the ability to deliver evidence-based psychotherapies by licensed and trained clinicians using secure videoconferencing to patients at home, minimizing stigma and maximizing convenience. A telemedicine-enabled behavioral health medical home facilitates collaborative care among PCPs, care managers, home health agencies and behavioral health providers. Technology-supported integrated care is a disruptive innovation that raises issues in the realms of quality, safety, privacy, liability, regulation and licensure. This session will be a case study of a Massachusetts company’s computer-guided program for clinician tele-delivered CBT for the collaborative care of depression. Wednesday, March 16, 2016 Presenter: Steven Locke, MD. Chief Medical Officer. Department of Psychiatry, BIDMC, HMS and iHope Network, Inc. Title: Opportunities and Challenges in Implementing Telemental Health Programs Background: Telemedicine offers opportunities to improve access to care for millions of patients facing barriers such as geography, weather, travel, childcare, illness and disability. Telemental health should be the poster child for telehealth because of the ability to deliver evidence-based psychotherapies by licensed and trained clinicians using secure videoconferencing to patients at home, minimizing stigma and maximizing convenience. Details: A telemedicine-enabled behavioral health medical home facilitates collaborative care among PCPs, care managers, home health agencies and behavioral health providers. Technology-supported integrated care is a disruptive innovation that raises issues in the realms of quality, safety, privacy, liability, regulation and licensure. This session will be a case study of a Massachusetts company’s computer-guided program for clinician tele-delivered CBT for the collaborative care of depression. Wednesday, March 9, 2016 Presenter: Michael Lamport Commons and Kyle Gramer Featherston Title: Understanding Value and Its Discounts in Static and Changing Schedules of Reinforcement: How it along with many other variables that are correlated with addiction and alcoholism. Wednesday, March 2, 2016 Presenter: Barry Roth, M.D. Title: Cross-Dimensional Evaluations of Addiction: “Hitting Bottom” and the Workplace Background: A portion of this was presented in panel, “ADDICTION AND MENTAL HEALTH IN THE WORKPLACE: OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES”, JULY 14th , 2015 XXXIVth International Congress on Law and Mental Health Under the auspices of International Academy of Law and Mental Health, Sigmund Freud University, Vienna Details: Recent fitness for duty evaluations and 4 decades of practice lead to a Substance Use Disorder (SUD) heuristic. While it touches upon drug testing, enforcement, and reviews of large populations; focus on the cross-cutting dimension of “hitting bottom” distinguishes this model. The choice is radical when a person consciously confronts the immediate and unmanageable threat to her/his survival: essentially, change for the better, or die. This watershed choice is the key to psychological management of the physical SUD’s, with legal, moral and spiritual consequences. To recover, the person sick from SUD must create a meaningful life---based in the ties and connections of given and received love of others. Unbiased, objective forensic evaluations require careful attention to interactive realms of evaluee, public authority, and treatment resources. Sensitive and sophisticated knowledge guides evaluation and requires attention to detail of syndromes and personality, along all Axes I, II (including denial and sociopathy), and III (medical illnesses); and attention to past official records, sanctions and rehabilitation. Even though professional functions that are compromised by SUD’s occur in less-than-perfect settings; the clear forensic statements of certainties (and their limits) can aide professionals and public alike. Wednesday, February 24, 2016 Presenter: James Armontrout, Michael Lamport Commons, Ph.D., Sarthak Giri, B.S., Kyle Gramer Featherston, B.S; Thomas Gordon Gutheil, M.D Title: Do Consult Psychiatrists, Forensic Psychiatrists, Psychiatry Trainees, and Healthcare Lawyers Differ in Determinations about Grey Area Decision Making Capacity Cases? Follow up on a Vignette-Based Survey Details: Grey area decision making capacity evaluations can be complex even for experienced evaluators, and past research (such as Kim et al 2011) suggests that agreement between evaluators is not always high. To our knowledge, however, no study conducted thus far has contrasted the rates of agreement between groups of evaluators with different professional backgrounds. Under the mentorship of Dr. Tom Gutheil and Dr. Dave Gitlin I have carried out a survey project in which consult psychiatrists, forensic psychiatrists, psychiatry trainees, and healthcare lawyers answered questions related to decision making capacity for three vignettes representing “grey area” cases. In this talk I will present the results of this study and lead a discussion of the implications for training and clinical practice. Wednesday, February 17, 2016 Presenter: Michael Stein J.D, Ph.D. Title: Legal Capacity and Mental Disability: A Need for Cross-Disciplinary Dialogue Background: The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) is the first human rights treaty of the twenty-first century, and the first one to specifically protect the rights of the world’s one billion persons with disabilities. Details: One of the fundamental rights contained in the CRPD, and one that is emblematic of the paradigm shift intended by the treaty, is that of legal capacity: the equal right of persons with disabilities to make their own decisions in all aspects of life, including health care provision. At the same time, this right is also the least understood in terms of practice, and the most controversial. The speaker was privileged to have participated in the CRPD’s drafting and to have worked on implementing the treaty in over 40 countries. This talk will investigate and provoke discussions around involuntary confinement and treatment, a topic currently dominated by rights advocates but without consultation U upon oiling if with or lessons from health care providers. Wednesday, February 10, 2016 Presenter: Alan M Jette, PT, MPH, Ph.D. Title: Psychological Testing in the Service of Disability Determination Background: The U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) has the critical task of determining which applicants qualify for disability benefits, a task complicated by the lack of direct correlation between the presence of an impairment and the inability to work. State Disability Determination Service (DDS) examiners undertake the very complex task of reviewing and developing applicants’ files to determine which requests for disability benefits are justified. Details: In 2012, the SSA provided benefits to nearly 15 million disabled adults and children through two disability programs. SSA disability determinations are based on the medical evidence and all evidence considered relevant by the examiners in an applicant’s case record. SSA asked the Institute of Medicine (IOM) to convene a committee of relevant experts to review selected psychological tests, including validity tests, and to provide guidance on the use of such testing in the adjudication of claims submitted to the SSA Disability Programs. The committee identified three elements of SSA’s disability determination process in which psychological testing could play a role: (1) identification of a “medically determinable impairment,” (2) evaluation of functional capacity for work, and (3) assessment of the validity of applicants’ psychological test results or self-reported symptoms. As discussed in my talk, the IOM committee found that the results of standardized psychological testing do provide information of value to each of the three elements. Wednesday, February 3, 2016 Presenter: Regular Meeting Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, January 27, 2016 Presenter: Regular Meeting Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, January 20, 2016 Presenter: Eric Drogin J.D., Ph.D., ABPP and Carol Williams LL.B. Title: The Duties to Warn and Protect in the Context of Forensic Mental Health Assessment: A Case Example Details: Some version of the now-classic Tarasoff duties exists for mental health clinicians in every jurisdiction. The contours of these duties are familiar to everyone who sees patients or clients for the purpose of providing therapeutic or evaluative services. In the context of forensic mental health assessment, however, the interpretation and execution of these duties are complicated by considerations of attorney-client privilege, as described in the previously discussed California case of Elijah W. v. Superior Court of Los Angeles County (2013). PIPATL members will review and discuss a case that prominently features these issues. Wednesday, January 13, 2016 Presenter: Ronald Abramson, MD Title: A Critique of Current Public Policy Toward Addictive Drugs and a proposed resolution for the Mass Medical Society Background: Current public policy toward addictive drugs by "banning them," restrictive means, and police action has failed to stem the flow of addictive drugs to our population. Anybody (except maybe physicians) who wants to procure these drugs can and do. Therefore, this public policy has failed to contain the adverse medical, psychological, and social consequences that follows from the use and abuse of these drugs. Details: Because drug usage is in economic terms inelastic demand, current public policy has promoted black marketeering and associated criminal activity to satisfy this demand. This criminal activity has resulted in the proliferation of non-violent offenders remanded to prisons. This policy has also fostered disrespect and distrust of the government. New policy needs to be elaborated that assumes a medical not a police model for addictions which, after all, are medical, neurological, and psychiatric problems. Wednesday, January 6, 2016 Presenter: Alan M Jette, PT, MPH, Ph.D. Title: Psychological Testing in the Service of Disability Determination Background: The U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) has the critical task of determining which applicants qualify for disability benefits, a task complicated by the lack of direct correlation between the presence of an impairment and the inability to work. State Disability Determination Service (DDS) examiners undertake the very complex task of reviewing and developing applicants’ files to determine which requests for disability benefits are justified. Details: In 2012, the SSA provided benefits to nearly 15 million disabled adults and children through two disability programs. SSA disability determinations are based on the medical evidence and all evidence considered relevant by the examiners in an applicant’s case record. SSA asked the Institute of Medicine (IOM) to convene a committee of relevant experts to review selected psychological tests, including validity tests, and to provide guidance on the use of such testing in the adjudication of claims submitted to the SSA Disability Programs. The committee identified three elements of SSA’s disability determination process in which psychological testing could play a role: (1) identification of a “medically determinable impairment,” (2) evaluation of functional capacity for work, and (3) assessment of the validity of applicants’ psychological test results or self-reported symptoms. As discussed in my talk, the IOM committee found that the results of standardized psychological testing do provide information of value to each of the three elements. Wednesday, December 30, 2015 Presenter: Meeting cancelled Title: Meeting cancelled Wednesday, December 16, 2015 Presenter: Gordon Peakock Harper Title: Clinical Ambiguity: An Endangered Species? Wednesday, December 9, 2015 Presenter: Michael Lamport Commons Title: The role of experts in reducing terrorism and crime Details: The role of experts in reducing terrorism and crime Wednesday, December 2, 2015 Presenter: Eric Drogin, Barry Roth and Thomas Gordon Gutheil Title: How to handle scheduling conflicts in testimony at deposition and/or trial Details: Open discussion at an 11:00 meeting to be followed by a questionnaire survey. Wednesday, November 25, 2015 Presenter: Michael Lamport Commons Title: What constitutes delusions in non-psychotic people, continued Details: What constitutes delusions in non-psychotic people, continued Wednesday, November 18, 2015 Presenter: Michael Lamport Commons Title: What constitutes delusions in non-psychotic people Details: Michael Lamport Commons will present very early ideas of what constitutes delusions in non-psychotic people. Wednesday, November 11, 2015 Presenter: Mitzi White and Thomas Gordon Gutheil Title: Competence to represent oneself in court Details: Competence to represent oneself in court Wednesday, November 4, 2015 Presenter: James Tyler Carpenter, Ph.D.; FAACP Title: Suggestions for Improving Efficiency, Reliability and Validity of Disability Adjudications Psychological Injury and the Law Background: For the well-trained In-House Medical Psychiatric/Psychological Consultant, the challenge of adjudicating disability cases poses a variety of interrelated questions of reliability, validity, and efficiency. Details: What is essentially a civil-forensic process takes place in a context of evolving models of behavioral health, systems, data gathering, applied clinical science, policy and economics, and forensic reasoning that constitutes a predictive judgment. The data required, the data available, the constraints on assessment tools and psychometrics, as well as the time such frameworks allow, raise questions about the ways in which the consultant can simultaneously maximize the available evidence in ways that can also produce reliable, valid, and predictive adjudications. Systems in place both facilitate and offer the basis for possible efficiencies. This paper will lay out the framework and practice, some approaches to thinking about such factors as they apply to best practice assessments, as well as raise some questions about the ways in which contemporary practices may be improved. Wednesday, October 28, 2015 Presenter: D KNUDSON-GONZALEZ Title: Medico-legal implications in the use of a telephone consultation service that addresses perinatal depression Background: The use of medical “curbside” consultation has been in practice for many years but has recently become formalized under the integrated care model. For consultants, providing recommendations for patients that they have not personally evaluated has raised malpractice liability concerns. Details: The objective of this presentation is to discuss the Massachusetts Child Psychiatry Access Program for Moms (MCPAP for Moms) model of telephone consultation, discuss the elements of malpractice law, and provide risk management strategies to avoid liability. Methods : A search of the existing medical-legal literature was conducted using PubMed, Hollis and LexisNexis with a combination of the following terms: “malpractice”, “liability”, “consultation”, “curbside”, and “integrated care”. Results : No case law was found for malpractice claims in integrated care models in this literature search. Although there is no legal precedent that might inform the risk of a telephone consultation service, case law on malpractice claims in informal consultation processes has relied on whether or not a doctor-patient relationship was established. Conclusions : Malpractice risks associated with a telephone consultation service appear to be minimal. In order to avoid liability, there should be a clear understanding of the consultant’s role, avoid providing specific advice and direction that would result in indirect care, and consider documenting the consult process to show that it was performed with reasonable care. Wednesday, October 21, 2015 Title: No meeting Background: The annual meeting of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law in Florida is 10/21 - 10/25. Wednesday, October 14, 2015 Presenter: Barry Roth, MD Title: You Know It Is Torture When There Is Official Terror: Torture and Criminal Insanity Background: Criminal Insane, as in the Torturer becomes criminally insane as the perpetrate torture. Definition of the problem: In preparation for UNESCO Conference, Bioethics, Medical Ethics & Health Law. Details: Asking survivors of torture, “How did you survive?” led to a powerful heuristic. Torture is a crime of specific intent; namely, an attempt to break the human ties and bonds that sustained survivors. A priori, these shared non-material connections of social contract are the force we have to do right. Understanding that the criminal intent of torture aims to destroy civilized ties improves current torture definitions and protocols. Official state torture and terrorism are synonymous in bio-psychosocial and ethical dimensions. Torture states and terrorists both use systematic means to instill terror---overpowering fear to coerce and intimidate. Under the color of authority, states use terror to torture; doing so, states perform terrorist acts. Criminal acts of state performed under the color of authority derive from and display mental illness. Torture is one dehumanizing meme embedded in violent criminal insanity. Torture is non-random; it is not a stand-alone, one-off or isolated, aberration. We also confront official terror in the “counterterrorism” “war on terror”: in official lies, secrecy, censorship; surveillance, propaganda, deception, misinformation, drones and kill lists. Sane ties of civil society oppose, resist, transform and supersede violent intimidation and coercion to heal both traumatized individual persons and our suffering culture. Wednesday, October 7, 2015 Presenter: The Usual Participants Title: Hoffman report discussion Wednesday, September 30, 2015 Presenter: Professor John R. Williams, LL.B. Wales, LL.B. Cantab., Barrister-at-Law, Aberystwyth University Title: Discharge from Institutional Mental Health Care: An International Perspective Background: Persons with mental illness are often discharged from institutional care with little understanding of conditions of release, requirements for variably supervised residence in the community at large, or prospects for re-commitment. Failure to plan for and explain aftercare options has a predictably negative upon quality of life and opportunities for psychiatric rehabilitation. Details: This presentation addresses legal, ethical, and professional practice perspectives on an issue of direct relevance for forensic mental health professionals. Attendees will explore a variety of international approaches to this topic and discuss recommendations for professional education and statutory reform. Wednesday, September 23, 2015 Presenter: The Usual Participants Title: Readings for those not celebrating Yom Kippur Wednesday, September 16, 2015 Presenter: The Usual Participants Title: Article on suicide markers discuss Wednesday, September 9, 2015 Presenter: The usual participants Title: First meeting of the new academic year! Details: plan the year, topic, guests Wednesday, July 15, 2015 Presenter: Barry Roth Title: Barry Roth talk Wednesday, July 8, 2015 Presenter: Dr Gemma Edwards-Smith MBBS FRANZCP Title: Civil Forensic Psychiatry and disability Claims –Bridging the GAP Background: Rising costs of mental health disability claims present a challenge to private disability insurers with significant issues in sustainability of this product and potential costs for consumers. Traditional independent medical examinations focus on providing expert written opinion to the insurer. Details: We have been implementing an early intervention model aimed at assisting in identifying barriers to recovery and return to work early in the life of a claim. Feedback on 12 months of this program which I have expanded nationwide will be presented. Wednesday, July 1, 2015 Presenter: Thomas Gordon Gutheil Title: Voir dire Background: Dr. Gutheil will go over the the motions about excluding my testimony --> voir dire as promised for discussion. Wednesday, June 24, 2015 Presenter: Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, June 17, 2015 Presenter: Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, June 10, 2015 Presenter: Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, May 6, 2015 Presenter: Frank Dattilio (c.c.) and Eric Drogin Title: Frank Dattilio (c.c.) and Eric Drogin Wednesday, April 29, 2015 Presenter: Donald Meyer M.D. and Eric Drogin J.D., Ph.D., ABPP Title: North Carolina State Board of Dental Examiners v. Federal Trade Commission: Its Impact upon Personal Liability for Regulatory Board Members Background: On February 25, 2015, in a 6-3 decision authored by Justice Kennedy, the Supreme Court of the United States upheld the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) decision finding that the North Carolina Board of Dental Examiners (Board), although a state agency, was not exempt from federal antitrust laws when it sent 47 official cease-and-desist letters to non-dentist teeth whitening service providers. Details: In doing so, the Court made clear that the antitrust laws would apply to—and the state action exemption would not protect—activities of state agencies or boards made up of market participants, absent active state supervision of the Board’s challenged conduct. The Supreme Court affirmed the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit’s opinion upholding the FTC`s ruling that state-action immunity was inapplicable. PIPATL members will discuss impact of this decision for personal liability for regulatory board members. Wednesday, April 22, 2015 Presenter: Patricia Westmoreland, M.D. Affiliation: Eating Recovery Center, Denver, CO, Denver Health ACUTE (consultant) and University of Colorado (adjunct faculty). Title: Certification of Patients with Life-threatening Anorexia Nervosa Background: Anorexia Nervosa is the psychiatric illness with the highest mortality rate. The cultural ideal of thinness, along with the impaired judgment and cognition due to starvation, often result in patients with anorexia nervosa resisting treatment. For a subset of patients with anorexia nervosa, involuntary treatment may be lifesaving. Details: Between April 2012 and October 2014, 61/1233 patients (4.9%of patients at Eating Recovery Center in Denver) were certified. 34%of these patients were transferred from Denver Health ACUTE (a specialized unit providing life-saving medical treatment for the most severely compromised eating disorder patients in the country). 89% of patients waived their right to a hearing. Of the remaining patients, all of those who contested their certification were ultimately certified. 38% of certified patients successfully completed treatment. Alternate dispositions included premature termination of treatment due to insurance concerns and administrative discharge. For 21% (n = 12) of patients, certification was terminated as involuntary treatment was found to be futile. Conclusion: Patients with anorexia nervosa who are the most medically ill frequently require involuntary treatment. The majority of patients stipulate to their certifications, and many successfully complete treatment, yet there is a minority of patients for whom involuntary treatment appears futile, and for whom palliative care might be considered. Wednesday, April 15, 2015 Presenter: Gangqin Li, MD and Michael Lamport Commons; Ph.D. Title: Predicting Criminality Background: This study used six instruments to predict criminality. The instruments are based on six orthogonal factors including social-perspective-taking skill, strength of attachment relationship, impulsivity, anger, depression, and lying. Details: All the factors were pretested by factor and Rasch (1980) analysis. Social perspective taking skill was assessed using Helper-person. A attachment inventory derived from Shaver’s Experience of Close Relationship (ECR) used to test attachment relationship. Impulsivity and Risk were assessed with items from Eysenck’s I7 Scale and Dickman’s Dysfunctional Impulsivity Scale. Anger was assessed with items selected from several related anger scales such as State-Trait Anger Expression Scale, Multidimensional Anger Inventory and Novaco’s Anger Scale. Depression was tested using an instrument constructed by Commons. Lying was also constructed from a number of instruments. Two groups were used. The “Criminal” Group consisted of prisoners in a Massachusetts county jail and “Normal men” found from about 30 Listservs. Rasch (1960) person scores were obtained for the six variables. The results were significant. The contributions of combinations of the different variables will be discussed Wednesday, April 8, 2015 Presenter: Deborah Knudson González, MD. Department of Psychiatry, Division of Women’s Mental Health, Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Title: “When Expecting Doesn’t Go as Expected: Infanticide and Suicide in the Perinatal Period” Background: During the perinatal period, some women are susceptible to worsening mood symptoms and, in the most extreme cases, psychosis. Details: In these women, the risk of suicide and infanticide is high. An important role for an expert witness is to function as an educator. As there is a general lack of knowledge and understanding related to perinatal mental illness, this role becomes particularly important in cases where perinatal mental illnesses impacts a woman’s understanding and behavior. An overview of the most common perinatal mental illnesses as they relate to risk factors associated with infanticide and suicide in the perinatal period will be presented. These risks will be illustrated by referring to relevant legal cases of infanticide as examples. Wednesday, April 1, 2015 Presenter: Eric Y. Drogin J.D., Ph.D. Title: Representing the Forensic Clinician: A Case Example Background: The forensic clinician is almost invariably partnered with counsel at each stage of court-related proceedings, as evaluations are performed, reports are written, and testimony is proffered. Details: Ongoing solicitation of counsel’s perspective on the legal issues in a particular matter must not evolve into reliance upon counsel for legal advice about the conduct of one’s own forensic practice. Counsel is the litigant’s attorney, not the clinician’s. During the course of this presentation, participants will review a case example in which a child custody evaluator was compelled to seek representation when significant legal as well as ethical concerns arose in the course of providing forensic mental health services. Wednesday, March 25, 2015 Presenter: Barry Roth M.D. Title: What Do We Mean by “Peer Review”? Background: The term “peer review” has been attached to several distinct but related notions within the behavioral sciences, including (1) elective clinical discussions with colleagues; (2) administrative enforcement and quality assurance; (3) “refereed” publications; (4) precatory forensic practice guidelines; and (5) multiply authored forensic reports. Details: Peer review—afforded minimal attention to date in the professional forensic literature—can be a useful process for mental health experts, as long as care is taken to account for the effects of various legal privileges (or the lack thereof). Participants will be invited to consider how peer review factors into attempts to draw the line regarding “bias” in forensic practice, and to consider what elements within the forensic community are optimally qualified to define and act upon such issues. Wednesday, March 18, 2015 Title: No Meeting 3/18 due to 26th Annual L. Lee Hasenbush Visiting Lectureship Details: 26th Annual L. Lee Hasenbush Visiting Lectureship Wednesday, March 11, 2015 Presenter: Sagun Giri, B. A., Research Assistant, Dare Institute and Michael Lamport Commons, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Harvard Medical School Title: Reinforced Correct Answers To Next Stage Problems Produced the Highest Stage Performance In Non-Literates Found In The World Background: As background for the talk and paper tomorrow, here is a very short argument for the relevance to Expert Witnesses. Often psychological testing is used in competence evaluation to stand trial, insanity defense and for wills and testaments among other things. The attached paper attacks all present psychological testing measures for assessing competence in terms of “Smarts.” The caveats also extend to interviews. The uselessness is especially true for people from non-dominant cultures. Even for standard educated people as the articles sent earlier, the r’s for the predictive validity is very low, .25 Details: Competence is often thought to be situational and content-dominant. However, this paper argues that with training and reinforcements, one can achieve higher level of competence than what they show on a single shot testing. This argues against the position that competence varies a good deal with culture and education. Wednesday, March 4, 2015 Presenter: Harold J. Bursztajn, M.D., Associate Clinical Professor of Psychiatry, BIDMC Department of Psychiatry of HMS Title: Physician Know Thyself to Help and Heal Background: From the (1939-1945) Shoah`s times of catastrophe and great moral hazard to today`s (2015) ethical challenges to clinician Details: I will present ongoing research on how physicians and other health care workers do their ethical best in times of great moral hazard, community catastrophe, and faced with tragic choices and decision making under conditions of uncertainty using an awareness of one`s own autobiography, including remembering one`s own original motivations for the practice of medicine. I will also consider how knowing oneself can be helpful in forensic psychiatric practice relative to the evaluation of trauma, resilience, and diminished capacity. This presentation is one of a series, the next of which will also be a presentation at the Flexner Dean`s Lecture Series at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine on Monday, March 9, 2015. Wednesday, February 25, 2015 Presenter: Ganqin Li Title: Reviewing Dr. Ganqin Li`s time in the US Background: Next Wednesday`s meeting will be the last day for Ganqin Li, our visiting member from China. Details: Gangqin has agreed to review her time here putting together her dissertation and other shorter pieces and being aided and mentored by Program members, as well as presenting at AAPL as a Program member. Wednesday, February 4, 2015 Presenter: Eric Y. Drogin, J.D., Ph.D., Thomas G. Gutheil, MD, et al Title: "Discussion of SJC`s new reasonable doubt instruction" Background: GLOBE STAFF JANUARY 26, 2015 - The state’s highest court Monday reworked the definition of reasonable doubt used in Massachusetts courthouses since 1850 when then-Chief Justice Lemuel Shaw concluded jurors must be convinced of a person’s guilt to a “moral certainty.’’ Details: In a unanimous ruling, the Supreme Judicial Court said that judges in every new criminal trial must no longer use the 165-year-old formulation — known to lawyers as the Webster instruction or charge — of the seemingly easy to understand, but hard to explain, concept of reasonable doubt. Wednesday, January 21, 2015 Presenter: Frank Dattilio Title: Evaluation of the Man who Threatened the President of United States with Death Details: Presentation on the man who he evaluated who threatened the President of United States with death. Wednesday, January 14, 2015 Presenter: Lino Faccini, Ph.D. N.Y.S. Licensed Psychologist Title: Autism, Psychopathology and Deficient Eriksonian Psychosocial Development as contributors to Criminality Details: Presentation of the three part model of autism-based deficits, psychopathology and negatively resolved Eriksonian deficits directly contributing to cases of terroristic threats, train stealing, and possible mass shootings. Wednesday, January 7, 2015 Presenter: Michael Lamport Commons, Ph.D. Title: How to Deal with Multivariate Issues Details: We resume January 7th, and Michael Commons will present on a follow-up of his last talk about how to deal with multivariate issues. Wednesday, December 31, 2014 Title: No Meeting Wednesday, December 24, 2014 Title: No Meeting Wednesday, December 17, 2014 Presenter: Richard Sobel Title: Pursuing Fundamental Rights: In Words and in Deeds Wednesday, November 5, 2014 Presenter: Mitzi White PhD, Jd; Tom Gutheil MD Title: Defendant self-representation: a model Details: A proposed model for forensic practitioners in evaluating a defendant who chooses to self-represent. Wednesday, October 22, 2014 Title: No Meeting Details: We have cancelled the Wednesday meeting, 10/22, as a number of members will be at AAPL in Chicago; we resume on October 29th. Wednesday, October 15, 2014 Presenter: Lino Faccini, Ph.D. N.Y.S. Licensed Psychologist Title: Old Me New Me Treatment for Complex CoMorbid Disorders, Internalized Imaginary Companions, and Sex Offending with a Person with Mild Intellectual Disabilities Background: A Complex Case of Internalized Imaginary Companions contributing to Sex Offending in a Person with a Mild Intellectual Disability Details: Presentation on the application of the Old Me New Me treatment model was effective as the core treatment modality in treating various clinical comorbid disorders, and internalized imaginary companions that contributed to sex offending. Wednesday, October 1, 2014 Presenter: Professor John R. Williams, Degree: LL.B. Wales, LL.B. Cantab., Barrister-at-Law; Affiliation: Aberystwyth University; jow@aber.ac.uk Title: Force-Feeding in Institutional Settings: Legal and Psychiatric Perspectives Background: The issue of force-feeding is a contentious one in the United Kingdom as it is elsewhere throughout the world. Courts have rendered numerous high-profile decisions relating to the force-feeding of incarcerated criminals, patients detained under the Mental Health Act, and persons who are otherwise deemed to lack the capacity to make basic life decisions for themselves. Details: Hunger strikes conducted as a means of political protest are a common focus of such litigation. Force-feeding raises a broad range of legal and ethical as well as clinical issues. Domestic law, the European Convention on Human Rights, and other manifestations of international law reflect attempts to balance a range of competing interests, and whether this has provided doctors with sufficient clarity is doubtful. Participants will be invited to consider the implications of force-feeding from a multidisciplinary comparative perspective. Wednesday, September 17, 2014 Presenter: Gangqin Li, Ph. D candidate, Sichuan University, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Title: Predicting Criminality: Social Perspective Taking, Attachment Relationship, Anger, Impulsivity and Depression. Background: This study is aimed at constructing instruments that predict criminality. The instruments are based on six orthogonal factors including social-perspective-taking skill, strength of attachment relationship, impulsivity, risk, anger and depression. Details: All the factors were pretested by factor and Rasch (1980) analysis. Social perspective taking skill was assessed using Helper-person and Caregiver instruments, assessing stage of taking another person’s perspective, taking care of another person’s feelings and emotions. Shaver’s Experience of Close Relationship (ECR) was used to test attachment relationship. Impulsivity and Risk were assessed with items from Eysenck’s I7 Scale and Dickman’s Dysfunctional Impulsivity Scale. Anger was assessed with items selected from several related anger scales such as State-Trait Anger Expression Scale, Multidimensional Anger Inventory and Novaco’s Anger Scale. Depression was tested using an instrument constructed by Commons. These measurements were compared between people who have committed at least one crime and those who have never committed a crime. We predict that criminals have lower social-perspective-taking skill, are more avoidant and anxious in their close relationship, impulsive, angrier and with more depression symptoms. After multiple regression and Rasch Analysis, different weight can be allocated to different factors to allow constructing an equation for evaluating the crime risk. Wednesday, September 10, 2014 Presenter: Patrice Marie Miller, Ed.D. Harvard Medical School and Salem State University Leonard Sidney Miller, Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley Title: Changing Single Subject Data into Group Designs for Showing Intervention Effectiveness Background: For longitudinal interventions, the analysis of effectiveness of each component depends on find which “improvements” work. These are found from using a group of interventions. Details: A few things are important: 1) Determining to which task sequence the task belongs. For Developmentally based interventions, finding the Order of Hierarchical Complexity (OHC) of the tasks in which the participant meets the aim; 2) Having an intervention group and a control Group; 3) Using the most powerful statistical analysis to find the contribution of each component. The best way to do that is to use multiple regression analysis. The use of individual “chart” data will be used to illustrate this. Wednesday, July 16, 2014 Presenter: Daniel Patrik Görtz, Department of Sociology. University of Lund Title: The Societal Attractors Towards Flatter Organization in the 21st Century In Medicine, Law, Business, Public Administration and Politics Background: Organizations in general are likely to become flatter in the 21st century, which also affects the future of institutions of medical care, psychiatric care and forensics. This trend can be seen already today. Details: This paper suggests eight the long-term “attractors” rather than linear, short-terms trends that lead to flatter organizations. Organizations and the need for management and bureaucracy are discussed from an informational perspective. It is argued that management and hierarchical bureaucracy are needed because information about specific behaviors needs to be processed by organizations. Then the eight attractors (long-term trends) are presented: 1. the cultural evolution of information management, 2. scientific support for new forms of management, 3. social media technology, 4. social innovation of new management forms, 5. new production and distribution chains, 6. the strong growth of the world market, 7. the radically disruptive technological development, 8. the re-integration of business, politics and civil sphere. Some consequences in medicine, psychiatry and forensics are presented, including the new forms treatment in psychiatry where psychiatric treatment is likely to become increasingly merged with the real everyday life situations of the patients. Wednesday, July 9, 2014 Presenter: Gemma Edwards-Smith, MBBS, FRANZCP, CEO Title: The Western Front: Psychiatry at the Intersection of Southeast Asia and Australia: Civil Forensic Psychiatry in a Remote Cty Background: Dr. Gemma Edwards-Smith, MBBS FRANZCP, CEO Western Psychiatry, Perth Western Australia, Tel 0061400486735, Email gemma@westernpsychiatry.com.au Details: Wednesday 9 July 2014, 11am. Wednesday, July 9, 2014 Presenter: Dr. Robert Bernat Title: Psychiatry, the Law and the Prevention of More Sandy Hooks Background: This Seminar, entitled Psychiatry, the Law and the Prevention of More Sandy Hooks, is aimed directly at the weakest link in the process of providing enhanced security for school children in the post Sandy Hook era, a link which could, I believe, be greatly strengthened through future efforts of the Harvard psychiatry faculty and PIPATL members. Details: Wednesday 9 July 2014, 10am intend to introduce seminar participants to the three legs of the school security tripod, namely 1) improving intelligence to intercept active shooters prior to an attack, 2) hardening the target to slow intruders and 3) reducing the response times of first responders, and explain how I came to develop such concept through analysis of both failures of school security plans and one or more recent successes in heading off tragedy. The ultimate goal is the development of a compendium of best practices in coordination with the federal task force created in the aftermath of Sandy Hook, agencies of various states and local school district task forces. Such compendium is also the central focus of Safer Schools First, the not-for-profit which I founded in May of 2014. Further information with respect to Safer Schools First may be found on its website at saferschoolsfirst.com. After the introductory portion of the seminar, I anticipate that seminar participants would have a working knowledge of the security issues confronting school districts as well as private and parochial schools with respect to active shooter and related incidents. The Seminar would then focus upon the difficult issue of the first and weakest leg of the tripod, namely the gathering of intelligence which includes the “See Something … Say Something Program.” It is in this area I think participants may be able to make valuable contributions as the development of a “See Something … Say Something Program” is currently amorphous and no one is sufficiently confident in its components to produce guidelines capable of being operationalize in the field. I feel the Harvard faculty and PIPATL members would be well positioned to make a substantial contribution toward creating such guidelines and hope that this seminar would prove an important first step toward accomplishing that end. Wednesday, May 21, 2014 Presenter: David M. Benjamin, Ph.D Title: "Spiceophrenia" Note: Meeting Room Change - Room 651 (NOT 340) Background: Adverse Psychiatric Effects reported for Synthetic Cannabinoids including Spice, K-2, Cathinones and other CB-1 Receptor Agonists Details: The structures of synthetic cannabinoids differ markedly from the structures of naturally-occurring cannabinoids that are found in the marijuana plant, Cannabis Sativa. Currently, most synthetic cannabinoids fall into one of seven major structural groups: naphthoylindoles (JWH-018, JWH-073, and JWH-398), naphthoylmethylindoles, naphthoylpyrroles, naphthylmethylindines, phenylacetylindoles (or benzoylindoles) (e.g., JWH-250), cyclohexylphenols (e.g., CP 47,497), and classical cannabinoids (e.g., HU-210). In contrast to the naturally-occurring cannabinoids which have a dibenzopyran nucleus contain no N in their structure. Spice is often comprised of cathinones like 4 methyl methcathinone (MMC), methylone, (3,4-methylenedioxy-N-methylcathinone, (beta-k MDMA), and MDPV (3,4-methylenedioxypyrovalerone). These substances produce highly toxic adverse CNS effects often leaving the patient with long-term, unabating, psychiatric problems. Chemistry, pharmacology, psychopharmacology, clinical presentations and management will be discussed. Wednesday, May 14, 2014 Presenter: The Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, May 7, 2014 Presenter: The Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Details: Probably no meeting due to APA Wednesday, April 30, 2014 Presenter: The Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, April 23, 2014 Presenter: Gordon Harper, M.D. Title: “Update on Munchausen by Proxy: Medical Sleuthery, Consensus Development, Premature Judicialization” Background: In the late 1970s Meadow described Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy (aka Factitious Disorder by Proxy, Pediatric Falsification Syndrome, and, more recently, Medical Child Abuse). Details: Since then, those caring for potentially affected children have had to reckon with newly described medical syndromes predictably generative of medical non-consensus; by varying taxonomies, in DSM and elsewhere; by child protective services under-resourced medically and otherwise; and by swings of the pendula of public opinion and public policy between child protection and family support. This talk will review these trends and summarize an approach to this important but challenging clinical-legal entity. Wednesday, April 16, 2014 Presenter: Dominic Sisti, PhD Title: “Are Persons with Borderline Personality Disorder Blameworthy? A Sliding Scale of Accommodation and Exculpation” Background: Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a complex mental disorder that straddles the line between psychosis and neurosis. As such, questions about the moral and legal responsibility of persons with BPD are especially vexing. Details: Persons suffering with borderline personality disorder typically are impulsive and suffer from impaired volition. They also lack a stable sense of self. Nonetheless, persons with borderline personality disorder can hold long-term, stable preferences—often related to discontinuing particular problematic behaviors—and they have a degree of capacity that creates prima facie conditions for holding them ethically and legally responsible. However, this limited capacity often falls short in smoothly accommodating day-to-day relationships. I argue that while a certain degree of accommodation is appropriate for persons with BPD, the diagnosis of BPD does not by itself provide sufficient grounds for voiding responsibility for criminal acts. Using a hierarchical theory of autonomy recognizing first- and second-order volition, I propose a sliding scale be used to ascertain the degree to which a person with BPD should be excused, if at all. Wednesday, April 9, 2014 Presenter: Frank M. Dattilio. Ph.D., ABPP Title: The Case of the Autoarousal Female Scientist Stalker Background: This is an interesting case of a Ph.D. scientist who stalked the head of the NIH after she believed that he was interested in her romantically upon rejecting her grant application. An assessment was conducted to rule out violence risk and to qualify her mental health diagnosis in the Federal Court system. Details: Adjusting penalties for crimes committed by youths has been known for hundreds of years, as exemplified by the 10th century statute of Anglo-Saxon king Aethelstan, which provided that no person younger than 15 years should be slain for robbery “except he should make resistance or flee.” This presentation offers a practice-oriented overview of juvenile decertification examinations—known in some jurisdictions as “waiver” examinations—with particular attention to preparation, data collection, data interpretation, and communication of results. Wednesday, April 2, 2014 Presenter: Charu Tara Tuladhar and Michael Lamport Commons Title: Planning One’s Own Development within the Developmental Behavior Analytic Therapy Background: In the Developmental Behavior Analytic Therapy, we have described the basic approach as presented by Charu Tara Tuladhar. This presentation adds what individuals are taught in this therapy to help them achieve their goals. Details: There are two areas in which individuals are coached: a) how to plan one’s future and b) how to design external contingencies to accomplish the plans. This is accomplished by follow the standard behavioral and precision teaching rules of thumb including small steps and charting progress. Individuals are assisted in understanding their ultimate goals and the processes needed to achieve them through training in social perspective taking. The intervention also requires organizing environments that push one along the steps that lean one to one’s goals. The behavioral Model of Hierarchical Complexity is used to explicitly teach the individuals the developmental sequence required for designing the steps to attain their goals. The substeps within that order of hierarchical complexity are also taught. This intervention causes behavioral stage change in social perspective-taking skills. Wednesday, March 26, 2014 Presenter: Ross E. Cheit, J.D, Ph.D Title: Misapplying Child-Suggestibility Research: Lessons from the Kelly Michaels Case Background: A prominent group of academic psychologists intervened in the Kelly Michaels case in New Jersey in 1993, arguing that recent laboratory experiments proved that the children’s testimony was unreliable. Details: Michaels’s conviction was overturned and “taint hearings” became part of the legal system. A comprehensive analysis of the trial transcript reveals fundamental flaws in the ways in which child-suggestibility research was applied in this case. There are significant implications of those findings on children as witnesses. Wednesday, March 19, 2014 Presenter: Sydney Levine Title: Is the "Presumption of Innocence" an Original Sin? Background: Harold Bursztajn M.D will introduce and discuss implications for potential pitfalls in the forensic psychiatric evaluation of mens rea and consideration of the Hilary Putnam principle of the benefit of the doubt as a potential remedy Details: Philosophers and psychologists have long been interested in deontic judgments of cases of double effect -- morally charged scenarios in which one action has two effects and only one of those effects is intended (eg: Foot, 1967; Greene, Sommerville, Nystrom, Darley & Cohen, 2001). Cases of double effect have been critical test-cases for the study of moral judgment, giving us insight into how our moral faculty functions. Strikingly, what has gone largely unnoticed in research on double effect scenarios is that two possible intention structures are equally compatible with the causal structure of the case. To solve this poverty-of-the-stimulus problem, we propose that subjects deploy a good intention prior, namely, if the action of an agent has two effects – one good and one bad – the agent intends the good effects of her action and does not intend the bad effects. We report two studies (one with adults, one with preschoolers aged three to five years old) that provide evidence for the use of this prior to disambiguate between intention structures in double-effect scenarios. Wednesday, March 12, 2014 Presenter: The Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, March 5, 2014 Presenter: Deborah Knudson González, M.D. Title: “Potential role for Forensic Psychiatry in Assisted Reproduction” Background: Assisted Reproduction has remained largely unregulated in the United States, leaving clinics the opportunity to create their own policies about who they accept as patients. The American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) has created guidelines for their accredited clinics to follow. These guidelines do not include screening recommendations but suggest that the doctor take into account the welfare of the future child. Details: Fertility doctors might feel ill-equipped to determine who might be a fit parent and under which circumstances parenting would be permissible/denied. This becomes particularly challenging when faced with treating women who are mentally ill and seeking to become single mothers. Clinical examples in which this issue arises will be discussed as well as the potential role for forensic psychiatry evaluations in this setting. Ethical/legal issues such as: the right to procreate, physician autonomy, duty of care-“Do no harm”, fitness to parent, discriminatory practices under state law, discrimination under the ADA, and foreseeability of future harm will also be discussed. Wednesday, January 22, 2014 Presenter: Richard Sobel Title: The Impact of `School Security` on the Health of the Learning Environment Wednesday, January 8, 2014 Presenter: Note the NEW ROOM - MMHC Room 340 Title: PIPATL resumes - first meeting of the New Year Background: Room 340 on the 3rd floor of MMHC, left from the elevator and all the way down the hall. Wednesday, January 1, 2014 Title: No Meeting this Week Background: Happy New Year! Details: We resume meeting January 8, 2014. Please note the new and improved meeting location. Thursday, December 26, 2013 Title: No Meeting this Week Background: Merry Christmas! Details: We resume meeting January 8, 2014. Wednesday, October 9, 2013 Presenter: Ekaterina Pivovarova, Ph.D. Title: Malingering Assessment of Psychopatholoy (MAP): A Structured Guide to Improved Decision-Making Background: Determination of malingering has long been considered an essential feature of forensic evaluations. The bulk of the research has focused on development of new and improved measures of response style. Despite the rigorous research on malingering instruments, final determination about response style is still ultimately predicated upon clinical judgment. Details: Thus far, despite the general acceptance of tools used to guide clinical decision making, no methods for structuring clinical judgments about malingering exist. My aim was to develop and provide initial validation for the Malingering Assessment of Psychopathology (MAP), an instrument to guide decision making about malingering using observations from experts in the field and the literature on correlates of malingering. My discussion will focus on the reliability and validity of the MAP and its utility for improving clinical decision making by psychologists and psychiatrist. Thursday, October 3, 2013 Presenter: The Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, September 4, 2013 Title: Hooray! First regular PIPATL Meeting after the summer break Details: PIPATL resumes! Wednesday, September 4, 2013 Title: Hooray! First regular PIPATL Meeting after the summer break Details: PIPATL resumes! Wednesday, July 31, 2013 Title: no meeting unless you hear otherwise Details: Over the summer "on demand" research meetings will be chaired my Michael Commons, PH.D. These meetings are for members to design studies, do statistical analysis and generally to get papers into publishable form. If you are interested in doing these tasks in the PIPATL Weds. time slot, please contact Michael to schedule at: commons@tiac.net Wednesday, July 24, 2013 Title: no meeting unless you hear otherwise Details: Over the summer "on demand" research meetings will be chaired my Michael Commons, PH.D. These meetings are for members to design studies, do statistical analysis and generally to get papers into publishable form. If you are interested in doing these tasks in the PIPATL Weds. time slot, please contact Michael to schedule at: commons@tiac.net Wednesday, July 17, 2013 Title: no meeting unless you hear otherwise Details: Over the summer "on demand" research meetings will be chaired my Michael Commons, PH.D. These meetings are for members to design studies, do statistical analysis and generally to get papers into publishable form. If you are interested in doing these tasks in the PIPATL Weds. time slot, please contact Michael to schedule at: commons@tiac.net Wednesday, July 10, 2013 Title: Last regular meeting of the Summer Background: We will resume regular weekly meetings the first Wednesday after Labor Day Details: Over the summer "on demand" research meetings will be chaired my Michael Commons, PH.D. These meetings are for members to design studies, do statistical analysis and generally to get papers into publishable form. If you are interested in doing these tasks in the PIPATL Weds. time slot, please contact Michael to schedule at: commons@tiac.net Wednesday, April 3, 2013 Presenter: Abi Gopal, M.D. UCSF Program in Psychiatry and the Law Title: Physician-assisted suicide: Considering evidence and an emerging role for psychiatry Background: Physician-assisted suicide remains one of the most provocative topics facing society today. Given the great responsibility conferred to physicians by recent laws allowing physician-assisted suicide, a careful examination of this subject is warranted by psychiatrists and other specialists who may be consulted during a patient’s request for physician-assisted suicide. Details: In this article, the most common arguments for and against physician-assisted suicide are summarized and used to illustrate multiple concerns held by opponents of physician-assisted suicide that remain in question. Next, recent evidence regarding the implementation of physician-assisted suicide in the United States and Netherlands is reviewed and an argument is made that empirical studies may illuminate our analysis of different aspects of this topic and be used to frame the overall debate. The implications of these data and the arguments put forth thus far are discussed, and the article finishes by exploring a potentially expanding role for psychiatrists in evaluating patients who request physician-assisted suicide. Wednesday, February 6, 2013 Presenter: Frank M. Dattilio. Ph.D., ABPP, Harvard Medical School Title: Juvenile Delinquency and Decertification Background: Adjusting penalties for crimes committed by youths has been known for hundreds of years, as exemplified by the 10th century statute of Anglo-Saxon king Aethelstan, which provided that no person younger than 15 years should be slain for robbery "except he should make resistance or flee." Details: This presentation offers a practice-riented overview of juvenile decertification examinations-known in some jurisdictions as "waiver examinations-with particular attention to preparation, data collection, data interpretation, and communication of results. Wednesday, January 9, 2013 Presenter: PIPATL meetings resume on January 9th Title: Welcome Back - first meeting of the new year. Background: more information to follow Details: Dr. Gordon Harper plans to present ... Wednesday, January 2, 2013 Presenter: we will resume weekly meetings on January 9th, 2013 Title: no meeting unless you hear otherwise Background: notify Dr. Bursztajn and Archie Brodsky to suggest an agenda for a meeting Details: Happy New Year! Here is to a prolific New Year with lots more publications and contributions to the professional literature. Remember, "No one has done the study!" Wednesday, December 26, 2012 Presenter: we will resume weekly meetings on January 9th, 2013 Title: no meeting unless you hear otherwise Background: notify Dr. Bursztajn and Archie Brodsky to suggest an agenda for a meeting Wednesday, December 19, 2012 Presenter: Richard Sobel Title: Justifiable Reliance on Privacy in a Digital Age: Standards for Privacy Protections after the Jones GPS case. Background: This talk expands on issues in Richard Sobel`s last PIPATL presentation on social and psychological effects of widespread electronic invasions of privacy in whole body scans (and “enhanced” pat downs). It asks how to protect against intrusions and protect privacy constitutionally. Details: Drawing on a forthcoming article, "The Fourth Amendment Beyond Katz, Kyllo and Jones: Reinstating Justifiable Reliance as a More Secure Constitutional Standard for Privacy" (Boston University, Public Interest Law Journal) this presentation discusses the justifiable reliance standard as encompassing and extending on the more traditional trespass and reasonable expectations of privacy. Wednesday, December 12, 2012 Presenter: Charu Tuladhar and Michael Lamport Commons Title: PIPATL will meet; presentation of a draft paper Background: check back for more details Wednesday, December 5, 2012 Presenter: we will resume weekly meetings on January 9th, 2013 Title: no meeting unless you hear otherwise Background: notify Dr. Bursztajn and Archie Brodsky to suggest an agenda for a meeting Wednesday, November 7, 2012 Presenter: The Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, October 31, 2012 Presenter: Eric Y. Drogin, JD, PhD Title: This topic is postponed due to Hurricane Sandy and cancelled flights Background: The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania recently handed down its opinion in Thierfelder v. Wofert (2012). In this case of first impression, the Court declined to extend the "specialist duty"- a prohibition forbidding mental health professionals from engaging in sex with their patients- to general practitioners, even in cases in which the professional services of those general practitioners include "incidental mental health treatment." Consequently, the Court held that general practitioners, functioning as such, are not "subject to medical malpractice liability in tort" for sexual boundary violations. Details: Participants will explore the clinical, ethical, and legal implications of this reasoning across disciplines. Wednesday, October 24, 2012 Presenter: many PIPATL will be in Montreal Title: No Meeting Background: The annual meeting of the American Academy of Psychiatry and Law is in Montreal so PIPATL will net be meeting. Wednesday, October 17, 2012 Presenter: Professor John R. Williams LL.B. Wales, LL.B. Cantab., Barrister-at-Law, Aberstwyth University Title: Sexual Relationships in Institutional Settings Background: Sexual Relationships in institutional settings-such as jails, prisons, hospitals, nursing homes, and halfway houses-are frequently the focus of security-driven rules and regulations that reflect a pervasive lack of humanistic insight and a troubling disregard for basic human rights. Details: This presentation will address the legal, ethical, and professional practice perspectives on an issue of central importance for millions of older persons, incarcerated persons, and persons with mental or physical disabilities. Attendees will explore a variety of international approaches to this topic and discuss recommendations for professional education and statutory reform. Wednesday, October 10, 2012 Presenter: Dr. Oren Asman, LLD. from the International Center for Health, Law and Ethics, Haifa University, Israel and the Zefat Bioethics Forum, Zefat Academic College, Israel Title: Forensic Psychiatry in Israeli Shari`a Courts Background: Mulsim law refers to various mental categories and their potential relation to competence. Some of these are: Ma`tuh (mentally impaired), Majnun (insane), Safih (spendthrift), and Saghir (minor). Details: The presentation will review these terms and categories and its relevance to contemporary clinical terminology and introduce some of the findings and conclusions of research conducted in Israeli Shari`a courts regarding mental competence, as part of the presenter`s Doctorate thesis at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. Wednesday, October 3, 2012 Presenter: Oren Asman LLB, LLM, PhD Candidate Title: Islamic Bioethics Background: From the International Center for Health, Law and Ethics, Haifa University, Israel and the Zefat Bioethics Forum, Zefat Academic College, Israel Details: Introduction to the current Islamic reasoning in Bioethics related matters followed by several examples from a multicultural country (namely: Israel). Wednesday, September 19, 2012 Presenter: The Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, September 5, 2012 Presenter: The Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, May 2, 2012 Presenter: The Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, April 18, 2012 Presenter: Angela Mauss-Hanke, Psychologist and Psychoanalyst, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Munich; Harold Bursztajn, MD, Harvard Medial School Title: Nazi Physicians` Crimes against Humanity: a psychoanalytical approach Background: Cosponsored by the Program in Psychiatry and the Law @ BIDMC and the American Unit of the UNESCO Bioethics Chair Details: This meeting will be held in our usual room Deaconess 205 A in the Farr Building. Please rsvp if you want to attend to: harold_bursztajn@hms.harvard.edu Wednesday, April 4, 2012 Presenter: The Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting, Different Location Details: Meeting will be held in room G2 in the basement of the Deac Building Wednesday, September 7, 2011 Presenter: The Usual Participants Title: Welcome Back to PIPATL for a new school year! Wednesday, August 31, 2011 Presenter: Patti Miller & Michael Commons Title: Research and Editing Meeting Wednesday, August 24, 2011 Presenter: Patti Miller & Michael Commons Title: Research and Editing Meeting Wednesday, August 17, 2011 Presenter: Patti Miller & Michael Commons Title: Research and Editing Meeting Wednesday, August 10, 2011 Presenter: Patti Miller & Michael Commons Title: Research and Editing Meeting Wednesday, August 3, 2011 Presenter: Patti Miller & Michael Commons Title: Research and Editing Meeting Wednesday, July 27, 2011 Presenter: there is no meeting of PIPATL summer research on 7/27 Title: no meeting Wednesday, July 20, 2011 Presenter: Patti Miller & Michael Commons Title: Research and Editing Meeting Wednesday, July 13, 2011 Presenter: Regular Meeting Title: The Usual Participants Background: This is the last official meeting of the summer. Research and Editing meetings begin next week, 7/20. Regular meetings of PIPATL will resume in September. Wednesday, March 2, 2011 Presenter: Eric Y. Drogin, J.D., Ph.D., ABPP Title: Expert Witness Immunity: What’s Your Best Shot? Background: As noted in a recent issue of Pediatrics, a new trend has been seen with the increased number of lawsuits against expert witnesses. Details: Historically, the principle of witness immunity has shielded experts from legal reprisal based on the nature of their testimony. To bring greater accountability to expert witness testimony in malpractice cases, some legal authorities have sought to have a distinction drawn between expert witnesses and witnesses of fact. These critics postulate that because experts testify voluntarily and receive significant compensation for their services, general witness immunity should not apply to them. Various courts have responded differently to this concept. PIPATL attendees will receive an overview of expert witness immunity issues with jurisdiction-specific recommendations for forensic practice inoculation. Wednesday, February 16, 2011 Presenter: Dr. Samuel Wolfman Ph.D., J.D. Title: Mental Health and the Law in Israel Background: I serve in a judicial position as chairman of a statutory committee which serves as an appeal court on involuntary admissions orders issued by the District Psychiatrist – a statutory unique position in Israel – or on request of psychiatric departments to prolong such involuntary admissions. Besides the chairman who is a legal expert with qualifications of a judge, the committee has also two psychiatrists. I sit in such committees at least once a week and we examine each time 12-18 psychiatric patients. Consequently, my presentations are not theoretical ones but rather can demonstrate real examples. Details: The legal situation in Israel, the different approaches of the psychiatrists vis-à-vis the judiciary regarding such involuntary hospitalizations, he status of the mentally ill in the civil law (contracts, wills, tort), The problematic issue of the length of involuntary hospitalizations of mental criminals, Criminal liability and /or competence to stand trials of the mentally ill. Wednesday, January 12, 2011 Presenter: Seema Garg, Ph. D. Title: Discussion of boundary violations in psychotherapy, with case example. Background: We will discuss what sorts of factors to consider when faced with therapeutic relationships that could result in boundary violations. Wednesday, December 8, 2010 Presenter: Lisa St. Angelo, M.D. Title: Demystifying medicolegal documentation: preliminary empirical results of a resident chart review Wednesday, April 7, 2010 Presenter: Richard Sobel Title: Update on medical privacy Wednesday, March 31, 2010 Presenter: Don Condie, M.D. and Donna Norris M.D. Title: The Rebecca Riley Verdict and Implications for Child Psychiatry Background: A discussion with Donna Norris MD and Don Condie MD about the public and professional reaction to the recent guilty verdict in the Rebecca Riely murder case and its implications for psychiatry. Wednesday, March 24, 2010 Presenter: various posters Title: no meeting - go to the Mysell Lectures and Poster Session Wednesday, March 17, 2010 Presenter: Donna Norris, M.D. Title: presentation of poster Wednesday, January 20, 2010 Presenter: Irene C. Coletsos MD and Harold J. Bursztajn MD Title: Teaching Suicide Risk Evaluation and Reduction to Primary Care Providers and Mental Health Clinicians in Training. Background: OBJECTIVE: Suicide is the 11th most common cause of death in the U.S., at an estimated 32,000 per year (with an estimated 10x that many attempts) and the third leading cause of death among teenagers. [1,2] An estimated 45% present to a primary care provider in the month before a completed suicide versus an estimated 20% who present to a mental health provider. [3] Teaching clinicians, who are not mental experts, the signs, symptoms and risks of suicide could increase the number of treatment opportunities for these concerning patients. Details: RESULTS: Several factors are thought to increase the risk of suicide attempts. We outline these factors, and offer some concrete tools for interventions and harm reduction in a forum used by primary care providers and mental health clinicians in training. CONCLUSIONS: Primary care providers and mental health clinicians-in-training represent the front lines of detection of a large number of patients who are at risk for suicide. We believe that providing context and tools to better understand and treat such patients will increase the possibility of constructive and we hope life-saving interventions. Wednesday, January 13, 2010 Presenter: The Usua Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, January 6, 2010 Presenter: The Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Background: First meeting of the New Year. Wednesday, December 30, 2009 Presenter: Happy New Year! Title: No Meeting Background: We will not be meeting on 12/30. The next meeting is January 6th, 2010. Wednesday, December 23, 2009 Presenter: Merry Christmas Title: No Meeting Background: We will not be meeting on 12/23 or 12/30. The next meeting is January 6th, 2010. Wednesday, December 16, 2009 Presenter: The Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, December 9, 2009 Presenter: The Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, October 21, 2009 Presenter: Professor John R. Williams, LL.B. Wales, LL.B. Cantab., Barrister-at-Law Title: “Certainty” and Expert Mental Health Opinions in Legal Proceedings: The British Perspective Background: Expert mental health witnesses in the British courts must proffer a “statement of truth” that contains specific mandatory components. Pursuant to the Civil Procedure Rules (CPR) of England and Wales, expert mental health witnesses must convey the following: “I confirm that, insofar as the facts stated in my report are within my own knowledge, I have made clear which they are and I believe them to be true, and that the opinions I have expressed represent my true and complete professional opinion.” Similarly, pursuant to the Criminal Procedure Rules (CrPR) of England and Wales, expert mental health witnesses must convey the following: “I confirm that the contents of this report are true to the best of my knowledge and belief and that I make this report knowing that, if it is tendered in evidence, I would be liable to prosecution if I have willfully stated anything which I know to be false or that I do not believe to be true.” Details: This presentation will explore the impact of “statement of truth” requirements upon British courtroom practice, contrast this scheme with corresponding American procedures, and review additional civil and criminal rules that address expert mental health witness statements and report contents. Wednesday, October 14, 2009 Presenter: The Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, October 7, 2009 Presenter: Eric Y. Drogin, JD, PhD; Commons, PhD; Thomas Gutheil, MD; Donald Meyer, MD; Donna Norris, MD Title: “Certainty” and Expert Mental Health Opinions in Legal Proceedings: The American Perspective Background: This presentation reviews the results of a study conducted in order to gain a fuller understanding of the legal and scientific ramifications of expert mental health witness’ expressed or implied “certainty” in criminal and civil proceedings, with international examples. The few publications previously addressing this issue—e.g., those by Diamond (1985), Miller (2006), Poythress (2004), and Rappeport (1985)—consist of legal or social scientific analyses as opposed to data-driven investigations. In the current study, mental health professionals and attorneys were provided with 43 different statements, including oft-used legal terms (e.g., “beyond a reasonable doubt,” “preponderance of the evidence,” “clear and convincing”) as well as more colloquial and/or circumstantial statements often uttered in a court of law or otherwise in relation to legal proceedings (e.g., “positively,” “in my clinical judgment,” “in my medical opinion,” “diagnostically sound”). Ratings were provided on one form as if the responded uttered the statement, and on another form as if others uttered the statement. An empirically based investigation of the actual meaning of such statements to mental health professionals and lawyers will enable more accurate conveyance and discernment of expert mental health evidence across the spectrum of civil and criminal matters. Details: PIPATL members will offer commentary on these results in order to assist in the process of moving this study toward publication. Wednesday, September 30, 2009 Presenter: Lisa Cosgrove PhD & Harold J. Bursztajn MD Title: What a Reasonable Patient Suffering from a Psychiatric Illness Wants to Be Informed about as to Potential Financial Conflicts of Interest of Their Prescribing Clinician. Background: Informed consent, defined by the Nuremberg Code1 and updated in 2000 by the World Medical Association Declaration of Helsinki2 requires a minimum of four critical elements: voluntary consent, comprehension of the subject matter, ability to assess risks and benefits, and disclosure of important information.3 What is considered important information for the patient to know is based on a standard of what a reasonable patient would want to know. Examples of the material to be disclosed to patients now include potential financial conflicts of interest (FCOI) of researchers and clinicians. Unfortunately, the prevalence of academic industry collaborations, the dramatic increase in industry funded research, and the financial ties between prescribing providers, organized medicine and the pharmaceutical industry, have complicated, and in some ways compromised, the informed consent process. Details: Indeed, the field of psychiatry has been described as suffering from a “crisis of credibility” 4 in part, because of the lack of transparency regarding FCOI in APA’s diagnostic and clinical guidelines, and the implications this has for autonomous decision-making. Previously data has been reported as to the financial associations between DSM V panel members and industry5, and on expert members of APA’s practice guidelines for Major Depression, Bipolar Disorder and Schizophrenia6. The current presentation will focus on research designed to enhance the informed consent process for vulnerable patients suffering from psychiatric disorders whose capacity to make informed choices has been diminished both by a their own suffering and the current prescribing climate Vignettes will be used to stimulate a discussion about what constitutes a “reasonable patient” standard in today’s climate. Wednesday, September 23, 2009 Presenter: The Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, September 16, 2009 Presenter: The Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting BUT IN A DIFFERENT BUILDING Background: TODAY ONLY! Room scheduling conflict We meet in the building just across Pilgrim Rd from the Farr main entrance; the room is: (W)LMOB7 Wednesday, September 9, 2009 Presenter: The Usual Participants Title: First meeting of Fall Season Wednesday, July 8, 2009 Presenter: The Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Background: Our weekly meetings resume following a week off due to the IALMH meeting in NY. Wednesday, July 1, 2009 Presenter: No Meeting Title: Meeting Cancelled Background: A number of PIPATL members are going to be away at the International Academy meeting in New York. Wednesday, June 24, 2009 Presenter: The Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, April 15, 2009 Presenter: Elizabeth L. Leonard, PhD Title: Assessment of executive function in neuropsychological testing and implications for forensic evaluations Part 2 Background: Two high profile forensic cases where neuropsychological testing was used to document subtle cognitive dysfunction will be discussed. Wednesday, April 8, 2009 Presenter: Elizabeth L. Leonard, PhD Title: Assessment of executive function in neuropsychological testing and implications for forensic evaluations Part 1 Background: The presentation will focus on how neuropsychological testing can supplement information about cognitive function when a mental status examination is insufficient. Wednesday, March 18, 2009 Presenter: Seema Garg, Ph.D. and Eric Y. Drogin, J.D., Ph.D. Title: Ensuring Accuracy of Testamentary Capacity Evaluations Background: We will discuss how to assess whether someone is competent to make a will. Factors which can complicate the picture, including mental illness, undue influence, sudden drastic changes in the will, etc. will be discussed. We will discuss some methods to assess competency, in such a way as to reduce the chances of a will being contested after the testator`s death. Wednesday, March 11, 2009 Presenter: The Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, March 4, 2009 Presenter: The Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, February 25, 2009 Presenter: The Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, February 18, 2009 Presenter: The Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, February 11, 2009 Presenter: Dr. Gordon Haper Title: Psychoactive Medications in Children: Are We Seeing a Paradigm Shift? Background: Dr. Harper is a child psychiatrist, Associate Professor at HMS, Medical Director for Child/Adolescent Services at the Massachusetts Dept. of Mental Health. Wednesday, February 4, 2009 Title: No Meeting Wednesday, January 28, 2009 Title: Snow Storm Wednesday, January 21, 2009 Presenter: The Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, January 14, 2009 Presenter: The Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, January 7, 2009 Presenter: The Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Details: First Meeting of the New Year! Wednesday, December 31, 2008 Presenter: Happy New Year! Title: No Meeting Wednesday, December 24, 2008 Presenter: Merry Christmas Title: No Meeting Wednesday, December 17, 2008 Presenter: Hamel/Davis Title: Transference and Countertransference in the Lawyer-Client Relationship" Background: Hamel/Davis presentation on "Transference and Countertransference in the Lawyer-Client Relationship" Wednesday, December 10, 2008 Presenter: The Usual Participants Title: General Meeting Wednesday, October 29, 2008 Presenter: The Usual Participants Title: General Meeting Wednesday, October 22, 2008 Presenter: Professor John R. Williams Title: New “Deprivation of Liberty” Standards for Older Persons: The UK Perspective Background: Professor John R. Williams (Presenter). LL.B. Wales, LL.B. Cantab., Barrister-at-Law. Department of Law and Criminology, Aberystwyth University Details: Article 5 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) articulates a “right to liberty and security” that allows for only a handful of codified exceptions, including “the lawful detention of persons … of unsound mind.” In the wake of the Bournewood (1999) case and related proposals, as well as the new Mental Capacity Act (2005), the United Kingdom’s scheme for determining appropriate “deprivation of liberty” for older persons with alleged infirmities is undergoing substantial revision. PIPATL attendees will receive an overview of these issues with reference to international implications for human rights and professional practice. Wednesday, October 15, 2008 Presenter: The Usual Participants Title: General Meeting Wednesday, October 8, 2008 Presenter: The Usual Participants Title: General Meeting Wednesday, October 1, 2008 Presenter: PIPATL researchers Title: Review of IRB submission for 9 studies Wednesday, September 3, 2008 Presenter: Robert L. Sadoff, M.D. & Frank M. Dattilio, Ph.D., ABPP Title: PIPATL meetings resume! Background: We will be meeting in our new room, second floor, Deaconess building, 185 Pilgrim road. At this writing it is no clear whether we will be in 201C or 205; look around when you get there for signs. Details: FRANK M. DATTILIO, Ph.D., ABPP , is one of the leading figures in the world in cognitive-behavior therapy. He maintains a dual faculty appointment in the Department of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. He is a licensed psychologist in the states of PA, NJ, NY and DE and is listed in the National Register of Health Service Providers in Psychology. Dr. Dattilio is board certified in both clinical psychology and behavioral psychology through the American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP) and received a Certificate of Training in Forensic Psychology through the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He is also a founding fellow of the Academy of Cognitive Therapy (ACT). Dr. Dattilio has been a visiting faculty member at many major universities and medical schools throughout the world. Robert L. Sadoff, M.D. * Dr. Robert Sadoff is a clinical professor of psychiatry, director at the Center for Studies in Social-Legal Psychiatry, and director of the Forensic Psychiatry Clinic at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. He is board certified in psychiatry, forensic psychiatry, and legal medicine, and has added qualifications in forensic psychiatry with the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. In 40 years, Dr. Sadoff has examined more than 10,000 individuals charged with crimes. He has testified in numerous criminal and civil trials, both in state and federal courts. Author of six books and 90 professional articles, he has lectured in nearly every state and many foreign countries. Wednesday, July 16, 2008 Presenter:* The Usual Participants Title: Last meeting before summer break Background: The research component will continue to meet on Wednesdays through the summer. Check back for more information and details. Wednesday, July 9, 2008 Presenter: The Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, July 2, 2008 Presenter: The Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, June 25, 2008 Presenter: The Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, June 18, 2008 Presenter: The Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, June 11, 2008 Presenter: The Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, June 4, 2008 Presenter: William B. Barr Ph.D. Title: Neuropsychological Assessment of Malingering Background: William B. Barr Ph.D., ABPP, Associate Professor of Neurology and Psychiatry New York University School of Medicine, NYU Comprehensive Epilepsy Center. Assessing effort and validity of a patient’s responses during testing has been hot topic for neuropsychologists since the 1980’s. Details: This talk will review the evolution of techniques for assessment of symptom validity through neuropsychological testing and present some of the newest available methods. The presentation will be divided between reviews of techniques for determining the validity of neuropsychological testing and those used for assessing the veracity of various psychiatric presentations through the use of interview methods and self-report inventories. Studies on the estimated base rates of symptom exaggeration in clinical and both civil and criminal forensic settings will be presented with a conclusion that the rate of malingered neurocognitive and psychiatric illnesses is likely higher than what is believed by most practicing clinicians. Wednesday, May 28, 2008 Presenter: The Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, May 21, 2008 Presenter: The Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, May 14, 2008 Presenter: The Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, May 7, 2008 Presenter: Check back for update Title: Possibly no meeting due to APA Meeting in Washington Wednesday, April 30, 2008 Presenter: The Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, April 23, 2008 Presenter: Thomas G. Gutheil, M.D. Title: Case Presentation and Discussion Background: Dr. Gutheil will present a complex and confidential case report for discussion. Wednesday, April 16, 2008 Presenter: Ed Mitchell, Ph.D. Title: Informal psychiatric diagnosis of acquaintances UNCERTAIN IF THIS IS HAPPENING _ CHECK BACK PLEASE FOR UPDATE Background: What are the ethical implications of informally implying to acquaintances that they (or people known to them) may have psychiatric problems? Do such situations differ from the implications of making `passer-by` or `dinner party` diagnoses of physical disorder (e.g. mentioning to someone they have a suspicious mole that might be a melanoma?). If so, how? Details: Ed spent a year with PIPATL in 1999 whilst doing his PhD in criminology at University of Cambridge UK, but has since completed a medical degree. I recently published a paper (Mitchell, E. W. (2008) The ethics of passer-by diagnosis. The Lancet, 371, 85-87) which discussed making unsolicited diagnoses of physical disorder outside of a clinical relationship. I wish to apply the ethical issues discussed in this paper to psychiatric diagnosis and would be grateful to get the group`s opinions. During the next year, he will also be researching the establishment of clinical (not research) ethics committees in the UK (which are a comparatively new innovation in UK healthcare), particularly those involved with mental health decisions, and would be very pleased to learn from PIPATL members about their experiences of the US equivalents, which have been around a lot longer. Wednesday, April 9, 2008 Presenter: The Usual Participants Title: Regular meeting Wednesday, April 2, 2008 Presenter: The Usual Participants Title: Regular meeting Wednesday, March 26, 2008 Presenter: The Usual Participants Title: Regular meeting Wednesday, March 19, 2008 Presenter: The Usual Participants Title: Regular meeting Wednesday, March 12, 2008 Presenter: The Usual Participants Title: Regular meeting Wednesday, March 12, 2008 Presenter: The Usual Participants Title: Regular meeting Wednesday, March 5, 2008 Presenter: The Usual Participants Title: Regular meeting Background: Today will be devoted to a book signing featuring Thomas G. Gutheil, M.D. with his latest book, "Practical Approaches to Forensic Mental Health Testimony." Wednesday, February 27, 2008 Presenter: The Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, February 20, 2008 Presenter: The Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, February 13, 2008 Presenter: The Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, February 6, 2008 Presenter: Russell K. Schutt, Ph.D. Title: Do the Housing Preferences of Homeless Persons with Severe Mental Illness Differ from Clinicians` Housing Recommendations and Does that Difference Matter? Background: Department of Psychiatry, BIDMC (MMHC) and Department of Sociology, University of Massachusetts Boston. Details: Most homeless persons diagnosed with severe and persistent mental illness want to live in independent apartments, yet clinicians recommend staffed group housing for most of them. Surveys in several settings will be used to describe this discrepancy and to identify its sources. The extent to which this discrepancy matters for housing retention and personal functioning will be examined with data collected in the Boston McKinney Project, a randomized trial of group and independent living. Implications will be discussed for housing policies and other mental health services. Wednesday, January 30, 2008 Presenter: The Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, January 23, 2008 Presenter: The Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Background: Dr. Gutheil will lead a discussion of various issues surrounding how specialized various mental health personnel might interrelate, especially when there are overlapping, including serving as an expert witness. Wednesday, January 16, 2008 Presenter: The Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, January 9, 2008 Presenter: Michael A. Grodin, M.D. Title: Military Medical Ethics and Guantanamo: The Role of Psychiatry in Suicides, Hunger Strikes and Interrogations. Background: Professor of Health Law, Bioethics and Human Rights, Boston University School of Public Health Details: Dr. Grodin is a consultant to the legal team representing detainees at Guantanamo. He is the only physician to have actually reviewed medical records, debated the Army Surgeon General and met with military Doctors at Walter Reed Medical Center. Wednesday, January 2, 2008 Presenter: The Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, December 26, 2007 Presenter: Have a Happy Holiday and a Happy New Year! Title: No meeting due to Christmas Holiday Wednesday, December 19, 2007 Presenter: Patrice Marie Miller, Ed.D. Title: Folk Psychology and the Law Wednesday, December 12, 2007 Presenter: The Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, December 5, 2007 Presenter: The Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, November 28, 2007 Presenter: The Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, November 21, 2007 Title: No Meeting Due to Thanksgiving Holiday Wednesday, November 14, 2007 Presenter: Frank M. Dattilio, Ph.D., ABPP Title: Equitable Tolling: Assessing Competency to File a Writ of Habeas Corpus in Evidentiary Hearings Background: The general concept of equitable tolling will be discussed. A case will also be presented, in which an assessment was conducted on a gentleman who was incarcerated with a long history of mental illness. The issue pertains to his competency to file a petition for a writ of habeas corpus in support of an evidentiary hearing. Details: In this case, the defendant had filed the instant petition for a writ of habeas corpus 10 years after his state conviction became final. The petitioner sought equitable tolling of the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act (AEDPA) limitations, alleging that the defendant`s severe mental illness and cognitive limitations caused his inability to file a timely petition. The presentation will discuss how a psychological evaluation was used in order to support the defendant`s motion to expand the record in the matter through testimony during his hearing. Wednesday, November 7, 2007 Presenter: The Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, October 31, 2007 Presenter: Scientology Title: Scientology movie: "Psychiatry, Industry of Death" Background: The Scientologists sent us a copy of their movie and we will view it. Wednesday, October 24, 2007 Presenter: James B. Gottstein, J.D. Title: PsychRights` Strategic Litigation Campaign Against Forced Psychiatric Drugging and Electroshock: Using law and science to create less intrusive alternatives. Background: The Law Project for Psychiatric Rights` (PsychRights) mission is to mount a strategic litigation campaign against forced psychiatric drugging and electroshock around the country using the scientific research to underpin the effort. Details: The speaker, PsychRights` CEO Jim Gottstein, is the attorney who subpoenaed the Zyprexa Papers and released them to the New York Times. This resulted in extensive coverage of Lilly`s suppression of data demonstrating harm caused by Zyprexa, its illegal off-label marketing, and a call for a Congressional investigation. Mr. Gottstein will discuss the importance of such data to PsychRights` successes and its implications on the necessity for the public mental health system to implement people`s constitutional right to less intrusive alternatives. Wednesday, October 17, 2007 Title: No Meeting due to the AAPL Meeting in Miami, FL Wednesday, October 10, 2007 Presenter: Richard Sobel, Ed.D. Title: A Confidentiality Dilemma Background: The editor of a book on Medical Professionalism has asked Richard Sobel to write a response to a vignette for a chapter on medical confidentiality in psychiatry. The focus of this meeting will be a discussion of this with PIPATL colleagues on their perspectives. Details: Here is the vignette: "A 35 year-old man is seeing his psychiatrist for depression. At the end of a visit, he asks the psychiatrist to code the diagnosis as insomnia and not depression because of his concern about the confidentiality of records and discrimination based on diagnosis of depression." Richard Sobel welcomes your comments in seminar and/or by email. If you know of any references on the topic or have had similar situations, they would be particularly helpful. Wednesday, October 3, 2007 Presenter: Professor John R. Williams, LL.B. Title: Britain’s New Mental Health Act Background: As currently styled, Britain’s new Mental Health Act will enable compulsory treatment of persons with “severe personality disorders,” without leave to oppose on the basis of a lack of “treatability.” Details: Many psychiatrists oppose this measure, arguing it will turn them into “jailers.” The Act would also allow restrictions—such as curfews—to be imposed on patients in the community. Mental health charities and the Royal College of Psychiatrists have expressed their concern that these measures will dissuade persons with mental health problems from seeking help. PIPATL attendees will receive an overview of the Act with reference to implications for human rights and professional practice. Wednesday, September 26, 2007 Presenter: The Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, September 19, 2007 Presenter: The Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, September 12, 2007 Presenter: The Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, September 5, 2007 Presenter: The Usual Participants Title: First meeting of the New Academic Year Background: The summer is over, the research meetings were productive, and now we begin a New Academic Year. Wednesday, August 29, 2007 Presenter: Graham L. Spruiell, M.D. and Mark J. Hauser, M.D. Title: Attitudes of Professionals Towards their own Medical Privacy Wednesday, August 22, 2007 Presenter: Allan S. Nineberg, MD Title: design research on clergy sexual abuse Wednesday, August 15, 2007 Presenter: Eric Drogin and Michael Commons Title: Medical and Professional Certainty - review and possible data collection Wednesday, August 8, 2007 Presenter: Barry Roth, M.D. Title: Research Meeting Background: Discussion of Dr. Roth`s paper on the limits of separating dual roles of clinician`s as fact witnesses vs. expert witnesses. Wednesday, August 1, 2007 Presenter: William (Baz) Harrigan and Nicholas Commons-Miller Title: Stage of religious and atheistic causality using very different instruments. Wednesday, July 18, 2007 Presenter: Michael Lamport Commons, Ph.D. Title: Summer Seminar and Workshop on Doing Research for Free and Publishing Background: During the summer, from July 18th to August 30th the Program in Psychiatry and the Law, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, will sponsor a weekly seminar and workshop in which people learn to develop their ideas, to do research for free, and to publish their reports in appropriate journals. Details: These meetings are open to all people in the Psychiatry Department. During these meetings, attendees are helped to plan articles and new studies and to work intensively to edit instruments for acquiring data and very rough draft manuscripts. Attendees are also taught how to revise rejected articles. Wednesday, 11am-1pm. Please email to plan when you would like your work on the agenda. Wednesday, July 11, 2007 Presenter: The Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting - Last regular meeting of the season Wednesday, July 4, 2007 Presenter: Happy Independence Day! Title: No meeting due to July 4th Wednesday, June 27, 2007 Presenter: The Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, June 20, 2007 Presenter: Edward G. Bernstine, Ph.D. Title: Ethical Matters in Crime Laboratory Work Background: Ed Bernstine, Professor of Biology and Forensic Science at Bay Path College Details: Ed will describe several incidents that arose during his tenure at the Mass. State Police Crime Laboratory that raised ethical questions. In addition, Ed will briefly discuss the case of alleged sexual assault at Duke and the recent testimony of Henry Lee in the murder trial of Phil Spector. Wednesday, June 13, 2007 Presenter: Thomas G. Gutheil Title: Boundary Issues - Video Education Part 2 Background: We will view, and discuss, the Educational Video starring Tom Gutheil made for the State of New York. Wednesday, June 6, 2007 Presenter: The Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, May 30, 2007 Presenter: Angela Hegarty Title: Coercive Interrogation: Lessons from US v Padilla Background: Dr. Angela Hegarty, a forensic neuropsychiatrist, said she concluded after examining and testing Padilla for more than 22 hours last fall that he is mentally incompetent for trial because he has post-traumatic stress disorder. Details: Zapf reached the same diagnosis and recommended that Padilla receive treatment. Padilla`s symptoms are most acute when he is asked to talk about his 3 1/2 years in the brig, including interrogations techniques used on him, or to review evidence in his criminal case, including transcripts of intercepted telephone conversations, Hegarty said. "He doesn`t want to because it hurts so much, and because it hurts so much he shuts down," Hegarty said. When Padilla was asked about his case or the brig, Zapf said, he becomes noticeably tense, begins to sweat, tries to change the subject and rocks back and forth while hunched over. She said he was adamant that he did not want to testify in his own defense. "He said he can`t relive it, he can`t go through it again, and he can`t name names," Zapf said. Wednesday, May 23, 2007 Title: No meeting due to the APA meeting in San Diego Wednesday, May 16, 2007 Presenter: Elvin Semrad, M.D. Title: View video of Elvin Semrad conducting an interview. Background: We will view the only extant video of Elvin Semrad, MD in action, interviewing a nurse with BPD Wednesday, May 9, 2007 Presenter: No Meeting Title: No Meeting Background: Suggestion: attend the annual Hasenbush Day at the 1200 Beacon St. Holiday Inn. The speaker will be Axel Hoffer, M.D. Wednesday, May 2, 2007 Presenter: The Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, April 25, 2007 Presenter: Michael A. Grodin, M.D. Title: Mad, Bad or Evil, How Healers Become Killers: From Nazi Germany to Abu Ghraib Background: Michael A. Grodin, M.D., Professor of Health Law, Bioethics, and Human Rights, Department of Health Law, Bioethics and Human Rights Boston University School of Public Health, Professor of Socio-Medical Sciences, Community Medicine, and Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine Details: Dr. Grodin`s primary areas of interest include: the relationship of health and human rights, bioethics and the philosophy of psychiatry and psychoanalysis. Wednesday, April 18, 2007 Presenter: The Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, April 11, 2007 Presenter: Barry H. Roth, M.D. and Eric Y. Drogin, J.D., Ph.D. Title: Substituted Judgment Background: Presenters will provide a thematically integrated overview of clinical, forensic, legal, and ethical issues concerning substitutions for prior, present, and future judgment, in the context of advance directives, informed consent, and guardianship, respectively. Details: Attendees may wish to review Gutheil, T. G., & Appelbaum, P. S. (1985). The substituted judgment approach: Its difficulties and paradoxes in mental health settings. The Law, Medicine and Health Care, 13(2), 61-64. Wednesday, April 4, 2007 Presenter: The Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, March 28, 2007 Presenter: The Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, March 21, 2007 Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, March 14, 2007 Presenter: Rina Z. Folman, Ph.D. Title: The "Out of Control" Divorce: Coaching, Consulting and Emerging Strategies for Court Involved Clients Background: Medical Staff, Psychology Department, University of Massachusetts Memorial Health Alliance (Fitchburg and Leominster); Private Practice offices in Brookline, Fitchburg and Leominster, MA Details: Lawyers and Judges increasingly turn to mental health professionals for guidance and expertise in difficult divorce and custody cases. This speaker will introduce a new perspective and paradigm for assisting the courts and the mental health client/litigant, while maintaining boundaries and proper professional standards. A goal contained in this paradigm is teaching clinicians how to promote wellness and resiliency in clients involved in divorce litigation. Wednesday, March 7, 2007 Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, February 28, 2007 Presenter: Thomas G. Gutheil, Donna Norris and Michael Commons Title: Trading Professional (Forensic) duties and personal duties. Wednesday, February 21, 2007 Presenter: Richard Sobel, Ed.D. & Harold Bursztajn, M.D. Title: Strong state privacy laws avoid HIPAA pitfalls Background: We will discuss a draft of their paper. Wednesday, February 7, 2007 Presenter: The Usual Participants Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, January 24, 2007 Presenter: J. Tyler Carpenter, Ph.D. NOTE: meeting location has changed Title: How Do We Think In Groups About Criminal Justice Issues? Background: How we deal with issues of moral intransigence, e.g.., “badness”, is fundamental to individual and group functioning, as well as existential meaning making. Details: A presentation of the concept of Group Think, based on the materials used in a recent presentation to the Federal intelligence community, will be made and used to facilitate a group discussion of the concept of Group Think as it applies to thinking about criminal justice issues such as: Etiology, what constitutes crime, how it should be treated, and what are the obstacles to implementation of successful policy. Almost any factor and attendant rationale (we’ll see what emerges in the group) which contributes to the phenomena of crime and punishment can become part of the rhetoric and political waltz. The rewards are extrinsic to the subject, but the choice of variable and rationalization are important to the group structure and function. The chaos which occurs when systems address complex problems like crime was christened “systemantics” by John Gall in his marvelous 1977 book of that title. Wednesday, January 17, 2007 Presenter: PIPATL Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, January 10, 2007 Presenter: Thomas G. Gutheil, M.D. Title: Depositions: tips and traps Wednesday, January 3, 2007 Presenter: PIPATL Title: Regular Meeting Wednesday, December 27, 2006 Presenter: No Meeting Title: No Meeting Background: The program will not be meeting. Details: Happy Holidays! Best Wishes for the New Year! Wednesday, December 20, 2006 Presenter: Barry H. Roth, M.D. Title: Two Hats: Towards a More Refined Haberdashery

FILE LIBRARY

The Program in Psychiatry and The Law meets virtually on Wednesday mornings at 11:00 AM.

Check our meetings page regularly to find out about our upcoming meetings.

Our file library includes copies of the Amicus Briefs to which we have contributed: Althaus v. Cohen (PA) and Citizens for Health v. Thompson (Third Circuit).

Wednesday, April 15, 2020
Covid19 led us to virtual meetings - no in person meetings for now

Wishing everybody health and safety during this unprecedented time.

Friday, January 1, 2010
PIPATL Form for Inclusion in the Schedule

Get the form from this link