Mental Health Practice and the Law

Dr. Schouten practiced law in Chicago before attending medical school and has combined his legal and medical training to provide consultation and training to a wide variety of groups and individuals. He teaches at the undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral levels, and is a regular contributor to the continuing education of physicians, psychologists, social workers, judges, attorneys, and law enforcement. Dr. Schouten is the Director of the Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School Forensic Psychiatry Fellowship. He serves as a testifying and consulting expert in civil and criminal matters, and as a consultant to organizations and government agencies on topics ranging from workplace violence to terrorism.

• Chapter 1: Basics of the Law and Legal SystemRonald SchoutenChapter 2: Civil CommitmentRonald Schouten and Philip CandilisChapter 3: Violence Risk AssessmentJennifer L. Piel and Ronald SchoutenChapter 4: Practice and Malpractice in the Evaluation of Suicidal PatientsGary JacobsonChapter 5: Informed ConsentRonald Schouten and Kimberly KumerChapter 6: Guardianships, Conservatorships, and Alternative Forms of Substitute Decision MakingRonald Schouten and Rebecca W. BrendelChapter 7: Treatment RefusalAriana Nesbit, Steven K. Hoge, and Debra A. PinalsChapter 8: MalpracticeJennifer L. Piel and Phillip J. ResnickChapter 9: Confidentiality and Testimonial PrivilegeRobert Scott Johnson and Ronald SchoutenChapter 10: Evaluation of Child Abuse and NeglectMatthew Soulier and Catherine AyoubChapter 11: Juveniles and the LawMatthew Lahaie and Robert KinscherffChapter 12: Mental Health Professionals and the Criminal Justice SystemReena Kapoor and Alec BuchananChapter 13: Disability EvaluationsMarilyn PriceChapter 14: Malingering and Factitious DisorderScott Beach and Matt LahaieChapter 15: Ethics at the Intersection of Mental Health and the LawPhilip J. Candilis and Navneet SidhuAppendix 1: Sample Letter for Standard Medical DisqualificationAppendix 2: Sample Letter for Permanent Medical DisqualificationAppendix 3: Subpoena Form