Court Related Evaluation and
Consultation Services

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Assessment Services
Payment
Contacting the Psychological Consultation Center
Consultation Services
When Referral is Indicated
Psychological Consultation Center Staff Specializing In
   Legal/Court Related Assessments

When courts have to make decisions about people's lives, they require expert opinions and psychological data. Comprehensive, objective information helps ensure the decisions are best for all involved.

Assessment Services
The Psychological Consultation Center (PCC) performs hundreds of evaluations for children, adolescents, adults, and older adults. Based on results, the PCC can:

• Provide a more detailed understanding of a person
• Describe how a person thinks through problems
• Describe the personality style a person has, which helps courts decide about placement, sentencing, or culpability
• Evaluate independent living skills to determine if a person is able to be his or her own guardian
• Recommend appropriate rehabilitation for a teen who is a sexual offender

After the evaluation is completed, the PCC provides a thorough, written report that responds to the referral's questions and addresses appropriate legal guidelines.

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Payment
For non-legal assessment, the PCC is paneled with most managed care insurance companies and is also a provider for Medicare and most Medicaid plans. Pine Rest also has a Patient Assistance Fund for those with limited financial resources and little or no third-party reimbursement.

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Contacting the PCC
Attorneys, employers, insurance claim adjustors case managers, companies, probation officers, court personnel, or clients may call the Psychological Consultation Center for an evaluation. Our office is open Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. When making a referral, please have available the client’s name, address, and phone number, as well as the reason for the referral. To schedule a referral, or to receive additional information, please call (616) 281-6311.

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Consultation Services
PCC psychologists offer expert witness testimony. In addition, we consult with attorneys to help them understand other experts’ materials so they can prepare for examination and cross-examination. Our staff is available for deposition and in-person testimony.

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When Referral is Indicated
Contact the PCC when:

• IME or Disability Evaluations are needed to determine a claimant’s psychological status.
• Neuropsychological Assessment is needed, as in the case of someone suffering a head injury, to determine current level of functioning.
• It is necessary to determine psychological/personality functioning for court-related referral questions, such as during pre-sentencing investigations.
• There are questions about child custody, parenting time, and the suitability of a parent to be a parent.
• A client or employee must be evaluated for violence risk—either domestic or at the work place.
• It is unclear if a person is able to take care of him or herself and function in a fully adult way.
• It is necessary to determine what sort of risk a person might be for re-offending—such as sexual abuse, domestic violence, or theft.
• A decision must be made about what kind of penalty or outcome of a conviction is appropriate.
• An attorney has an assessment from a psychologist and isn’t sure how to interpret it or how to effectively question the psychologist.
• It is necessary to assess whether a person is competent to understand that he or she has committed a crime.

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Psychological Consultation Center Staff Specializing In Legal/Court Related Assessments*

• Gary Burkhart, Ph.D.—Specializing in Legal/Medical Evaluations, IMEs, Neuropsychological Assessment for all ages, Disability Evaluations, Cognitive Functioning Assessments, and Guardianship Evaluations.
• Brant VanOrman, Psy.D.—Specializing in Parenting Fitness, Custody Evaluations, and Personality Assessments.
• Timothy Zwart, Ed.D.—Specializing in Personality Assessment, Sexual Offender Evaluations, and Risk Assessments.

*Vitas available upon request.

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