Correctional Forensic Physician Psychiatrist Expert Witness

Core Competencies:

Telepsychiatry
Correctional Psychiatry
Forensic Psychiatry
Addiction Medicine
Healthcare Administration

Personal Statement: As a physician psychiatrist, I am steadfast in my belief that the health and welfare of patients is of paramount importance and must never be compromised. As a team builder and collaborator, I am selective and thoughtful about how I hire and deploy employees. As a manager, I am committed to providing the necessary tools, training, and support to members of my team so that they may thrive in their work lives.

Residency
Johns Hopkins University Hospital
July 2004-June 2007

Forensic Psychiatry Fellowship
University of California, Davis, Forensic Division
July 2007-June 2008

Internship
Georgetown University Hospital
July 2002-June 2003

Medical Education
Tulane University School of Medicine
August 1998-May 2002
Degree: Medical Doctor (M.D.)

Undergraduate Education

University of Virginia, BA, Biology
August 1995-May 1997
University of Maryland, Honors Program, College Park
August 1993-June 1995

Board Certification

General Psychiatry, American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology

Forensic Psychiatry, American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology

Addiction Medicine, American Board of Addiction Medicine

Experience

Orbit Health Telepsychiatry
January 2015-present
CEO
Serving Correctional Facilities, Crisis Units, Inpatient, Outpatient, and Community Mental Health

California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation
April 2014-Jan 2018
Statewide Chief of Telepsychiatry
Co-founder, Statewide Medication Assisted Treatment Program

• Responsible for entire statewide telepsychiatry program
• Oversight of 70 staff serving over 25 institutions from 5 hubs across the State
• Oversight of Telepsychiatry Budget and Expenditures
• Transformed the department from less than 10 psychiatrists to approximately 70 in less than four years. Achieved recruitment record for most psychiatrists hired in the history of CDCR for a single department

Author of Statewide Telepsychiatry Policies

Working with Federal Court monitors to audit Statewide Mental Health Program

Doubled psychiatrist productivity

Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility
July 2012-April 2014
Chief Psychiatrist

Brought institution into compliance on all 64 psychiatry audit measures. This is best in the State of California and has never before been accomplished in the history of CDCR

Medical Director of Pharmacy

• Direct and indirect supervision and training of over 100 staff
• Oversight of inpatient and outpatient mental health services in a prison of over 3,000 inmates (one of the highest medical and mental health acuities in the state)
• Oversight of Mental Health Crisis Bed Unit
• Oversight of Referrals Program
• Oversight of Pre-release Program
• Oversight of Psychiatry Program
• Development of medication management quality assurance process
• Significantly reduced medication errors
• Recruited and hired 13 highly qualified psychiatrists (10 in an 8 month span)
• Founder and Chairman of multidisciplinary Polypharmacy Elimination Team
• Founder of Central Operations Service (CNOPS), the primary quality management unit in the prison mental health program
• Statewide Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee Mental Health Chair
• Statewide Suicide Prevention Workgroup Psychiatry Representative
• Statewide Quality Management Tool: Assisted in piloting and developing tool
• Statewide California Department of State Hospitals Psychopharmacology Advisory Committee; Representative for the California Department of
• Corrections and Rehabilitation
• San Quentin State Prison
  July 2008-July 2012
  Senior Psychiatrist Supervisor

  Shared responsibility for psychiatric care of prison population of 5,000 inmates

• Direct and indirect supervision and training of approximately 100 staff
• Involvement in the development of State-wide medication management policies
• Primary recruiter for San Quentin Psychiatry
• Coordination with senior medical, mental health, custody, and nursing staff
• Overhauled psychiatric med management & significantly reduced medication error
• Helped develop the Condemned Specialized Treatment Program
• Cofounder of the first San Quentin Clozapine Quality Assurance Committee
• Helped plan & develop mental health space of Central Health Services Building

Medical Director, Correctional Treatment Center (CTC)
May 2010-July 2012

• Development and oversight of a 50 bed CTC program
• Development, implementation, and oversight of hundreds of policies & procedures
• Coordination of admissions, discharges and transfers
• Supervision and training of a large CTC multidisciplinary staff

Clinical Director, Correctional Treatment Center (CTC)
January 2010-May 2010

• Founding Clinical Director of the San Quentin Correctional Treatment Center
• Establishment of a Mental Health Crisis Bed unit from the ground up

Telepsychiatry Coordinator, San Quentin State Prison
December 2010-Dec 2011

• Founded San Quentin’s first telepsychiatry program

Publications
Available on full CV

Faculty Appointments

Elevate by Psych Congress 2020 Conference, Las Vegas, NV, Co-Chair
2020

Psych Congress, Steering Committee Member
2019-present

American Psychiatric Association, Committee on Telepsychiatry
2018-present

American Telemedicine Association, Vice Chair, Mental Health
2018-2020

Journal of Health Technology, Editorial Board Member
2020-present

UCSF Department of Psychiatry: Assistant Clinical Professor
2009-2012

UCSD Skaggs School of Pharmacy: Assistant Clinical Professor
2014-2016

San Diego Psychiatric Society: Councilmember
2013-14

Forensic Experience

Founder, Forensic Division, Orbit Health Telepsychiatry
January 2018- present

Psychiatric Consultant to Napa State Hospital
July 2007-June 2008
Duties involved providing forensic consultation on a variety of matters to include competency to stand trial, violence risk, malingering, and clarification of diagnosis.

Jail Psychiatric Services, Sacramento County Main Jail
July 2007-June 2008
Duties involved providing psychiatric care (medication management and psychotherapy) for inmates. I also instructed a group of inmates on anger management.

Clifton T. Perkins Hospital Center
July 2006-September 2006
Psychiatric treatment and competency to stand trial assessment of patients in Maryland’s maximum security forensic psychiatric hospital

Circuit Court of the City of Baltimore
March & May 2006
Pretrial screening exams for competency to stand trial and criminal responsibility

Civil Commitment Hearings, Johns Hopkins Hospital
2004-2005

Additional Professional Activities & Training

Certificate in Hospital Emergency Response for Mass Casualty Events
Dep. of Homeland Security (DHS); Federal Emergency Mgmt Agency (FEMA)
2013

College Park Fire Department: Emergency Medical Technician
1994

Essentials of Firefighting Training
1994

Certified in Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS)

Certified in Basic Life Support (BLS)

Six Sigma Lean White Belt
2017

Awards/Honors

Certificate of Appreciation
Establishment of the new Correctional Treatment Center
California Department of Corrections
2010

Chairman’s Letter of Appreciation for Outstanding Care
Johns Hopkins Hospital
2005

Academic Honors Scholarship, University of Maryland
1994

Certificate of Leadership and Teaching Excellence
University of Maryland
1994