S C O T T   G R O V E R,    P H D,    A B P P

Board Certified in Clinical Psychology

CLINICAL AND FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGY

EDUCATION

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Clinical Psychology              September 2006 – August 2012 APA Accredited Graduate School of Psychology, Fuller Theological Seminary, Pasadena, Ca

Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology                                       September 2006 – June 2008 Graduate School of Psychology, Fuller Theological Seminary, Pasadena, California

Bachelor of Arts Psychology                                                    August 2002 - December 2005 Department of Psychology, Point Loma Nazarene University, San Diego, California

FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGICAL EXPERTISE

Civil Forensic Psychology Experience in California State Court

§  Psycho-legal evaluations of various forensic and psychological questions/issues. Served as an expert witness regarding Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Depression, Anxiety and other conditions. 

§  Completed independent medical evaluations (IME) for plaintiff’s attorneys and defendant’s attorneys on cases relating to psychological injury in personal injury cases. 

§  Completed IME evaluations for employment, hostile work environment, discrimination, and intentional infliction of emotional distress cases.

Civil Forensic Experience in Federal Court

§  Performed IME's on personal injury cases involving federal aviation and associated other complaints in federal court. 

§  Appointed as Expert Psychiatric Reviewer for Department of Veterans Affairs VISN 22 for Civil litigation facing the VA in another VISN (VA network)

§  Reviewed legal documents related to malpractice lawsuit and offered expert opinion on available medical and psychiatric records including plaintiff’s statements about his care. Reviewed letterand evidence submitted by patient’s treating provider from the community. Offered opinion specifically related to level of care provided by VA clinicians and standard of care.

§  Interfaced with VA legal team during the case.

Criminal Forensic Experience

§  Formerly served on the County of San Bernardino Superior Court panel of approved psychologists and psychiatrists to conduct court appointed psycho-legal evaluations.

§  Performed PC 1368 competence to stand trial evaluations.

§  Performed PC 1026 criminal responsibility evaluations.

§  Received cases every month which involves interviewing and/or providing psychological assessment of defendants while they are in custody. Writing comprehensive reports and provide my expertise and opinion to the court on each case.

§  Psycho-legal evaluations of various forensic and psychological questions/issues. Have broad experience conducting in-custody and outpatient evaluations for clients/defendants and writing reports to assist the court (see below for specific examples).

Experience conducting threat assessments and forensic risk assessments. Training and background in forensic risk assessments including actuarial statistical methods including the STATIC-99, HCR- 20, SVR-20.

Experience in conducting PC 1368/PC1369/PC 1370 Competency evaluations and reports.

Experience in conducting PC 1026/1027 Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity (NGI) Evaluations and reports.

Experience in conducting PC 1017 Defense-requested evaluations and reports

Broad experience providing PC 730 General evaluation and reports.

Continuing Education Participated in by the American Academy of Forensic Psychology (AAFP) associated with American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP):

§  Assessing Allegations of Trauma in Forensic Contexts – 3 hours – November 2022.

§  Real Stories of False Confessions – 2 hours – November 2022.

§  Avoiding and Mitigating Hazards: Risk Management Strategies for Forensic Psychology Practice – 3 hours – November 2022.

§  Analytic Habits of the Master Forensic Thinker – 3 hours – November 2022.

§  Mock Trial – 2 hours – November 2022. 

§  Evidence for Mental Health Professionals – 2 hours – November 2022. 

§  Personal Injury Evaluations: Law and Psychological Practice – 7 hours – January 2019.

§  Evidence of Competence to Stand Trial – 7 hours

Forensic Psychology Training at Patton State Hospital, California Department of Mental Health. 

§  Provided services at 1200 bed maximum-security forensic psychiatric hospital housingjudicially committed patients under the following commitment types: not guilty by reason of insanity, not competent to stand trial, mentally disordered offender, mentally disordered sex offender, and various civil commitments.

Forensic Psychology Training at Clinical and Forensic Psychology Private Practice - Dr. Veronica Thomas - Orange County. 

§  Conducted evaluations for competence to stand trial (PC1368) and mental state at time of the offense (PC1026), independent evaluations (PC 1017), and sexual deviance evaluations (PC 288).