Indianapolis Clinical and Forensic Psychology Services

Based In Louisville, Kentucky But Able To Travel For Service

Indianapolis Forensic Psychology is a subspecialty of Psychology that focuses on Indianapolis legal issues wherein mental health is a potential contributing factor.

Dr. Kaplan has experience in Indianapolis sex offender evaluations, violent risk assessment, competency to stand trial, capacity, mitigation of sentence, juvenile bindover, and more. Dr. Kaplan provides Indianapolis forensic evaluation in guardianship cases, accident/injury cases, and other situations where there is a question about an individual's mental health, emotional harm, or ability to care for oneself. She also offers a variety of parenting evaluations.  Dr. Kaplan uses evidence-based assessment methods and Indianapolis psychological tests to provide a wide variety of psychological evaluation services in 46227, 46077, 46107, 46113, 46183, 46201, 46202, 46203, 46204, 46205, 46208, 46214, 46217, 46218, 46219, 46220, 46221, 46222, 46224, 46225, 46226, 46228, 46229, 46231, 46234, 46235, 46236, 46237, 46239, 46240, 46241, 46250, 46254, 46256, 46259, 46260, 46268, 46278.

Indianapolis Criminal Forensic Evaluations

Indianapolis General Psychological: An attorney or judge may request a general psychological evaluation in a case in which a person’s mental health is in question. The resulting report includes the individual’s current mental status, diagnosis, and recommendations.

Indianapolis Competency Test: An evaluation to determine if a defendant is competent to stand trial in Indianapolis, waive Miranda, plead guilty, confess or function adequately in the legal system. A forensic evaluation can determine if the defendant is able to cooperate with counsel, assist in his own defense, as well as make informed decisions about legal choices.

Indianapolis Criminal Responsibility: Sophisticated Indianapolis psychological testing is used to evaluate the presence of any psychological disorder, psychopathy, or personality characteristics that may have mediated rational decision making or interfered with judgment or perception.A comprehensive evaluation of the defendant’s mental state at the time of the offense can inform trial strategy and provide the judge or jury with critical information regarding legal responsibility.

Indianapolis Mitigation of Sentencing: In the Indianapolis sentencing phase of a trial, an attorney or judge may wish to know psychological information for the court to consider in sentencing, and in recommending probation or parole. Specifically, a comprehensive forensic report can affect sentencing to the extent that it addresses all relevant mitigating and aggravating circumstances. This can also include sentencing determinations in Indianapolis Death Penalty Cases.

Indianapolis Juvenile Bindover: In certain cases whereby an adolescent is accused of a crime(s), he or she may be tried in either a Indianapolis juvenile court or in an Indianapolis adult court. In such cases, the court can benefit from a forensic evaluation addressing the issue of amenability to the Indianapolis juvenile justice system. The evaluation focuses on how likely the juvenile is to benefit from the added-services afforded by the juvenile system—aimed at rehabilitation and restoration—compared to the adult system, which overall is more punitively-oriented.

Indianapolis Violence Risk Assessment: Aims to determine whether an individual has a mental disorder in Indianapolis and the level of dangerousness, but not to determine whether an individual committed a specific offense.

Indianapolis Psychosexual Testing: This is a complete psychological evaluation with an additional heavy emphasis on sexual development, values, thoughts, interests, and behaviors.

Indianapolis Psychosexual with Risk Assessment: This examination is the same as a psychosexual evaluation in Indianapolis with the addition of an assessment of the risk of committing a future sexual offense through the use of evidence-based actuarial risk assessment instruments.

Indianapolis Civil Forensic Evaluations

Indianapolis Parenting Evaluation: Due to a variety of circumstances, sometimes the court or a governmental organization (e.g., Children Services Agency) might question the type or amount of contact that a particular parent may have with his/her children. In those cases, a Indianapolis forensic psychologist’s services may be secured in order to help answer specific referral questions related to parenting issues.

Indianapolis Adoption Evaluation: Individuals or couples who are adopting in Indianapolis need to have a psychological valuation to assess their emotional stability, and readiness to adopt and parent a child. Every Indianapolis adoption agency has its own specific procedures surrounding the evaluation.  The psychological evaluation focuses on potential underlying psychopathology that might exist in either of the future parents (or the couple as a family system). Additionally, the quality of the marital relationship, intended child rearing practices, and motivations for adoption are explored.  This evaluation differs from a home study, which is typically conducted by a Indianapolis social worker.

Indianapolis Personal Injury: A psychologist’s expertise often is utilized by the Indianapolis court in order to help determine whether mental injury exists and, if so, to what degree. An example includes Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (Indianapolis PTSD), as a result of experiencing significant trauma. A personal injury evaluation may involve a clinical interview, record review, psychological testing, and contacting collateral sources in the case.

Indianapolis Clinical Assessment

Indianapolis ADHD Evaluation: These Indianapolis evaluations typically include the following:

• Indianapolis IQ and/or achievement testing to rule out a learning disorder and to assess cognitive strengths and weaknesses.
  
• Indianapolis Tests of attention and other aspects of executive functioning. 
  
• Indianapolis Psychological tests to examine for other Indianapolis mental health problems that may be causing or contributing to the symptoms.

Indianapolis Diagnostic Evaluation: Evaluations pertaining to many diagnoses, such as Indianapolis Bipolar Disorder, Indianapolis Autism (as well as the former Asperger's Disorder), Major Depressive Disorder, PTSD, Indianapolis Anxiety Disorders, Personality Disorders, and Indianapolis Schizophrenia.

Indianapolis Learning Disorders, IQ, and Achievement Testing:  Typically referred to as Indianapolis psychoeducational evaluations. Used to evaluate the presence of a Indianapolis learning disorder or an intellectual disability. Achievement testing can help identify academic achievement level in various subjects and any necessary academic accommodations.



Indianapolis Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Evaluation: The Indianapolis autism assessment and diagnostic process for Indianapolis Autism involves a thorough clinical interview in Indianapolis, review of outside medical and/or academic records, and a testing battery that may include parental interviews and forms (if applicable), intellectual, and personality assessments.

Additional Service Testing in Indianapolis

Indianapolis Psychological Consultant: Psychologists may be hired by Indianapolis attorneys to consult on a case “behind the scenes”. Examples include educating the attorney about a client’s mental illness, assisting in Indianapolis jury selection or Indianapolis cross-examination, or critiquing another psychologist’s evaluation report.

Indianapolis Expert Witness: A Indianapolis psychologist may be asked to testify in court in Indianapolis as an expert. The evaluation report may be read out loud in open court, and the expert must answer questions about the report and what transpired during conversations with the respondent and any other involved individual. The Indianapolis court expert may be asked to discuss their knowledge regarding the research in a specific area of psychology as it relates to the respondent. Psychological experts may also be asked to educate the court on a specific mental health-related topic.