Chronic Methamphetamine Psychosis and the Insanity Defense

Presented by Andrew Reisner, PsyD, and Jennifer Piel, MD, JD

2 Hours | 2 CEs

This program discusses research pertaining to chronic methamphetamine psychosis, including evidence pertaining to brain dysfunction or damage, and applies this research to the concept of "severe mental disease." Relevant legal cases pertaining to drug-induced psychosis and insanity will be discussed, as well as cases pertaining to "settled insanity." Issues pertaining to free will vs determinism are discussed in relation to criminal responsibility.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this program you will be able to:

Describe whether chronic methamphetamine psychosis qualifies as a severe mental disease, a "settled insanity," for the purposes of the insanity defense
Describe when chronic methamphetamine psychosis may be differentiated from more temporary "drug-induced psychosis"

Presented By

Executive Director of the Forensic Diagnostic Center of District 9 Andrew Reisner, Psy.D.

Andrew Reisner earned his doctoral degree from Baylor University. Earlier in his career he worked at state hospitals and in community mental health, doing psychotherapy, supervision, and psychological evaluation, including some forensic evaluations. For the past 25 years, with ongoing forensic training, Dr. Reisner has completed a variety of forensic evaluations, including Competency to Stand Trial, Sanity, Second Opinion, Non-Secured Status, Post-NGRI, and others. For over 13 years he has been the Executive Director of the Forensic Diagnostic Center of District 9 in Cambridge, OH, which serves 17 rural counties. He directs the agency, completes forensic evaluations, serves as a forensic monitor in 10 counties, and administers an outpatient competency restoration program. Dr. Reisner has published scholarly articles in diverse areas of psychology, including Forensic Psychology and Criminology.

Associate Professor and Director of the Center for Mental Health, Policy, and the Law in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Washington Jennifer Piel, MD, JD

Jennifer Piel, MD, JD is an Associate Professor and Director of the Center for Mental Health, Policy, and the Law in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Washington. Dr. Piel is also a Staff Psychiatrist and Director of the Disruptive Behavior Evaluation Clinic at the VA Puget Sound, Seattle Division. She is Board Certified in general psychiatry, forensic psychiatry, and brain injury medicine. Dr. Piel is a Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association and a member of the Ethics and Research Committees of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law (AAPL). Dr. Piel twice earned the prestigious Young Investigator Award from AAPL. She is the Legal Digest Editor for the Journal of the Academy of Psychiatry and the Law. Dr. Piel regularly consults on clinical and legal cases locally and nationally. She represents the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law as its delegate to the American Medical Association. She has served as an expert witness or consultant in cases involving criminal and civil competencies; criminal responsibility; malpractice; violence risk assessment; sexual and gender harassment; and fitness for duty, among others. She speaks locally and nationally on topics related to behavioral health and the law.

CE Sponsorship Information

Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. PaloAlto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) maintains responsibility for this program and its content. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies(CONCEPT) is approved by the Canadian Psychological Association to offer continuing education for psychologists. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies(CONCEPT), SW CPE is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Boardfor Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers#SW-0356 and the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Mental HealthPractitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental healthcounselors. #MHC-0073. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT)has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6811. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. CONCEPT ProfessionalTraining, #1480, is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved as ACE providers. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. CONCEPT Professional Training maintains responsibility for this course. ACE provider approval period: 11/22/23-11/22/26. Social workers completing this course receive (clinical or social work ethics) continuing education credits.