Dr. Liz Nissim provides comprehensive forensic psychoeducational evaluations for civil litigation, special education matters, and family law proceedings. These evaluations are conducted to provide an objective, impartial assessment of an individual's psychological functioning, developmental history, educational needs, and the impact of significant life events or circumstances.
Civil Law Evaluations
In civil matters, forensic evaluations may be conducted to assess the psychological impact of a reported stressful, traumatic, or life-altering event. The evaluation may examine emotional functioning, behavioral changes, cognitive functioning, daily functioning, and the presence or absence of psychological symptoms associated with the reported circumstances. Evaluations may include a review of relevant records, clinical interviews, psychological testing when appropriate, collateral interviews, and an analysis of available information to provide an objective professional opinion regarding psychological functioning and related concerns.
Special Education Law Evaluations
In special education matters, Dr. Nissim conducts psychoeducational evaluations to clarify a student's cognitive, academic, emotional, behavioral, and developmental profile. These evaluations may be used to assist families, schools, attorneys, and advocates in understanding a student's unique learning needs and determining whether educational supports, accommodations, services, or programming are appropriate. School placement, whether in district, out of district or residential is determined through the findings of these evaluations.
Areas assessed may include intellectual functioning, academic achievement, attention and executive functioning, memory and learning, processing abilities, social-emotional functioning, and the impact of identified concerns on educational performance.
Family Law Evaluations
In family law matters, forensic evaluations may address questions related to academic and school placement for children and adolescents whose parents are divorcing or have divorced.
At times, parents may disagree as to where their child or children are best placed within a school environment. This evaluation is designed to provide objective information to assist attorneys, courts, and families in understanding the child’s academic, cognitive, social, emotional, and behavioral profile in order to determine the best school environment.