A psychiatric forensic clinical specialist is working with a defendant as competency evaluator

Question

A staff member at the mental hospital asks her, "Why are you spending so much time with that guy? You spend one-to-one time with him and even go to activities with him. And I have seen you writing volumes. Usually we just give these people medication for a while and return them to the court.". What response by the psychiatric clinical specialist would be most appropriate? a. "My role is to become an advocate for the defendant, so I have to know him well and build a trusting relationship with him.".
b. "The specialized assessments I make on behalf of the court require very lengthy and detailed interviews, so it takes a lot of time.".
c. "My focus is providing intensive psychotherapy to ensure the defendant has become competent before he returns to court.".
d. "I spend the time observing, assessing, and documenting his competency, write a report, and prepare expert testimony for the court.".

Answer 1

D
The competency evaluator has to determine the patient's current competence to act on his own behalf during his trial; without competency, the inmate cannot stand trial. Determining competency goes well beyond the mental status, functional, and risk assessments most psychiatric nurses are accustomed to and are very complex and time-consuming. A complete formal report is prepared for the court, and all pertinent details must be addressed in anticipation of questioning by officers of the court. The evaluator represents the court, not the patient. Interviews of the inmate are only a portion of the evaluator's work. Evaluators help the court determine competency but do not intervene to increase the patient's competency.