Agencies
Services
Forensic System Roles
The forensic system brings together legal and clinical partners who share responsibility for supporting individuals involved in the justice system. Each role contributes at different points in the process, from court decision-making to clinical assessment, treatment, and community supervision. While responsibilities are distinct, effective coordination across these roles is essential to ensure continuity of care, compliance with court orders, commitment to public safety, and appropriate outcomes for individuals.
Forensic and Justice Services Central Office Staff Contacts
| Role Description | Possible Reasons to Contact | |
|---|---|---|
|
Deputy Director of Forensic & Justice Services |
|
Dr. Sharon Coleman |
|
Forensic Court Services Administrator |
|
Dr. Agoritsa Barczak |
|
Statewide Forensic Medical Director |
|
Dr. James Corcoran |
|
Forensic Outpatient Manager Oversees outpatient forensic restoration and community-based forensic treatment services. |
|
Dr. Tima Smith |
|
Forensic Clinical Reviewer Reviews forensic referrals, evaluations, and clinical & legal documentation to support placement and treatment determinations. |
|
|
|
Forensic Services Community Administrators |
|
Tracey Thomas, LCSW
Rachel Nelson, LCSW, CADC, CPAIP, LSOTP
Audrey Brantner, LCSW |
Additional Clinical Roles
- Pre-Placement Evaluator: An IDHS clinician who performs statutory placement evaluations to determine the appropriate treatment setting.
- Forensic Coordinators: Facilitate admissions, transport, and discharge of forensic individuals to and from the hospitals. See Inpatient Treatment Locations for contacts.
- Hospital CEOs: Provide executive oversight of hospital operations, clinical services, safety, and regulatory compliance.
- Hospital Treatment Teams: Multidisciplinary teams who provide inpatient treatment and support services to forensic individuals receiving forensic behavioral health care.
- Psychiatrist: Treatment team leader who oversees psychiatric evaluation, diagnosis, medication management, and treatment planning to address patients’ mental health needs and support competency restoration, stabilization, and risk reduction.
- Clinical Psychologist: Conducts psychological assessment, diagnostic evaluation, risk assessment, competency-related evaluation and treatment, and therapeutic interventions to support patients’ clinical stabilization, recovery, and progression through the forensic treatment process.
- Nurse: Provides 24-hour medical and psychiatric nursing care, medication administration, health monitoring, and coordination of clinical interventions to support patient stabilization and recovery within the secure forensic environment.
- Social Worker: Provides fitness education, case management, discharge, and coordination of continued care services for individuals.
- Activity Therapist: Develops and facilitates structured therapeutic, recreational, and rehabilitative activities designed to enhance patients’ social, emotional, cognitive, and coping skills in support of treatment goals and recovery.
- Security Therapy Aid (STA): Maintains unit safety and security while providing direct therapeutic support, patient supervision, crisis intervention, and assistance with daily structure and behavioral management on the forensic treatment unit.
- Recovery Support Specialist: Patient liaison and advocate who promotes patient involement and engagement in treatment and facilitates collaboration between patient and the treatment team.
- Contracted Community Provider: Delivers community-based services through IDHS-funded community behavioral health agencies and hospitals.
Legal Roles
- Judge: Determines fitness to stand trial, orders mental health examinations, rules on insanity defenses, and manages treatment related decisions.
- States Attorney: Decides which cases to prosecute.
- Defense Attorney: A public defender or a private attorney who advocates for the individual.
- Sheriff: Oversees care and custody of individuals in jails and coordinates transfer to and from hospitals.
- County Court Appointed Forensic Evaluator: Conducts independent court-ordered evaluations of individuals to assist the judicial system in making legal decisions, focusing on fitness to stand trial, sanity, and mental state rather than treatment.