Adult Forensic Psychiatric Services

Forensic psychiatry is a branch of medicine which focuses on the interface of law and mental health. WellSpan Health offers these services in the communities we serve and may include psychiatric consultation in a wide variety of legal matters (sometimes with expert testimony), as well as clinical work.

Evaluations

WellSpan Behavioral Health offers a variety of evaluations that can aid in evaluating mental health status.  These evaluations can be applied to issues in legal contexts embracing civil, criminal and correctional or legislative matters.

Types of evaluations offered include:

• Criminal evaluations
  • Competency to stand trial
  • Criminal responsibility
  • Treatment recommendations to the courts to aid in sentencing
  • Consultation to the courts, defense counsel and district attorney's office on psychiatric issues
• Civil evaluations 
  • Independent psychiatric evaluations for insurance company disability evaluations 
  • Independent psychiatric evaluations for corporations regarding individual employee issues 
  • Independent psychiatric evaluations for fitness for duty and dangerousness involving medicine, law enforcement, Department of Defense, Department of Veteran's Affairs, Homeland Security and Immigration and Naturalization Services 
  • Evaluations and consultation on standard of care issues, medical malpractice and negligence
  • Various competency evaluations such as incapacitated persons, medical decision making, testamentory capacity, financial responsibility and others.

Provider(s)

A forensic psychiatrist is a medical doctor (M.D. or D.O.) who has completed several years of additional training in the understanding, diagnosis, and treatment of mental disorders. These physicians complete four years of medical school followed by a four year psychiatric residency. Some practitioners of forensic psychiatry have additional training and/or experience related to the various interfaces of mental health (or mental illness) with the law.

Current Provider(s)
Joseph A. Buzogany M.D. serves as Program Director of Forensic Services, WellSpan Behavioral Health and adult forensic psychiatrist.  He performs evaluations, provides expert consultation and court testimony.  Since beginning with WellSpan Health, he has provided numerous evaluations for York County courts, the Pennsylvania State Medical Board, York Hospital, Department of Veteran's Affairs, Homeland Security, Immigration and Naturalization Service, several insurance companies, corporations and others.

Dr. Buzogany is board certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology in General Psychiatry and has also received board certification by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology in General Psychiatry with added qualifications in Forensic Psychiatry. 

As an established member of the WellSpan Medical Group, Dr. Buzogany has performed hundreds of evaluations in both the criminal and civil settings.  He has established an agreement with York County MHMR to provide evaluations for the indigent defendants of York County.  He has forged a strong relationship with the local legal community. In addition to his forensic work, he maintains a robust practice serving the community in general adult psychiatry, ECT and medical education.

Dr. Buzogany's curriculum vitae

For more information about our forensic psychiatry services or to refer a client for an evaluation, please call (717) 812-4225 or (717) 812-4053.