Forensic mental health deals with people who are involved in the legal system, both criminal and civil. There is a need for expertise and an unbiased source of information to navigate the complex intersection of behavioral health and the law. This talk will introduce the UW Center for Mental Health, Policy and the Law, an interdisciplinary collaboration focused on education, research, policy, and clinically-based services at the interfaces of behavioral health and the law. It will explain why education, programming, and workforce development in forensic mental health matters – even for those without regular involvement with the legal system.

Dr. Piel is the Director of the UW Center for Mental Health, Policy and the Law and Associate Professor of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences at the University of Washington. Her expertise includes general psychiatric illness and condition and psychotherapies.