David Contreras, PsyD, ABPP - Pacific Forensic Group

Dr. Contreras specializes in Juvenile Forensic Psychological Assessment (Adolescent - Child), including Juvenile Competency to Stand Trial, Transfer/Waiver to Adult Court, Sexual Offenses, and Diagnostic or Dispositional Evaluations. Dr. Contreras is Board Certified in Forensic Psychology by the American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP), a distinction held by less than 45 psychologists in California. He is one of only a small number of California Bord Certified Forensic Psychologists who specializes in juvenile matters.

Dr. Contreras is a Senior Psychologist Specialist in the Department of State Hospitals - Patton (DSH-P) Forensic Evaluation Department. His primary duties include conducting evaluations of competency to stand trial, violence risk, and suitability for conditional release. Dr. Contreras is actively involved in education, research, and training relating to forensic assessment. Dr. Contreras is a primary supervisor in the Patton State Hospital postdoctoral fellowship program and coordinates the assessment seminar for the APA-accredited clinical psychology internship program. He additionally serves on a select panel of experts addressing juvenile competency matters in Los Angeles County.

Dr. Contreras has provided training in the assessment of response style, competency to stand trial, violence risk assessment, and developmental considerations in juvenile forensic assessment. His clinical and research interests include psychometrics, report writing, and assessment of response style.

Dr. Contreras received his doctorate in clinical psychology from the University of La Verne. He completed his pre-doctoral internship at Arkansas State Hospital and a Forensic Postdoctoral Fellowship at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences/Arkansas State Hospital.

Services

The Pacific Forensic Group is a firm of nine highly credentialed experts in the areas of forensic psychology, neuropsychology and neurology. Our collective services include: Child and Adult Personal Injury, Traumatic Brain Injury, PTSD, Toxic Exposure, Testamentary Capacity, Standard of Care, Housing Discrimination, Nursing Home Care, Employment Discrimination & Harassment, Mitigation & Resentencing, Violence Risk, Sexual Violence Risk Assessment, Trial Competency, Criminal Responsibility/NGRI, MSO and Intent, Diversion, Franklin Evaluations, Disputed Confession, Malingering, Trauma and Offending, Juvenile Competency, Filicide, Threat Assessment, Transfer Hearings, Back Injuries, Spinal Injuries, Disposition Evaluations, 730 Evaluations, Child Witness Credibility, Fitness for Duty, Disability, Discrimination/Harassment, Defense Base Act, Priest Violence Risk Assessment, IME's, ADHD.

Areas of Expertise

Additional Expertise:

Child and Adult Personal Injury, PTSD, Toxic Exposure, Housing Discrimination, Nursing Home Care, Employment Harassment, Mitigation & Resentencing, Sexual Violence Risk Assessment, Competence to Stand Trial, Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity, MSO and Intent, Diversion, Franklin Evaluations, Disputed Confession, Malingering, Trauma and Offending, Juvenile Competency, Transfer Hearings, Disposition Evaluations, 730 Evaluations, Child Witness Credibility, Disability, Discrimination/Harassment, Defense Base Act, Priest Violence Risk Assessment, ADHD, Filicide, Threat Assessment, Qualified Medical Evaluations (QMEs) and Agreed Medical Evaluations (AMEs).

Areas Served

California

Professional Experience

Senior Psychologist, Specialist March 2021 – Present
California Department of State Hospitals – Patton
Forensic Evaluation Department
Maximum Security Forensic State Hospital
Patton, California
• Forensic psychology consultant to interdisciplinary teams at DSH – Patton on matters related to risk of dangerousness, extension of commitment, competency to stand trial, and malingering.
• Prepare court reports addressing patient suitability for discharge into the California Forensic Conditional Release Program (CONREP)
• Prepare court reports and psychological assessments addressing competency to stand trial, malingering, and cognitive functioning.

Forensic Evaluator August 2018 – Present
Los Angeles County Superior Court - Juvenile Delinquency Court
General Expert Witness Panel and Juvenile Competency Panel
Los Angeles, CA
• Qualified as a court-appointed expert to address issues related to juvenile competency, transfer, disposition, and dangerousness.
• One of nine forensic mental health professionals completing first-contact juvenile competency evaluations for the Los Angeles County Delinquency Court. Members of the panel also serve as subject matter experts for juvenile competency policies in Los Angeles County.

University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) September 2016 – August 2017 Post-Doctoral Fellowship in Forensic Psychology
Academic Medical Center/ Forensic State Hospital
Little Rock, Arkansas
Supervisors: Mark Peacock, Ph.D., Benjamin Silber, Ph.D., Melissa Dannacher, Psy.D.
• Formal postdoctoral fellowship in forensic psychology offered through the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and Arkansas State Hospital.
• Approved for five-year experience waiver by the American Board of Forensic Psychology (ABFP).
• Conducted forensic evaluations secondary to competence to stand trial, mental state at the time of the offense, malingering, culpable mental state, and assessment of future dangerousness.
• Conducted preemployment post-offer psychological evaluations of Arkansas State Hospital police officers.
• Conducted both inpatient and outpatient forensic evaluations with juvenile and adult defendants.

Arkansas Division of Behavioral Health Services August 2015 – August 2016 Arkansas State Hospital (ASH) (APA Accredited)
Forensic State Hospital
Little Rock, Arkansas

Inpatient Forensic Treatment /Forensic Evaluation Rotation I and II
Supervisors: Brittani Baldwin-Gracey, Psy.D., Michael Simon, Ph.D., Benjamin Silber, Ph.D., Melissa Dannacher, Psy.D.
• Conducted forensic evaluations and made recommendations to the courts regarding competency to stand trial, malingering, violence risk assessment, mental state at the time of the offense, juvenile sentencing, and culpable mental state.
• Co-facilitated weekly Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) psychotherapy groups with male and female forensic inpatients.
• Identified antecedents and functions of patient behaviors to create positive behavior support plans for patients exhibiting problematic behaviors.

Adolescent Sex Offender Treatment/Adolescent Civil Commitment Rotation
Supervisors: Hillary Hunt, Ph.D., Taisha Jones, Ph.D.
• Conducted psychodiagnostic evaluations with adolescent males ages 13-17 upon admission to the Arkansas State Hospital Adolescent Sex Offender Treatment Program.
• Performed exit evaluations for adolescent males being released from the ASH Adolescent Sex Offender Treatment Program.
• Co-facilitated four weekly DBT groups with adolescent male sex offenders and civilly committed male and female adolescents.
• Created positive behavior support plans for patients exhibiting problematic behaviors.


Community Mental Health Rotation – Counseling Center Inc.
Supervisor: Shea Stillwell, Psy.D.
• Managed a caseload of approximately 25 racially and socioeconomically diverse outpatients in a community mental health center.
• Completed weekly intake assessments of patients referred by various community agencies.
• Submitted monthly treatment plans and collaborated with probation officers, substance abuse counselors, and agency social workers to provide updates on treatment progress and establish aftercare placement.


Staff Psychologist September 2017 – March 2021
California Department of State Hospitals – Patton
Maximum Security Forensic State Hospital
Patton, California
• Staff psychologist on an acute admission unit housing individuals deemed incompetent to stand trial pursuant to PC 1370.
• Prepare court reports and psychological assessments addressing competency to stand trial, malingering, and cognitive functioning.

California Department of State Hospitals – Patton September 2014 – July 2015
Psychology Assessment Clerk
Maximum Security Forensic State Hospital
Patton, California
Supervisors: Allen Kilian, Ph.D., Alexandra Linscott, Ph.D.
• Completed comprehensive psychological evaluations addressing competency to stand trial, malingering, neuropsychological functioning, and psychodiagnostic clarification in a 1200-bed State Forensic Psychiatric Hospital housing patients adjudicated incompetent to stand trial, not guilty by reason of insanity, and mentally disordered offenders.
• Consulted with multidisciplinary teams to provide recommendations to courts regarding competency to stand trial, community release, and alternative placement.
• Attended weekly advanced forensic seminars discussing validity testing, risk assessment, psychometrics, and an introduction to landmark mental health cases.

Sharper Future August 2013 – August 2014 Predoctoral Practicum Student
Federally Contracted Sex Offender Management Program
Los Angeles, California
Supervisor: Adam Yerke, Psy.D., David Cordero, Psy.D.
• Provided intensive group and individual psychotherapy to economically and racially diverse male adult sex offenders who were federally and state mandated to treatment.
• Maintained a case load of approximately 10 adult offenders and developed quarterly treatment plans addressing problematic sexual behaviors, antisocial attitudes, and various mental health concerns.
• Utilized a manualized treatment curriculum integrating relapse prevention, The Good Lives Model, and the Risk, Needs, Responsivity principles.
• Conducted structured risk assessments evaluating risk factors for recidivism.
• Prepared and completed reports within state mandated time frames and communicated outcomes to parole agents, primary therapists, and supervising staff per the Containment Model.
• Received training in the development of polygraph questions, sex-offender specific assessment instruments, and psychometric considerations in assessing risk of sexual offending.

Aurora Charter Oak Hospital September 2012 – August 2013 Predoctoral Practicum Student
Inpatient Psychiatric Hospital
Covina, California
Supervisors: Philip Snyder, Ph.D., Alejandra Lopez, Psy.D., Lori O'Rourke, Psy.D.
• Provided crisis intervention, individual psychotherapy, and collateral family meetings with severely mentally ill and dually diagnosed patients presenting with schizophrenia, bipolar, major depression, PTSD, substance abuse, trauma, and personality disorders.
• Conducted group psychotherapy focused on the development of coping skills and processing of thoughts and emotions with civilly committed adult and adolescent inpatient populations.

Licenses

Licensed Psychologist - CA Board of Psychology

Affiliations

Patton State Hospital
American Academy of Forensic Psychology
APA Division 41 American Psychology-Law Society
American Psychological Association

Qualifications

American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP)
Board Certified in Forensic Psychology
November 2022

Seminars & Training

Certifications:

Author Approved Trainer – HCR 20v3
• Completed the 2021 Official HCR-20v3 Train-the-Trainer Program
• Approved by Kevin Douglas, Ph.D., LL.B to provide foundational HCR-20v3 trainings within the California Department of State Hospitals system.

Certified Sex Offender Treatment Provider September 2013 – September 2015
California Sex Offender Management Board
Apprentice Practitioner Level

Publications

Research:

Co-Investigator October 2020 – Present
Elise Yenne, Ph.D., David Contreras, Psy.D., Sean Evans, Ph.D., and Gabriele Trupp, Ph.D.
Computational Linguistic Analysis of Forensic Mental Health Reports
Department of Psychology, DSH – Patton, Patton, California
• Study utilizing Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC) to examine linguistic characteristics between opinion type and defendant characteristics in a sample of competency to stand trial evaluations in a large inpatient psychiatric facility.
Dissertation Defended April 27, 2016
Chair: Richard Rogers, Ph.D.
Title: An examination of the relationship between competitive anxiety, neuroticism, stress, and coping in student-athletes
• Study examining the relationship between psychosocial factors and multidimensional competitive trait anxiety (somatic, cognitive) in a sample of non-scholarship collegiate student-athletes.

Research Assistant September 2012 – August 2016 Health Psychology Research Lab Supervisor: Luci Martin, PhD.
• I assisted with research projects focused on health promotion and disease prevention. Tasks include conducting literature reviews, abstract, poster and manupreparation, and data collection and management.
• Responsible for maintaining health psychology research lab database and integrity of physiological data (salivary cortisol) collected through numerous studies relating broadly to the field of health psychology.
• Attended weekly meetings to address study design, contemporary topics in health psychology, and lab funding.
• Projects include:
o Psychological, Behavioral and Sociocultural Predictors of Cardiovascular Health
o Psychological Predictors of Physiological Reactivity during Social and Cognitive Activities
o Stretch Yourself: Strengthening Emotional Health and Resiliency in Athletes

Rodriguez, D., Contreras, D., Martin, L., & Granquist, M. (2013). Differences in the health behaviors of student athletes and nonathletes. Presented at the Western Psychological Association 94th Annual Conference, Portland, OR
Granquist, M., Contreras, D., Washington, L., & Martin, L. (2013). What is an athletic injury?: Definition and measurement issues. Presented at the Association for Applied Sport Psychology Annual Conference, New Orleans, LA
Contreras, D., Sullivan, R., Bosshart, K., Assouline, S., Riverayra, P., & Quezada, M.
(2012). The effects of stigma on college student's mental health seeking. Presented at the Western Psychological Association 92nd Annual Convention, Burlingame, CA
Sullivan, R., Contreras, D., Bosshart, K., Assouline, S., Riverayra, P., & Quezada, M. (2012). The effects of college standing on concealment of mental health difficulties. Presented at the Western Psychological Association 92nd Annual Convention, Burlingame, CA
Contreras, D. (2010). The effects of perceived drinking norms and motives of college athletes. Presented at the Western Psychological Association 91st Annual Convention, Los Angeles, CA

Education

Psy.D., Clinical Psychology August 2016
University of La Verne, La Verne, California
(Accredited by the American Psychological Association)

Master of Science, Psychology September 2013
University of La Verne

Bachelor of Science, Psychology December 2010
University of La Verne