Forensic and Child Custody Evaluations

Here are my qualifications for NBFE certification.

After extensive training and testing through The National Board of Forensic Evaluators (NBFE), I received the diplomate status of Certified Forensic Mental Health Evaluator and Certified Child Custody Evaluator.

I received my license in 1987 and have served as a Licensed Professional Counselor in various settings. I have extensive training in IQ and achievement testing through the TEA (Texas Education Agency) Region 10 service center and have used various psychological testing throughout my career. As a Licensed Professional Counselor, I can use any psychological test my training permits except for projective testing such as the Rorschach inkblot test.

As director of the Family Crisis Center, I oversaw a drug court program. I frequently attended court hearings for participants in the program, and I accompanied victims of domestic violence to court hearings as well.

While serving as a counselor for children in foster care, I attended the court hearing. I testified to the children’s mental health and made recommendations for their continued care and custody arrangements. As Executive Director of Big Brothers Big Sisters of La Plata County in Colorado, I conducted extensive interviews, background checks, and home studies to qualify volunteers for the program.

What is the NBFE?

“NBFE was initially established in 2003 to enhance skills of licensed mental health professionals and forensic counselors, otherwise not effectively trained, or recognized by the public or private sector, as well as by the legal or mental health field. Eligible candidates will be professionally recognized and nationally credentialed with NBFE certification. In 2009 NBFE became a not-for-profit charitable corporation.” (National Board of Forensic Evaluators, Inc. – https://www.nbfe.net/History?emulatemode=2)

“NBFE was established to promote and serve the continuing education needs of licensed mental health professionals and forensic counselors nationally. Additionally, NBFE serves families of difficult children by providing specialized treatment plans. This is accomplished through a professional team approach used to assess and diagnose attention deficit hyperactivity disorders, autism, disruptive behaviors, oppositional defiant disorders, and various other problematic child behavioral issues.” (National Board of Forensic Evaluators, Inc. – https://www.nbfe.net/History?emulatemode=2)

“After years of facing the scrutiny of Voir Dire*, Dr. Hoffman took on his greatest challenge creating a credible-evidentiary based process, training and certifying eligible licensed professional counselors to testify in court as experts.” (National Board of Forensic Evaluators, Inc. – https://www.nbfe.net/History?emulatemode=2)

“There are over two-hundred thousand, licensed, (non-psychiatrists – psychologists) mental health professionals in the United States. Many of whom are looking towards obtaining specialized certification training and stature in providing forensic mental health evaluations, and expert court testimony. Therefore, it became necessary to develop a credible and professionally recognized training/certification process for licensed mental health professionals. Thus, NBFE was created.”

Evaluations serve a legal purpose.

My goals and mission as a Forensic Mental Health Evaluator and Child Custody Evaluator are: to perform extensive client interviews, use appropriate psychological evaluations, collect pertinent collateral information, complete home studies, and include all information to provide a thorough evaluation.

Information provided during a mental health evaluation offers valuable information for making legal decisions, and child custody evaluation helps assess the best outcome for the child.

I have the experience to help with either evaluation. For more information about this service, please get in touch with me.

*Voire Dire [vwär ˈdir] is a hearing to determine the admissibility of evidence, or the competency of a witness.