CarePlus NJ Partners with Board Certified Forensic Psychiatrist to Provide Psychiatric Assessments, Expert Testimony, and Linkage to Care

Range of services available to legal counsel, courts, and departments of probation and corrections

Paramus, N.J. (April 5, 2022) – Care Plus NJ, Inc. (“CarePlus NJ”), a pioneer in integrated primary and behavioral health services for adults and children, announces the launch of its Forensic Psychiatric Consultation Services, which provides a range of comprehensive services to assist legal counsel, courts, and probation and corrections departments in northern New Jersey in a cost effective and timely manner.

Through CarePlus NJ’s Forensic Psychiatric Consultation Services mental health evaluations are conducted in accordance with The American Psychiatric Association’s DSM-5, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition and can take place at a mental health facility, a designated space in the courthouse, attorney office, a hospital, or correctional facility. Services include:

Forensic Assessments - In-depth and objective psychiatric evaluations, record reviews, and detailed reporting. Psychiatric evaluations include a diagnosis, mental status assessment, prognosis, treatment recommendations and treatment plans as well as address referral questions regarding competency, pre-sentence, post-sentence, pre-pleading, guardianship, disability, psychiatric fitness to return to work, placement recommendations, and dangerousness.

Collaboration with The Courts - Court appearances can be provided by one of CarePlus NJ’s experts. In-person or virtual appearances can be arranged.​

Expert Testimony - Providing streamlined access to experts who have extensive knowledge in their field for organizations that require recurring services in cases including but not limited to: child custody, firearm competency, guardianship, disability diagnosis, domestic violence, levels of trauma and PTSD, psychiatric fitness to return to work and levels of dangerousness

Consultation services can also address the policy and procedure of psychiatric practices in mental health or correctional facilities.

The program draws upon the expertise of Diana L. Riccioli, MD, a forensic psychiatrist who is board certified in psychiatry and neurology, and forensic psychiatry. Practicing psychiatry since 1995, Dr. Riccioli has a breadth of experience working in various settings including private practice, inpatient, outpatient, crisis intervention and corrections. Additionally, Dr. Riccioli has served as a court consultant, and has provided expert testimony in court and during depositions.

After graduating from the University of Bologna Medical School, Dr. Riccioli went on to complete her psychiatry residency at St. Vincent Hospital and Medical Center and her forensic psychiatry fellowship at New York University Medical Center. Licensed to practice medicine in New Jersey and New York, Dr. Riccioli is also a member of the American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry, American Psychiatric Association, American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law and the New Jersey Psychiatric Association.

“We are pleased to partner with Dr. Riccioli to provide a comprehensive range of forensic consultation services to legal counsel, courts, and probation and corrections departments in northern New Jersey,” said Amie Del Sordo, Senior Vice President of Hospital and Community Services, CarePlus NJ. “As a premier provider of integrated primary and behavioral health care, not only are we able to engage our experts to evaluate the competency and mental status of individuals, but we can also link them to the wraparound treatment and supportive services they need after a case is resolved.”

Once a referral is placed and an appointment is scheduled, medical-legal records are sent for review and a discussion with the referral source will take place to ascertain purpose of the evaluation. Following the evaluation, a written report will be rendered with psychiatric legal opinion and treatment recommendations. Additionally, testimony in court from a CarePlus NJ expert is available upon request.

For more information about CarePlus NJ’s Forensic Consultation Services, please visit www.careplusnj.org/forensic-psychiatry-evaluation. To make a referral, contact Maura Perez at (201) 527-0807.

About CarePlus NJ

For more than 40 years, Care Plus NJ, Inc. (“CarePlus NJ”) has been a pioneer in integrated primary and behavioral health services for adults and children in northern New Jersey. Based in Paramus, New Jersey, CarePlus NJ is committed to providing the most comprehensive integrated treatment options through 80 programs designed to meet the full spectrum of health and wellness needs for adults and children in the communities it serves. Specializing in acute care, CarePlus NJ provides immediate, high-quality health services and support programs for individuals in crisis. Nationally ranked for excellence in customer satisfaction by the Mental Health Corporations of America, CarePlus NJ is mission driven ensuring that anyone who needs it has access to specialized care. To learn more about CarePlus NJ and its wide range of programs and services, visit https://www.careplusnj.org/.