Assessments at Step Stone
Forensic Assessments
What to Expect with Our Forensic Services
Our forensic psychology services provide objective, evidence-based evaluations for legal and administrative contexts, including criminal (crown and defense), civil, and educational matters. These assessments are tailored to legal referral questions and are conducted with careful documentation so findings can be relied on by courts, lawyers, insurers, employers, educational institutions, or other decision-makers. We prioritize clarity, professional rigour, and transparent limits of confidentiality required in medicolegal work.
Our forensic (legal) assessments can be utilized to evaluate:
Risk and safety (e.g., violence, self-harm, or recidivism assessments)
Diagnostic clarification (e.g., mental health, neurodevelopmental, or cognitive concerns)
Psychological injury and trauma (e.g., workplace or legal claims)
Academic or workplace accommodations (e.g., disability-related supports)
Fitness for duty or return-to-work evaluations
Our forensic assessments and services aim to bring clarity, transparency, and thoughtful clinical judgment to high-stakes questions.
Records Review & Collateral Information
What it is: Comprehensive review of records (medical, psychiatric, criminal, school, workplace) and interviews with collateral sources when appropriate (with consent or by court order).
Why we do it: To verify history, triangulate information, and place clinical findings into legal context.
What to expect: Requests for release of records and, when authorized, contact with treating professionals, probation officers, or family members.
Clinical Interview & History
What it is: A structured clinical interview with the examinee plus a review of developmental, psychiatric, medical, criminal, educational, and employment history.
Why we do it: To form a forensic opinion grounded in history and current presentation.
What to expect: One or more in-depth interviews; documentation of relevant timelines and events.
Standardized Testing & Measures
What it is: Psychometric instruments to assess cognitive functioning, personality, symptom validity, risk, and specific deficits (e.g., neurocognitive testing after brain injury).
Why we do it: To provide objective data that supplements clinical impressions and supports forensic conclusions.
What to expect: Selected tests appropriate to the referral question; interpretation within a medicolegal framework.
Testimony & Consultation (if applicable)
What it is: Expert testimony, pre-trial conferences, or consultation with legal teams as requested.
Observations & Behavioral Data
What it is: Recorded observations during assessment sessions and, when relevant, structured behavioural tasks or simulated scenarios.
Why we do it: To document functioning in controlled settings and assess consistency with reported symptoms.
What to expect: Observations by clinicians to determine communication and behavior during sessions.
What is Included?
Report Writing & Feedback
What it is: A detailed, court-ready report that answers the specific legal questions, summarizes methods and findings, and offers clear conclusions and limitations.
For questions about whether a forensic evaluation is appropriate for your case, or for instructions on submitting records and formal referrals, please contact our clinic. We can discuss scope, timelines, and next steps.
Behind the Scenes
Dr. Nina Vitopoulos, our forensic lead, has been qualified as an expert witness in clinical, forensic, and developmental psychology and has testified in provincial and superior-level courtrooms. Together, she and her team brings years and diverse experiences in forensic clinical psychology to ensure support for you and your family.