Intellectual Disability Expert Witnesses

Psychology, Forensic Psychology - Autism, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Autism Evaluation and Diagnosis, Developmental Disabilities, Intellectual Disability, Global Developmental Delay, Intelligence Testing, Adaptive Functioning, Clinical Psychology, Competency to Stand Trial Evaluation

Dr. Sheryll Casuga has been practicing in the field of autism since 2008. Dr. Casuga is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist specializing in the evaluation and diagnosis of autism, intellectual disability, and other neurodevelopmental disorders. Dr. Casuga has been working as a Staff Psychologist at the Regional Center of the East Bay (RCEB) in California since 2014, wherein she performs yearly about 100 diagnostic evaluations on autism and intellectual disability, and reviews over 300 developmental disability claims cases per year. Dr. Casuga has been serving as the Forensic Psychology Specialist for RCEB since 2015. Dr. Casuga has been appointed as a Licensed Board Member of the California Board of Psychology currently serving her second term. She also serves as a Clinical Director for the Healthy Minds Program at the Special Olympics in Northern California and Nevada. Dr. Casuga received her Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) degree from John F. Kennedy University in Pleasant Hill, C...

Pediatric Psychiatry, Psychiatry - Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist, Traumatic Injury, Abuse, Standard of Care, Residential Treatment, Addiction, Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress, Disability, Suicide Risk Evaluation, Self Harm, Capacity, Impulse Control, Executive Functioning, Panic Disorder, Intellectual Disability

Dr. Jain’s interest in psychiatry began as an undergraduate at USC where she majored in Neuroscience and graduated Magna Cum Laude. She then went onto Medical School at SUNY Downstate followed by a psychiatry residency at UCLA San Fernando Valley. She then went on to become Chief Resident while completing her fellowship in Child Psychiatry at Harbor-UCLA. She is currently double board certified in Psychiatry as well as Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. She has further gone on to become a certified Buprenorphine prescriber, a PEERS certified provider (to provide social skills training to patients on the Autism Spectrum) and a certified psychedelic assisted therapist. Dr. Jain currently works at Renfrew Center for Eating Disorders in Los Angeles; sees patients in Imperial County via telemedicine; and has co-founded Ocean Bay Psychiatry in Santa Monica and treats children, adolescents, and adults. Her practice includes, but is not limited to; the treatment of Adjustment Disorder, A...

Pediatric Neurology - Child Neurology, Hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy, HIE, brain injury, perinatal/birth asphyxia, concussion, headache, seizures, epilepsy, cerebral palsy, developmental delay, intellectual disability, autism, ADHD

Dr. Brian Wong is a Board Certified Neurologist with Special Qualification in Child Neurology. He maintains an active medical practice as a Medical Director at Cortica, a multi-disciplinary clinic for children and adults with neurodevelopmental disorders. He completed his post-graduate training at Children's Hospital of Los Angeles, and medical school training at Albert Einstein College of Medicine.

Neuropsychology, Psychology - Autism Spectrum Disorder, Trauma, Developmental Disability, Intellectual Disability, Child Abuse, Sexual Abuse, PTSD, Posttraumatic Stress, ADHD, anxiety, mood disorder, neurodevelopmental disorders, Colorado, California, Nevada, Florida, Interjurisdictional Practice Certificate (IPC)

I am a Clinical Neuropsychologist and Board-Certified Behavior Analyst, Doctoral (BCBA-D). I have trained and worked in the field for over 30 years. I am founder and president of Emerge, which is a private practice clinic focused on the diagnosis and treatment of mental health conditions with a specialty in serving those with autism, neurodevelopmental disorders, ADHD, anxiety, and mood disorders. I am board certified in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and a licensed psychologist in Colorado, Nevada and Florida. I also have an Interjurisdictional Practice Certificate (IPC), authorizing me to practice in 33 States (see https://psypact.org/mpage/psypactmap for details). In addition to my credentials outlined above, I received additional post-graduate training in Pivotal Response Treatment at University of California Santa Barbara and in ABA at University of North Texas. I held administrative positions at and/or helped commence five treatment programs for young children with autism...

Pediatric Psychiatry, Neuropsychiatry - autism, intellectual disability, aggression, self-injurious behavior, challenging behaviors, psychopharmacology, behavioral interventions, catatonia, electroconvulsive therapy, restraint and seclusion, residential treatment

I have worked for the past 17 years managing an inpatient hospital unit dedicated to the care of children, adolescents and young adults with autism and other forms of neurodevelopmental disability who present with comorbid psychiatric and behavioral pathology. I have extensive experience in the psychopharmacological and behavioral management of such youth, as well as the myriad complementary interventions and services they may require. I am very familiar with the standard of care for such individuals in both inpatient and outpatient settings, including usage of restraint and seclusion, as well as issues related to school and residential placements. I have additional expertise in pediatric catatonia, and the usage of electroconvulsive therapy in the treatment of childhood mood, psychotic and catatonic disorders. I have provided expert witness services over the past 8 years in a variety of cases involving best clinical and educational practices, psychopharmacology, restraint and s...

Psychiatry, Pediatric Psychiatry - Forensic Psychiatry, Emotional Damages, PTSD, Effects of Trauma, Sexual Abuse, Child Testimony, Standard of Care, Psychopharmacology, Psychiatric Diagnosis, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Intellectual Disability, Developmental Delay, Brain Injury, Criminal Responsibility, Fitness for Duty, Record Review

Dr. Sherak is Board Certified in Psychiatry, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Forensic Psychiatry. Over the past 30 years Dr. Sherak has been an invited trainer at professional organizations of physicians, nurses, social workers, attorneys, EMTs, and physicians in training. Dr. Sherak served as Medical Director of the Whitney Academy, a residential school treating Intellectually Disabled and Developmentally Delayed adolescent male sexual offenders, for 17 years and he continues to work with and consult on this population ans well as on individuals with Intellectual Disability, Developmental Delay and Brain Injury. Dr. Sherak has provided over 200 Fitness for Duty assessments for the United States Postal Service, local Police and Fire Departments and biohazard labs.

Psychiatry, Nursing Homes - behavioral health facility, skilled nursing facility, intermediate care behavioral health facility, developmental disability, intellectual disability, patient falls, restraints, restrictive interventions, sedation, psychiatric care, director of nursing, nursing administration, group homes

Board-certified psychiatric nurse with leadership and clinical experience in a variety of practice settings. Experienced as a director of nursing and bedside nurse at behavioral health facilities, skilled nursing facilities and an intermediate care behavioral health facility serving patients with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Former clinical trial manager. Specialty Focus: behavioral health facility, skilled nursing facility, intermediate care behavioral health facility, developmental disability, intellectual disability, assisted living, patient falls, restraints, restrictive interventions, sedation, psychiatric care, director of nursing, nursing administration, group homes, risk management, policies and procedures, antipsychotics, side effects, psychiatry, psychiatric nurse, psychiatric nursing, outpatient, inpatient, nursing home, dysphagia, assaults, biting, aggressive behavior, retardation

Pediatrics - Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics, domestic adoption, special education school services, premature infants, adoption, foster care, child trauma, racism, bullying, autism, intellectual disability, genetic disorders, learning problems, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders, intercountry adoption

I am a board-certified Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrician with 20 years of experience and expertise in developmental disabilites, behavioral conditions, child trauma, racism, adoption and foster care.

Pediatrics - Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics, domestic adoption, special education school services, premature infants, adoption, foster care, child trauma, racism, bullying, autism, intellectual disability, genetic disorders, learning problems, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders, intercountry adoption

I am a board-certified Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrician with 20 years of experience and expertise in developmental disabilites, behavioral conditions, child trauma, racism, adoption and foster care.