Elena Kennedy, MD

Plano, Texas
Elena Kennedy, MD Expert Witness

State Hospital Psychiatrist/Highly Experienced

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Specialties & Experience of this Expert Witness

General Specialties:

Psychiatry and Mental Health

Keywords/Search Terms:

Severe/Chronic Mental Illness, Long Term Treatment, Involuntary Treatment, Jail/State Hospitals, Evidence-based treatment, Bipolar disorder, Schizophrenia/psychosis, Danger to self, Danger to others, PTSD, Medication Management, Psychiatric Emergencies, Standard of Care, Psychotropic medications

Education:

MD, FCM - UNA (Paraguay); General Psychiatrist, UT Southwestern (Dallas, TX)

Years in Practice:

15

Number of Times Deposed/Testified in Last 4 Yrs:

500+

Additional Information

Based in Texas, Dr. Kennedy, MD (former Dr. Ammatuna) is a board-certified psychiatrist with over 15 years of clinical experience treating adults with a wide range of mental health conditions, including complex and high-acuity cases and has extensive experience as an expert witness across Texas Mental Health Courts, with involvement in 500+ testimonies, independent medical evaluations (IMEs), and case reviews. Her work in legal settings is grounded in clear, objective psychiatric analysis and a deep understanding of mental health and medical standard of care. Dr. Kennedy has served as a staff psychiatrist and Behavioral Unit Director in Texas state hospitals (Terrell, North Texas, Big Spring), treating both civil and forensic populations. She has also worked as Medical Director in community psychiatric clinics (MHMR), overseeing care for individuals with severe and persistent mental illness. Her experience includes serving as a consulting psychiatrist for multidisciplinary teams, as well as collaborating with nurse practitioners in Texas rural counties, behavioral health specialists, and Mental Health Authorities. She has provided psychiatric consultation within Texas state jail systems and Mobile Crisis Outreach Teams (MCOTs), managing complex, high-risk cases across diverse settings. In addition, Dr. Kennedy has held a role as clinical faculty, supervising and mentoring medical students and psychiatric residents from Texas Tech, UNT and UT Tyler. Dr. Kennedy is fluent in English and Spanish, allowing her to effectively serve diverse populations. She is known for her clear clinical reasoning, thorough evaluations, and ability to provide well-supported, defensible opinions in both psychiatric and clinical contexts. Services include: Interpretation & Review of Medical Records & Reports; Medical Summary Reports; Reports Answering Specific Medical Questions; Assessment of Future Medical Costs; Assessment of Causation; Question Preparation for Depositions & Trial; Referral to Appropriate Medical Experts; Tableside Deposition & Trial Assistance