Substance Abuse Expert Witnesses in California

Substance Abuse, Mental Health - Addiction treatment center, Substance abuse, Addiction, Suicide, Family law, ASAM criteria, Alcoholism, PTSD, DUI, Marchman act, Medical malpractice, Baker act, Wrongful death, Suicide prevention, Dram shop, Sexual assault in addiction and mental health facilities

John Puls is a licensed psychotherapist, Master's Certified Addiction Professional (MCAP), clinical social worker, and qualified expert witness based in Florida. He brings over a decade of direct clinical, administrative, and support staff experience across all levels of care in substance abuse and mental health treatment. This includes detoxification units, residential inpatient programs, partial hospitalization programs, outpatient services, crisis stabilization units, and Baker Act receiving facilities. Mr. Puls is recognized for his deep understanding of clinical best practices and standards of care in both mental health and addiction treatment settings. He has designed and implemented evidence-based programming for treatment centers, with a focus on aligning services with state and national standards, including the ASAM Criteria (American Society of Addiction Medicine) for determining appropriate levels of care in addiction treatment. He has been retained as an expert witnes...

Scotts Valley, California

Mental Health, Substance Abuse - Forensics, Homelessness, Chronic Mental Illness, Crisis Intervention, Dual Diagnosis, Substance Use Disorder, Psychosocial Assessments, LPS holds, Conservatorship, Coordinated Care, Jail Mental Health, Social Work, Treatment Planning, Multidisciplinary Teams, Hospital, Psychiatric Inpatient, Behavioral and Social Sciences

Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) – Forensic & Community Mental Health Specialist I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with 17 years of experience in behavioral health, homelessness, substance use, and forensic mental health, including 9 years of post-MSW clinical practice. My professional background spans high-acuity settings such as correctional facilities, psychiatric units, and community-based programs, where I’ve provided direct clinical services, crisis intervention, and care coordination for some of the most vulnerable populations. As a former Mental Health First Aid Instructor for Santa Cruz County Mental Health, I trained county agencies and community-based partners in identifying, understanding, and responding to signs of mental illness and substance use disorders. This role highlights my dedication to community education and building mental health literacy across systems of care. My expertise includes: Crisis intervention and de-escalation Psychiatric risk ass...

Newport Beach, California

Mental Health, Substance Abuse - eating disorder, trauma, PTSD, anorexia, bulimia, obsessive compulsive disorder, OCD, substance abuse, substance use, overdose, treatment, social work, cognitive behavioral therapy, family based treatment, addiction, anxiety, depression, suicide, EMDR, psychology

Sarah Burney, LCSW, CEDS-S, is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Certified Eating Disorder Specialist & Supervisor with over a decade of clinical and leadership experience. She provides expert witness services in cases involving eating disorders, psychiatric standard of care, trauma, and complex mental health conditions. Her areas of expertise include: Eating disorders (anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, ARFID) Psychiatric standard of care and negligence Acute and complex trauma (including PTSD) Substance use disorders Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) Depressive and anxiety disorders Level of care determinations (inpatient, residential, PHP, IOP, outpatient) Risk assessment and clinical decision-making Ms. Burney has extensive experience treating patients across the full continuum of care, including inpatient and outpatient treatment settings for eating disorders, mental health, and substance use disorders. She previously served as a Director at one of ...

San Diego, California

Neuropsychology, Psychology - Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), Concussion, Post Concussion Syndrome (PCS), Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Stroke, Personal Injury, Dementia, Depression, Substance Abuse, Neuropsychological Assessment, Malingering, Neuropsychology, Consultation, Contested Wills

Dr. Lars Hungerford was board certified in clinical neuropsychology through the American Board of Professional Psychology in 2012 and has over 20 years of experience. He is considered a subject matter expert on traumatic brain injury and has extensive experience evaluating patients with brain injuries ranging in severity from mild to severe. He has given numerous invited lectures to national and international audiences on topics such as chronic traumatic encephalopathy, post-concussive syndrome, mild traumatic brain injury, and posttraumatic stress disorder and has been routinely praised for his ability to present complex information in interesting and accessible ways. Dr. Hungerford has worked in various settings (e.g. inpatient hospitals, outpatient hospitals, psychiatric inpatient hospitals, military treatment facilities, and private practice) and is engaged in research, education, and clinical work related to brain injury and associated conditions. He dedicates part of his prac...

Chula Vista, California

Psychology - PTSD, Traumatic Brain Injury, Substance Abuse, Personal Injury, Stress Mitigation, Security Clearance Evaluations, Performance Evaluation, Fitness for Duty, Neurocognitive Screening, High Risk Placement, Suicide Risk Assessment, Psychometric Assessments, Mental Resilence, Emergency Mental Health

Dr. John B. Price is a distinguished licensed clinical psychologist with a robust career in psychological assessment, therapy, and operational psychology, spanning over two decades in the United States Navy. He holds a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology and a Master of Science in Clinical Psychology from Nova Southeastern University, along with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from The University of Arizona, graduating cum laude. Dr. Price has an extensive background in military and sports psychology, focusing on performance enhancement, assessment, and the selection of personnel for high-stress environments. His areas of expertise include traumatic brain injury, stress and resilience assessment, psychophysiological predictors of performance, and the development of selection test batteries. He has conducted significant research in these areas, contributing to advancements in both military and psychological fields. Currently serving as a Special Staff Assistant to the Commodore and Ch...

Los Angeles, California

Psychiatry, Forensic Psychiatry - Psychiatry, Forensic Psychiatry, ADD, ADHD, depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, adderall, Ritalin, trauma, PTSD, suicide, addiction, substance abuse, IME, personal injury, fitness for duty, medical malpractice, disability evaluation, telepsychiatry

NOTE: I exclusively work with attorneys, employers, and insurance carriers. I do not work with self represented plaintiffs / plaintiffs in pro per. I am an Army veteran, double Ivy League trained, and two-time Jeopardy champion general adult psychiatrist with over 15 years experience in the pharmacological and psychotherapeutic treatment of a broad spectrum of psychiatric illnesses. I have served as an expert in medical-legal matters over 100 times and have testified dozens of times. I maintain an active practice in Los Angeles. I look forward to hearing from you soon! Board Certification: American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology Residency: UCLA - Chief Resident of Bipolar Disorders Clinic Medical School: University of Pennsylvania - Appel Award for Most Outstanding Student Entering Field of Psychiatry Undergrad: Brown University - Bachelor of Science in Biology with Honors

Burlingame, California

Emergency Medicine, Urgent Care Medicine - Emergency Medical Services, Emergency Medicine, Urgent Care Medicine, Medical Malpractice, Risk Management, Documentation Analysis, Quality Assurance, Medical Education, Trauma, Child Abuse, Substance Abuse, Overdose

● Board-certified Emergency Medicine physician with over 30 years’ clinical experience. ● Over 10 years’ experience training Emergency Medicine physicians at a Level I Trauma Center. ● Quality Assurance Consultant for the Medical Board of California. ● Experience in Emergency Medicine Documentation Quality Assurance. ● Instructor for the American Academy of Emergency Medicine Oral Board Review Course. ● Clinical and Administrative Urgent Care experience including Medication Assisted Treatment. ● Published author in physical child abuse research. ● Award-winning public speaker. ● Experienced in providing expert witness testimony at both deposition and trial.

Corona, California

Correctional Healthcare, Family Medicine - Jail Healthcare, Substance Abuse, Prison Health, Prison Medicine, Quality Management, Failure to Diagnose, Medical Malpractice, Deliberate Indifference, Jail Medicine, Wound Care, Opioid Use Disorder, Certified Correctional Health Professional, National Commission on Correctional Health Care, NCCHC, CCHP, Active Family Practice

Board-Certified Family Medicine Physician; Independent Medical-Legal Consultant Board-Certified Family Medicine Physician with extensive executive-level leadership experience in correctional health systems, utilization management, medical quality assurance, peer review, credentialing, and regulatory compliance. Provides institutional oversight for medical operations, quality of care, utilization management, and provider performance review. Provides independent, medical-legal consulting focused on standards-of-care analysis, institutional liability, delayed diagnosis, utilization management failures, medical neglect, and regulatory compliance. MEDICAL-LEGAL CONSULTING EXPERTISE INCLUDES: -Institutional standard-of-care analysis -Correctional health & custodial medicine liability -Medical neglect & delayed diagnosis -Utilization management failures -Peer review & provider performance evaluation -Credentialing & privileging standards -Regulatory compliance & quality assurance -Medical...