Forensic Psychiatry

What is Forensic Psychiatry?

Forensic Psychiatry is a subspecialty of psychiatry in which mental health overlaps with the law, and where clinical expertise is applied to various legal issues including civil (e.g. child custody and access), criminal (e.g. fitness to stand trial, violence), correctional or legislative matters.

Forensic psychiatry services are primarily provided at the Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre (ROMHC) and Brockville Mental Health Centre (BMHC).

Services provided by the Forensic Program include:

• Inpatient Program consisting of 2 medium high secure double-locked pre-trial assessment wards of 9 & 12 beds; 3 medium secure single-locked wards of 16 & 24 & 16 beds. NGRI acquittees in 60 beds, including a 15 bed minimal secure unit. There is a 100 bed inpatient facility for seriously mentally ill offenders.
• Outpatient Program: provides comprehensive services including a specialized research clinic for the assessment and treatment of sexual deviation, and a research clinic for dysfunctional anger.
• Family Court Clinic: an outpatient service for the assessment of divorce-custody issues, and child welfare cases; also assessment of young offenders (juveniles).