Summit Behavioral Healthcare

Inpatient Forensic Evaluations

Summit Behavioral Healthcare is the largest freestanding psychiatric facility in Ohio. It provides services to 300 patients each day. The hospital ranks among the most highly accredited facilities in Cincinnati and Southwest Ohio on JCAHO, Medicare, and Medicaid surveys.

SBH is host to several programs that have won state and national awards, including Psychiatric Hospital of the Year for 2000 by NAMI - Ohio. The current hospital building – built at a cost of $46 million – opened in July 2006.

Throughout the year, patients under the criminal court’s jurisdiction come to SBH’s forensic units for evaluations or treatment related to the adjudicative competence or sanity at the time of the alleged offense.

At SBH, UC fellows serve as independent consultants to the hospital. The fellows evaluate inpatients for dangerousness, violence, risk assessment, competency to stand trial, and sanity and write reports on these evaluations for Ohio courts. In addition, the fellows testify as experts in court on selected cases.

What Do UC Fellows Say About the Summit Rotation?

“I enjoyed the variety of cases at SBH. I appreciated the opportunity to complete movement reports and expert evaluations that added some variety. The staff members are quite welcoming and ready to help whenever I have questions.”

“Great diverse patient population and wonderful facilities. We were able to learn how to do many types of important evaluations at SBH and the teaching and support staff were superb!”

“Wonderful place to work, great staff and facilities. The organization and treatment approach is state of the art, and everyone here goes out of their way to make us feel welcome.”

Hamilton County Probate Court

On this 12-month, part-time rotation, forensic psychiatry fellows serve as evaluators and expert witnesses concerning respondents facing potential civil commitment. Fellows serve as actual expert witnesses who provide information critical to legal determinations about involuntary hospitalization and forced medication.

As they provide independent evaluations and testimony for the local probate court, fellows improve their skills as expert witnesses and help attorneys learn more about psychiatric diagnosis and treatment.

What Do UC Fellows Say About the Probate Court Rotation?

“Probate court has been a great starting point in getting experience testifying. The workload is just right, and the attorneys and magistrates treat the doctors fairly and with respect. There are a lot of severely ill patients and interesting cases.”

“Probate Court offered an excellent opportunity to practice and refine testimony.”

“Great testifying experience.”

“Probably my favorite experience during fellowship. I learned a lot about evaluating patients and loved the opportunity of testifying.”

Adams County Jail and Probation Telehealth Clinics

Through a collaboration between Adams County and the University of Cincinnati, fellows evaluate and treat justice-involved individuals at the Adams County Jail and probation clinics. This rotation fulfills ACGME requirements for a correctional psychiatry experience.