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Dr. Robert L Suiter PHD
A trained mental-health professional with a long history of service to both military personnel and civilians, Dr. Robert L. Suiter is presently a forensic and child-custody evaluator in Riverside, California. After receiving a Bachelor’s degree in nursing from the University of Utah, Dr. Robert Suiter decided to enter the mental health field, obtaining a Master’s in Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Dr. Robert L. Suiter graduated with a Ph.D. in Adult Community Counseling from Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kansas, and completed a Psy.D. degree from Wright State University’s School of Professional Psychology, where he was accredited by the American Psychological Association.
From 1986 to 1989, Dr. Robert L. Suiter worked at various Air Force bases, evaluating military personnel as the Chief of Mental Health Services at California’s Edwards Air Force Base and Guam’s Andersen Air Force Base. While in the military, Dr. Robert L. Suiter completed over 1,000 Commander Directed Evaluations and served on Discharge Evaluation Boards and Sanity Panels to determine the mental fitness of service members. While still in the military Dr. Suiter launched his own practice late 1989. He then became the Chief of the Mental Health Clinic at March Air Force Base’s 22nd Strategic Hospital, working with children, adolescents, and adults to diagnose and treat mental-health and substance-abuse disorders. His duties at the hospital also included quality assurance and risk-management protocols, skills that Dr. Robert L. Suiter later transferred to a position with the Resource Sharing Project, which provides civilian personnel to military mental-health clinics.
In his current practice, Dr. Robert Suiter primarily works with clients who have been referred to his office by a Southern California Family Law Court for a child-custody evaluation (EC730). Dr. Robert L. Suiter has completed over 2,500 of these evaluations for Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino, Orange, San Diego, and Shasta Counties, and has testified in over 250 family law cases. He is current with all state-mandated training for these evaluations and is a frequent participant in continuing-education programs.
Robert Suiter's Companies
Robert Suiter's Publications
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California Laws Governing the Parole of Offenders with Mental Disorders (MDO) By Robert Suiter
, Dr. Robert Suiter 's Blog on Bigsight
June, 2011
As a clinical and forensic psychologist, I have conducted hundreds of evaluations of offenders with mental disorders (MDO) within the California court system. According to California law, there are two types of criminal sentencing: indeterminate sentencing and determinate sentencing. While determinate sentencing sets a certain number of years for incarceration, indeterminate sentencing does not, specifying only a number of years “to life.”
California inmates serving a determinate sentence are placed on parole once their sentences are up. On the other hand, inmates serving “life” sentences are only eligible for parole when the numeric portions of their sentences have been fulfilled. The decision to grant parole is decided by a California Board of Parole suitability hearing. Notably, prisoners with mental disorders whose release may risk public safety are subject to special laws. The Mentally Disordered Offender law, enacted by the California Legislature in 1986, has two purposes:
1) preventing harm that may come as a result of the release of
a person with a mental disorder,
and
2) providing treatment for inmates’ mental disorders.
During parole, individuals classified as MDO are required to receive mental health treatment. Male inmates are placed in Atascadero State Hospital, and female inmates in Patton State Hospital. By default, this treatment is inpatient, with outpatient treatment allowable only in cases where it has been fully demonstrated that the inmate is treatable safely and effectively in a non-institutional setting. Any inmate wishing to challenge classification as MDO has the chance to do so through examination by two independent mental health professionals, in addition to a Board-supervised hearing. If either the judge or jury in this hearing determines that the parolee does not meet MDO classification criteria, the individual is paroled without mandatory treatment.
Inmates who remain classified as MDO following their hearing and examination also face a separate set of standards following parole. If the California Department of Mental Health deems that the person still poses a danger to society, the Department has the ability to order a civil commitment. This entails continued involuntary treatment of up to a year, renewable in one-year increments, pending a judge or jury’s determination that such treatment is necessary. An additional law, the Lanterman-Petris-Short Act, provides for involuntary treatment of individuals with severe mental disorders who do not meet the full criteria of MDO. This law is subject to a similar process and set of safeguards as the law governing treatment of offenders with mental disorders.
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Personality Disorders, Dr. Robert L. Suiter's Blog on Bigsight
October, 2011
Dr. Robert L. Suiter holds a PhD in Psychology from Wright State University. He maintains an active clinical and forensic psychology practice and has testified as an expert witness in more than 250 court cases. His practice operates in Riverside, California. One of his goals is to raise awareness of the symptoms and treatment of personality disorders.
When a person’s emotions, behaviors, and thoughts differ from societal “norms” for an extended period, personality disorders may be present. These disorders may result in significant disruption of social, familial, and professional relationships. While multiple types of personality disorders exist, each with its own set of symptoms, some commonly diagnosed disorders include:
1. Narcissistic personality disorder: People with this diagnosis may experience exaggerated levels of self-importance and need excessive admiration or attention. They may be extremely self-focused to the exclusion of others and are prone to exaggerating personal achievements. They may be lacking in empathy and are often quite Machiavellian in obtaining what they want.
2. Borderline personality disorder: While the causes of this personality disorder remain unknown, multiple risk factors may contribute such as childhood sexual abuse or abandonment. Symptoms may include excessive fear of abandonment, inappropriate anger, impulsive behaviors, and regular self-generation of crises.
3. Antisocial personality disorder: People raised by an alcoholic parent may be at increased risk for antisocial personality disorder. Those with antisocial personality disorder may be very likable and charming on the surface. Underneath, however, they often have a blatant disregard for the law or feelings of others. They may be quite manipulative, and often experience problems with substance abuse and anger.
4. Histrionic personality disorder: People with this disorder may behave in a very dramatic, overly emotional manner. They may be quite sensitive to disapproval and seek constant reassurance. They are often quite self-centered with rapid mood swings. Frequently, people with histrionic personality disorder blame their own failures on other people.
These are a few of the many personality disorders recognized by the psychological profession. It is important to not diagnose these disorders yourself. Rather, seek qualified psychological evaluation and treatment.
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