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ForwardMay 14, 2026: Unity in Practice Summit Award Lecture - Immigration Forensic Evaluations and Mental Health: Working with Communities in Crisis
Immigration Forensic Evaluations and Mental Health: Working with Communities in Crisis
Description:
In a time of rapidly changing immigration policies and ongoing population displacements, this presentation will discuss roles for psychiatrists, especially forensic psychiatrists, in supporting refugees, asylum seekers, immigrant communities, and their professional advocates. (Skwara A, Howard S, Velazquez C, Aldana R. Adjudicating Credibility: Documenting the Role of Mental Health Immigration Forensic Assessments. Am J Law Med. 2025 Jul;51(2):217-251). The presentation will describe ongoing collaboration between a forensic training program and immigration clinics, as well as other forms of advocacy open to skilled mental health professionals. (McKenzie KC, Bauer J, Reynolds PP. Asylum Seekers in a Time of Record Forced Global Displacement: The Role of Physicians. J Gen Intern Med. 2019 Jan;34(1):137-143. This work can be especially professionally and personally rewarding for trainees or recent graduates seeking to apply their knowledge in a broader context of human rights safeguarding and systems change (Disla de Jesus V, Appel JM. A Call for Asylum Evaluation and Advocacy in Forensic Psychiatry. J Am Acad Psychiatry Law. 2022 Sep;50(3):342-345). Practice Gaps: The goal of this program is to provide attendees with legal knowledge and to review some of the specific forensic skills that would enhance their effectiveness in these roles.
Target Audience
This program is intended for Psychiatrists, Psychologists, General and Family Practice Physicians, Psychiatric Nurses, Physician Assistants, Nurse Practitioners, and Social Workers.
Learning Objectives
Upon completion of the activity, participants will be able to:
- Recognize the different types of immigration proceedings in which mental health assessments can aid the immigration adjudicator.
- Identify systems-level interventions in which medical mental health expertise is critical.
- Describe some of the challenges of cross-cultural assessments in the immigration context.
SPEAKER(S)
Maya Prabhu, MD, LLB
Associate Professor, Yale School of Medicine, Division of Law and Psychiatry
Maya Prabhu, MD, LLB
Maya Prabhu is an Associate Professor (Adjunct) of Law at Yale Law School, an Associate Professor (Courtesy) at Yale School of the Environment, and an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at Yale School of Medicine. Prabhu obtained her medical degree from Dalhousie Medical School in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and completed residency training in adult psychiatry and a fellowship in forensic psychiatry at Yale. Between medical school and residency, she graduated from the McGill Faculty of Law in Montreal, Canada; she then practiced corporate litigation at Davis Polk & Wardwell in New York and was a Deputy Counsel with the Independent Inquiry Commission (“the Volcker Inquiry”), which investigated allegations of fraud and corruption in the U.N. Oil-for-Food Programme.
As a Consulting Forensic Psychiatrist to the State of Connecticut, she provides opinions on high-risk cases, including persons found Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity. She testifies regularly in state and federal court and before the Psychiatric Security Review Board. She consults with legal organizations with regard to the psychological impact of lawyering and collaborative representation of clients who have mental illness. She has worked extensively in the area of refugee and asylum forensic psychiatry evaluations, including working with NGOs, legal organizations, and advocacy groups. Her other areas of research interest include forensic psychiatry, climate migration, and issues at the nexus of health and international law.
Disclosures:
Available Credit
- 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint providership of IHP and Massachusetts General Hospital. IHP is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
IHP designates this Enduring activity for a maximum of 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
- 1.00 Nursing Contact Hours
Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 13, sections 13, 14, 14A, 15 and 15D and Chapter 112, sections 74 through 81C authorize the Board of Registration in Nursing to regulate nursing practice and education.
This program meets the requirements of the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing (244 CMR 5.00) for 1.00 contact hours of nursing continuing education credit. Advance practice nurses, please note: Educational activities which meet the requirements of the ACCME (such as this activity) count towards 50% of the nursing requirement for ANCC accreditation.
- 1.00 Social Workers
As a Jointly Accredited Organization, the MGH Institute of Health Professions is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved under this program. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. MGH Institute of Health Professions maintains responsibility for this course. Social workers completing this course receive 1.00 clock hours for continuing education credits.
- 1.00 Participation
This course allows other providers to claim a Participation Certificate upon successful completion of this course.
Participation Certificates will specify the title, location, type of activity, date of activity, and number of AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ associated with the activity. Providers should check with their regulatory agencies to determine ways in which AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ may or may not fulfill continuing education requirements. Providers should also consider saving copies of brochures, agenda, and other supporting documents.
- 1.00 Psychologists CE Credit
Continuing Education (CE) credits for psychologists are provided through the co-sponsorship of the American Psychological Association (APA) Office of Continuing Education in Psychology (CEP). The APA CEP Office maintains responsibility for the content of the programs. MGH Institute of Health Professions designates this activity for 1.00 CE credit.
Accreditation
In support of improving patient care, MGH Institute of Health Professions is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.
1.0 Physicians
MGH Institute of Health Professions designates this live activity for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits ™. Physicians should claim only credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in this activity.
1.0 Physician Associates/Assistants
AAPA Credit Designation Statement – Live
MGH Institute of Health Professions has been authorized by the American Academy of PAs (AAPA) to award AAPA Category 1 CME credit for activities planned in accordance with AAPA CME Criteria. This activity is designated for 1.0 AAPA Category 1 CME credits. PAs should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation.
AAPA Credit Designation Statement – Enduring Materials
MGH Institute of Health Professions has been authorized by the American Academy of PAs (AAPA) to award AAPA Category 1 CME credit for activities planned in accordance with AAPA CME Criteria. This activity is designated for 1.0 AAPA Category 1 CME credits. Approval is valid until {Expiration Date). PAs should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation.
1.0 Nursing
MGH Institute of Health Professions designates this activity for 1.0 contact hours for nurses. The American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board (AANPCB) accepts credit from organizations accredited by the ACCME and ANCC.
1.0 Pharmacists
This activity provides 1.0 contact hours of continuing education credit.
NOTE FOR PHARMACISTS: Upon closing of the electronic evaluation, IHP will upload the pharmacy-related continuing education information to the CPE Monitor within 60 days. Per ACPE rules, IHP does not have access nor the ability to upload credits requested after the evaluation closes. It is the responsibility of the pharmacist or pharmacy technician to provide the correct information [NABP ePID and DOB (in MMDD format)] in order to receive credit for participating in a CE activity.
1.0 Psychologists:
Continuing Education (CE) credits for psychologists are provided through the co-sponsorship of the American Psychological Association (APA) Office of Continuing Education in Psychology (CEP). The APA CEP Office maintains responsibility for the content of the programs. MGH Institute of Health Professions designates this activity for 1.0 CE credit.
1.0 Social Workers
As a Jointly Accredited Organization, MGH Institute of Health Professions is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved under this program. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. MGH Institute of Health Professions maintains responsibility for this course. Social workers completing this course receive 1.0 clock hours for continuing education credits.
1.0 IPCE Credit
This activity was planned by and for the healthcare team, and learners will receive 1.0 Interprofessional Continuing Education (IPCE) credit for learning and change.