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Brief Treatment and Crisis Intervention 1:115-130 (2001)
© 2001 Oxford University Press

Mental Health Expert Witness Testimony (EWT) in Family and Child Welfare Practice

   Carlton E. Munson, PhD

The School of Social Work, University of Maryland-Baltimore

Contact author: Carlton E. Munson, PhD, Professor, School of Social Work, University of Maryland-Baltimore, 525 W. Redwood St., Baltimore, MD 21201-1777. E-mail: cmunson{at}intrepid.net.

Mental health practitioners are increasingly testifying in child welfare cases without educational preparation or professional support for this activity. This article provides an overview of the basic requirements for expert witness testimony (EWT). The review of key components of expert testimony covered are sources and types of testimony, knowledge needed, preparation of effective documentation, preparation for testifying, qualification and the voir dire process, recommendations for giving testimony, confidentiality and privileged communication, use of visuals and videotapes, use of humor and sarcasm, and how to do a post testimony self-evaluation.

KEY WORDS: expert witness testimony (EWT), documentation, confidentiality, child welfare






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