CHARLETTA DENNIS, MD, QME
Board-certified forensic psychiatrist delivering comprehensive, evidence-based psychiatric evaluations for workers’ compensation, civil litigation, and legal matters across California.
Med-Legal Services
Qualified Medical Evaluations (QME)
Comprehensive psychiatric evaluations addressing causation, apportionment, impairment, disability, and work capacity in accordance with California workers’ compensation guidelines and evidentiary standards.
Independent Medical Evaluations (IME)
Objective psychiatric assessments for disputed claims, treatment necessity, and functional capacity, supported by detailed record review and clinical analysis.
Expert Witness
Independent psychiatric opinions, deposition testimony, and trial support, with experience presenting complex psychiatric findings in clear, legally relevant language.
Credentials at a Glance
Medical Doctor (M.D.) – 2011
Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI
Bachelor of Science, Nursing (B.S.) – 2002
University of Detroit Mercy, Detroit, MI
Forensic Psychiatry Fellow – 2015–16
University of Michigan, Center for Forensic Psychiatry, Ann Arbor, MI
Medical Leadership Fellow – 2013–15
Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, MI
Psychiatry Resident – 2011–16
Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, MI
Medical Licensure:
Michigan, California, North Carolina, Virginia, Wisconsin, Arkansas, Louisiana, Nevada, Kentucky, Delaware
DEA Registration:
Michigan, Wisconsin, Arkansas, California
Certifications:
Psychiatry & Forensic Psychiatry, Correctional Health Professionals, Consulting Forensic Examiner
American Medical Association
American Psychiatric Association
American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law
National Commission of Correctional Health Care
Regular public speaker featured as on-camera mental health expert on ABC, CBS and FOX TV stations
Appeared as a psychiatric authority on national true-crime TV shows Fatal Attraction and For My Man
Recognized as “Notable Leader in Behavioral Health” best-in-class executive by Crain’s Detroit Business (2023)
Qualified expert witness in Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, Washtenaw and Kalamazoo Counties (Michigan)
Author, Anxiety Unmasked During the COVID-19 Pandemic, A Global Mental Health Concern
Co-author, Clinical Manual of Emergency Psychiatry Second Edition, Chapter 3: Violence Risk Assessment (revision)
Patient Care Experience
Forensic Evaluations
- Competency to Stand Trial (IST) evaluations
- Criminal responsibility and capacity assessments
- Violence and risk assessments
- Court-ordered psychiatric evaluations
Correctional Psychiatry
- Psychiatric care in jail and prison settings
- Management of high-acuity forensic populations
- Suicide risk assessment and crisis stabilization
- Coordination within correctional and legal systems
Competency Programs
- Competency restoration treatment for IST defendants
- Structured psychiatric interventions and psychoeducation
- Compliance with court mandates and forensic standards
- Ongoing reassessment of legal competency
Trauma Disorders
- PTSD and acute stress disorders
- Work-related psychological injury
- Depression, anxiety, and cumulative trauma claims
- Psychological conditions following physical injury