Forensic Social Work · California

Forensic social work
for California courts.

I'm a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Certified Addiction Drug Counselor with over ten years of clinical experience, including independent forensic practice across California's court system. My work includes Mental Health Diversion assessments, Drug Court case management, and social history reports for courts and attorneys across California.

LCSW CADC III PC §1001.36 Drug Court Social History
Attorney FAQ See My Services Get in touch
Chris Reilly, LCSW, CADC III

Practice Areas

Mental Health Diversion
PC §1001.36 assessments, court accepted
Drug Court
Intake through graduation
Social History Reports
Mitigation reports for courts
Experience
10+ years clinical, several years forensic

Courts Served

San Francisco Los Angeles Alameda Contra Costa Santa Clara

What I Do

Services

A focused range of forensic social work services for courts, attorneys, and the people they represent.

PC §1001.36 Mental Health Diversion Assessments

I conduct evaluations to assess whether an individual may meet criteria for Mental Health Diversion under California Penal Code §1001.36. Assessments are grounded in clinical frameworks and written for a judicial audience.

PC §1001.36

Social History Reports

I prepare reports that provide the court with relevant background information about an individual — including developmental history, family context, mental health, and substance use — written in plain language for a judicial audience.

Court Documentation

Drug Court Case Management

I provide case management for Drug Court participants from intake through program completion, coordinating with treatment providers and keeping all parties informed of progress and compliance.

Multi County

ASAM Assessments and Treatment Planning

Substance use and mental health assessments grounded in the ASAM framework, with individualized treatment plans built around each person's clinical needs.

CADC III Credentialed

Progress Reports and Court Documentation

Ongoing documentation of a client's progress in treatment or diversion, written clearly for judges and attorneys with appropriate clinical context.

Ongoing Support

Attorney Consultation

I am available for case consultation to help identify appropriate diversion pathways and clinical considerations relevant to a given matter.

Case Consultation

Who I Work With

Who I work with

Forensic social work touches a lot of people. Here is how I can help each of them.

Attorneys

I work with attorneys on diversion eligibility screening, social history reports, and Drug Court case management. I aim to be responsive and to provide documentation that is clear and useful in court.

Courts and Judges

My reports are written to be clear and useful to judicial audiences. I try to present clinical information in plain language and ground my work in California law and established clinical frameworks.

Defendants and Families

If you or someone you love is involved in a criminal case alongside mental health or addiction issues, I can help explain what options may be available and what the process generally looks like.

Forensic Colleagues

I work alongside treatment providers, program staff, and other forensic professionals. I try to communicate consistently across all parties involved in a client's case.

About

The person behind the work

I'm a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Certified Addiction Drug Counselor with over ten years of clinical social work experience, including independent forensic practice across California's court system.

My forensic work has centered on PC §1001.36 Mental Health Diversion assessments, Drug Court case management, and social history reports. I have submitted assessments across multiple California counties and work regularly with attorneys, treatment providers, and court staff.

I also work as a clinical social worker at Kaiser Permanente. That concurrent role keeps my clinical skills current and directly informs my forensic practice.

I approach each case with the goal of providing courts and attorneys with an accurate, clinically grounded picture of the individuals I evaluate.

Licensure

LCSW — Licensed Clinical Social Worker State of California
CADC III — Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor CCAPP, California
Master of Social Work (MSW) Graduate level clinical training

Specialized Training

Forensic Social Work Alliance Beginner and Advanced certificates (formerly NOFSW)
PC §1001.36 Mental Health Diversion Court accepted assessments across California
ASAM Assessment and Treatment Planning Substance use disorder clinical framework

Current Clinical Role

Kaiser Permanente Clinical Social Worker, concurrent with forensic practice

For Attorneys

Frequently asked questions

Common questions from attorneys before retaining my services.

Reach out by email or phone with a brief summary of the case and the type of evaluation or service you need. For court-appointed matters, I will need a formal appointment order before beginning any work. For private matters, a signed fee agreement is required prior to starting.
For court-appointed evaluations, I need a copy of the appointment order. It is also helpful to receive any available records — police reports, prior mental health records, medical history, and prior court documents — though I can begin the process while records are being gathered. For private referrals, a signed fee agreement comes first.
Treatment plans and clinical assessments are typically completed within 14 days of receiving necessary records and completing the clinical interview. Social history and mitigation reports generally take approximately 30 days depending on the scope of records and collateral contacts required.
Yes. I accept both court-appointed and privately retained matters. My role is to conduct an objective clinical evaluation and present findings accurately, regardless of who retains me. I do not provide evaluations designed to reach a predetermined conclusion.
I use the SCID-5 (Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5 Disorders) for diagnostic assessment and the ASAM criteria for substance use evaluation and treatment planning. Social history reports draw on a comprehensive biopsychosocial framework. All work is grounded in established clinical standards.
Yes. All evaluations and assessments result in a written report suitable for submission to the court. Reports are written in plain language with clinical findings clearly documented and supported.
Yes. I am available to testify regarding my findings when required. I can speak to the clinical basis for my conclusions, the assessment tools used, and the standards applied in reaching my opinions.
I currently accept referrals from San Francisco, Alameda, Contra Costa, Santa Clara, and Los Angeles counties. If you have a matter in another California county, feel free to reach out and I will let you know whether I can accommodate it.

Get in Touch

Let's talk

Attorney, family member, or court professional — reach out and I'll get back to you quickly.

Phone
650.260.4898

For attorneys: Feel free to reach out with a brief summary of the case. I can assist with consultation, diversion eligibility screening, full assessments, and ongoing documentation.

For families: If someone you love is facing charges and mental health or addiction is part of the picture, I'm glad to discuss what options may be available.