Forgotten Victims: The Forensic Interview

In this episode, Staci Whitney, LMSW, is joined by Teresa Teeple, the Tennessee State Long-Term Care Ombudsman. Teresa brings her deep expertise and experience to address common misunderstandings about what an Ombudsman does. From advocating for residents’ rights to navigating complex long-term care systems, Teresa sheds light on this vital role. This episode highlights the importance of advocacy in long-term care settings and the essential role Ombudsman play in being a voice for residents.Teresa Teeple has been the Tennessee State Long-Term Care Ombudsman since 2022. In this role, she leads a team of 19 district ombudsman staff who address issues and complaints for residents of roughly 700 long-term care facilities, accounting for around 60,000 beds in nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and group homes. She also works to ensure long-term care residents' rights are protected by influencing policies and procedures that may improve their quality of life and care at the local, state, and national levels. Teresa’s entire career has been in aging services, beginning as a local ombudsman and, subsequently, State Long-Term Care Ombudsman in Arizona. She then led a team of care managers who worked with older adults and people with disabilities in Rhode Island. Prior to assuming her current role in Tennessee, Teresa oversaw the Ohio Office of the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman’s advocacy efforts for people dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid. She holds Master of Social Work and Master of Public Administration degrees from The State University of New York Binghamton and a bachelor's degree in sociology from the University of North Carolina Asheville.

In this episode, Scott and Staci dive into the misconceptions surrounding autism spectrum disorder (ASD)—particularly as they relate to emotional expression and perception during forensic interviews and investigations.CEO, Scott Modell, Ph.D. and Senior Director, Staci Whitney, LMSW explore how traditional assumptions can lead investigators to misread emotional cues or dismiss credible disclosures from individuals with autism. They emphasize the importance of understanding neurodiversity, adapting interview techniques, and avoiding judgment based on affect alone.

In this episode, Staci and MCG Senior Consultant, Dermot Whelan, Police Sgt., Retired, are joined by the newest MCG team member, Senior Consultant and Legal Advisor, Rachel Dunn, J.D. Drawing from her own experiences and expertise, Rachel describes things she has seen in investigations that have been useful for her as a prosecutor when building a strong case. Rachel Dunn is a Senior Consultant and the Legal Advisor for Modell Consulting Group, LLC. With more than 16 years of experience trying cases, Ms. Dunn has prosecuted cases in 22 counties in New York state. Most recently, in 2017 she was appointed by Governor Andrew Cuomo as the Special Prosecutor and Inspector General for the New York State Justice Center for the Protection of People with Special Needs. In that role she led a team of attorneys that both prosecuted cases and trained and advised law enforcement and district attorneys regarding vulnerable victim interviews, charging considerations, and trial tactics. Ms. Dunn has developed and provided training programs to numerous law enforcement officials, prosecutors, and social service personnel. She has consulted with the Department of Justice on the unique vulnerability that individuals with disabilities face, particularly in the realm of human trafficking. Additionally, Ms. Dunn has presented at multiple quality and compliance conferences and is recognized as a thought leader in public service, criminal justice, and victim’s rights.

In this episode, Staci Whitney, LMSW and MCG Senior Consultant Kate Homan, MS are joined by the Chair of the Forensic Psychology Department at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Dr. Diana Orem, Ph.D., MS. Drawing from her own experiences, Diana explains her shift to working with individuals with disabilities and vulnerable populations. She developed a training protocol for Law Enforcement and First Responders in Yavapai County, Arizona that increases safety, produces better outcomes, and reduces violence when interacting with individuals with Autism in the course of their work.Dr. Diana Orem holds a PhD in clinical psychology from the University of Central Florida. She is a licensed psychologist with expertise in diagnosing and treating mental illnesses and neurodevelopmental conditions. Her research entails identifying at-risk populations who are negatively impacted by legal-forensic issues as well as developing and evaluating law enforcement training. Dr. Orem is the Chair of the Forensic Psychology Program at ERAU. She teaches courses in forensic psychology, criminality, victimology, mental health in the criminal justice system, drugs, and deception. She also writes forensic reports and provides testimony for the King County Department of Public Defense, WA. Additionally, Dr. Orem provides training to law enforcement on how to safely approach autistic individuals.

In this episode, Staci Whitney, LMSW and MCG Senior Consultant, Kate Homan MS are joined by Program Director for the Children's Advocacy Centers of Michigan, Joshua Bissell. Josh shares his experience working on a project that works to improve the forensic interview system for marginalized and vulnerable communities. Over the last two years, his team created a training that explains why forensic interviewers need to focus on bias and resources that also help guide interviewers in this process.As the Program Director for the Children’s Advocacy Centers of Michigan (CACMI) team, Joshua is committed to providing support to CAC leaders and their staffs across the state. In addition to helping members prepare for accreditation and re-accreditation, his support ranges from on-site training to phone consultations, active troubleshooting of difficult dilemmas and planned delivery of content expertise and practical advice. His personal mission is to ensure that every CAC staff person has an opportunity for professional development and growth as experts in their field and to foster a collaborative network where even the smallest programs feel supported.In a previous life, Joshua worked as a licensed social worker in the state of Louisiana developing a social services program embedded within the New Orleans Police Department Special Victims Section. He spent years working with the Child Abuse, Adult Sex Crimes, and Domestic Violence units and served as a forensic interviewer and case manager at the New Orleans Children’s Advocacy Center. He received undergraduate degrees in Psychology and Sociology and his master’s degree in social work at Tulane University. In his free time, he enjoys disc golfing and board games and likes to write short stories in the genre of science fiction and fantasy.

In this episode, Scott Modell, Ph.D. and Staci Whitney, LMSW discuss abuse dynamics and the barriers to disclosure. Drawing from their own experiences, Scott and Staci provide tips for forensic interviewers and multi-disciplinary teams to better understanding abuse dynamics and recognizing a pattern of behavior before conducting a forensic interview.

In this episode, Scott and Staci discuss how assumptions can impact professionals when conducting investigations. Drawing from their own experience, Scott and Staci explain in detail about assumptions they've heard and what individuals should be aware of.

In this episode, Staci and Senior Consultant, Kate Homan MS are joined by Julie Kenniston, MSW to discuss her experience as a forensic interviewer and trainer. Julie talks about what she observes during trainings that would be helpful for interviewers and investigators as we think about the multi-disciplinary approach.Julie Kenniston, MSW, LISW is a Program Manager for the National Criminal Justice Training Center of Fox Valley Technical College. Julie has worked 15 years in child protection in two different counties in Ohio. She began as a caseworker on the Sexual Abuse Investigation Team, conducting forensic interviews for their MDT. Later in her career, she went back to child protection as a Training Director and one of her duties was to manage a nonprofit that provided services to families dealing with abuse and violence. Julie has trained nationally and internationally on topics related to child abuse, domestic violence, and child sex trafficking. She is a faculty member for three nationally recognized forensic interview programs: the American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children (APSAC), Ohio Attorney General’s Finding Words, and the Child Forensic Interview Training (formerly known as The Childhood Trust Forensic Training Institute). She has conducted over 3,000 forensic interviews and continues to interview as a contract forensic interviewer for the Northern Kentucky Children’s Advocacy Center. A former APSAC board member, she co-chairs forensic interviewing committees. Julie has written many articles and curricula regarding forensic interviewing, including her work with Modell Consulting Group, LLC where she has co-authored multiple curricula on interviewing individuals with disabilities. In addition, Julie co-authored Handbook on Questioning Children: A Linguistic Perspective, 3rd edition with Anne Graffam Walker, PhD. Julie has her Masters in Social Work and is a Licensed Independent Social Worker.In this

In this episode, Scott and Staci discuss Intellectual Disability and Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities.

In this episode, MCG Founder, Scott Modell, Ph.D. and Senior Consultant, Dermot Whelan Police Sgt., Retired. interview Patricia Gunning, J.D about her experience prosecuting crimes against individuals with disabilities. Before entering private practice, Ms. Gunning served as the Special Prosecutor and Inspector General for the New York State Justice Center. A 2002 graduate of St. John’s Law School, she also served as the Chief of the Special Victims Unit with the Rockland County District Attorney’s office, managing all phases of the prosecution of cases involving the abuse and neglect of individuals with mental and physical disabilities, the physical and sexual abuse of children and the elderly, as well as victims of domestic violence. In addition, she conducted training on issues related to special victims for law enforcement officials, medical professionals and local community groups. From 2003 to 2008, Gunning was an Assistant District Attorney for Kings County, where she served in a trial unit and in the Crimes Against Children Bureau.

In this episode, Staci and MCG Senior Consultant, Kate Homan, MS, interview Dr. Sarah Thomas, PsyD, HSPP about her experience as a clinical psychologist working in the fields of behavioral and mental health.Dr. Thomas graduated from Indiana State University and Louisiana State University Medical School. Dr. Thomas currently directs a team of mental health professionals in a pediatric behavioral health agency in Indiana that largely serves neurodivergent youth. She holds specialty training in early childhood and trauma-focused assessment and treatment. Dr. Thomas held a past role as the mental health representative on a multi-disciplinary team (MDT) and psychologist at Child Advocacy Center that served the Gulf Coast area. Dr. Thomas regularly consults with child protection, law enforcement, medical, and legal representatives for the benefit of children's voices. She enjoys working within a team of other professionals (behavior analysts, speech language pathologists, occupational and physical therapists) to enhance the skills and relationships of children within the neurodiversity spectrum. Dr. Thomas finds purpose in enhancing the safety and meaningful connections within her communities.

In this episode, Scott Modell, Ph.D, and Staci Whitney, LMSW discuss communication considerations as well as engagement and rapport with individuals who do not speak.