About Us
Charles L. Scott, M.D.
Professor of Clinical Psychiatry
Chief, Division of Psychiatry and the Law
Director, Forensic Psychiatry Fellowship
To see if Charles L. Scott is accepting new patients, or for assistance finding a UC Davis doctor, please call 800-2-UCDAVIS (800-282-3284).
Department
Locations and Contact
Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences - Behavioral Health Center
2230 Stockton Blvd.
Sacramento, CA 95817
Additional Numbers
Physician Referrals
Philosophy of Care
My philosophy of care is that every patient deserves the highest level of evidence-based, current, and compassionate assessment and treatment. I believe that careful care begins with a thorough diagnostic interview, relevant testing when appropriate, and a thoughtful understanding of each person’s unique circumstances, strengths, and needs. My goal is to provide clear, individualized recommendations and interventions that are matched to each patient in a respectful and collaborative manner.
Clinical Interests
Dr. Scott is a forensic psychiatrist with clinical interests in the evaluation of psychiatric damages in civil litigation and the assessment of malingering in complex civil and criminal cases. His work also focuses on public policy related to interventions for unhoused individuals, as well as the development of evidence-based tools to assess illness awareness and a person’s capacity to accept or refuse treatment. He is nationally involved in forensic psychiatry education as Director of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law (AAPL) Review Course, Director of Virtual AAPL Educational Training, and Past President of AAPL.
Research/Academic Interests
Dr. Scott’s research and academic interests focus on forensic psychiatric assessment, including violence risk assessment, child and adolescent forensic psychiatry, and the use of objective measures to evaluate psychiatric harms in legal settings. His scholarly work also includes developing evidence-based instruments to assess awareness of mental illness and capacity to accept or refuse treatment, with related policy interests involving serious mental illness, public safety, and care for justice-involved and unhoused individuals. He also applies his forensic expertise nationally as a psychiatric interviewer and consultant to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), assisting with astronaut selection and suitability evaluations.
Division
Forensics/ Psychiatry and the Law
Undergraduate School
B.A., Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, 1981
Medical School
M.D., Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, 1986
Internship
Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington, District of Columbia, 1986-87
Residency
Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington, District of Columbia, 1987-89
Fellowship
University Hospitals, Cleveland, Ohio, 1995-96
Fellowship
University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, 1989-91
Best Teacher in a Forensic Psychiatry Fellowship Program, American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law, 2008,
William T. Rossiter Award, California Forensic Mental Health Association of California, 2014,
Dean's Excellence in Mentoring Award, UC Davis School of Medicine, 2015,
Manfred S. Guttmacher Award, American Psychiatric Association, 2018,
Access Dr. Scott's bibliography here.
McDermott BE, Dualan IV, Scott CL. The predictive ability of the Classification of Violence Risk (COVR) in a forensic psychiatric hospital. Psychiatr Serv. 2011 Apr;62(4):430-3.
Newman WJ, Holt BW, Rabun JS, Phillips G, Scott CL. Child sex tourism: extending the borders of sexual offender legislation. Int J Law Psychiatry. 2011 Mar-Apr;34(2):116-21. Epub 2011 Mar 21.
Scott C. The child and adolescent track in the forensic fellowship. Child Adolesc Psychiatr Clin N Am. 2011 Jul;20(3):565-75.
Scott CL. The Americans With Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2008: implications for the forensic psychiatrist. J Am Acad Psychiatry Law. 2010;38(1):95-9.
Scott CL, Resnick PJ: Assessing potential for harm: Would your patient injure himself or others? Current Psychiatry, 8:24-33, 2009
Scott CL: Forensic Issues in Child Sexual Abuse Allegations. Psychiatric Times, 24(14):28-30, 2008
Scott CL: Correctional Psychiatry and Right to Treatment. Audio-Digest Psychiatry 37:19, October 7, 2008
McDermott BE, Edens JF, Quanbeck CD, Busse D, Scott CL: Examining the Role of Static and Dynamic Risk Factors in the Prediction of Inpatient Violence: Variable and Person-Focused Analyses. Law Hum Behav, 32(4):325-38, 2008
McDermott BE, Quanbeck DC, Busse D, Yastro K, Scott CL: The accuracy of risk assessment in the prediction of impulsive versus predatory aggression. Behav Sci Law 26 (6): 759-77, 2008
McDermott BE, Scott CL, Busse D, Andrade F, Zozaya M, Quanbeck CD: The conditional release of insanity acquittees: three decades of decision-making. J Am Acad Psychiatry Law, 36(3):329-36, 2008