Biography     

Annette Christy is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mental Health Law and Policy. She received her Ph.D. in 1998 from St. Louis University in Applied/Experimental Psychology. She was a National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors fellow in mental health services research at FMHI from 1998 to 2000. She co-directs the Baker Act Reporting Center, which involves the receipt and analysis of statewide involuntary examination and involuntary placement (i.e, civil commitment) data. Past and ongoing projects have focused on involutary psychiatric care and guardianship.  She has also worked as project director for FMHIs evaluation of the Broward County Mental Health Court and for the MacArthur Foundation Network on Mandated Community treatment on investigation of the prevalence of mandates to community treatment.

Recent Publications

Petrila, J, & Christy, A. (2008).  In reply:  Florida’s outpatient commitment law: effective but underused Psychiatric Services, 59, 328-329. (response to Esposito, Westhead & Berko - same issue, p. 328).

Petrila, J., & Christy, A. (2008).  Florida’s Outpatient Commitment Law: A Lesson in Failed Reform?  Psychiatric Services, 59, 21-23.

Christy, A., Bond, J., & Young, M. S. (2007).  Short Term Involuntary Examination of Older Adults in Florida.  Behavioral Sciences and the Law, 25, 615-628.

Christy, A., Kutash, K., & Stiles, P. (2006).  Short term involuntary psychiatric examination of children in Florida.  Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research, 33, 578-584.

Kessell, E., Catalano, R. A., Christy, A., Monahan, J. (2006).  Unemployment and the incidence of involuntary psychiatric examinations based on risk of harm to others:  Evidence from Florida.  Psychiatric Services, 57, 1435-1440.

Christy, A., Poythress, N. G., Boothroyd, R. A., Petrila, J., & Mehra, S. (2005).  Evaluating the efficiency and community safety goals of the Broward County Mental Health Court.  Behavioral Sciences and the Law, 23, 227-243.

Boccaccini, M. T., Christy, A., Poythress, N., & Kershaw, D. (2005).  Rediversion in two postbooking jail diversion programs in Florida.  Psychiatric Services, 56, 835-839.

Boothroyd, R. A., Mercado, C. C., Poythress, N. G., Christy, A., & Petrila, J. (2005).  Clinical outcomes of defendants in mental health court.  Psychiatric Services, 56, 829-834.

Catalano, R., Kessell, E., Christy, A., & Monahan, J. (2005).  Involuntary psychiatric examinations for danger to others after the attacks of September 11, 2001.  Psychiatric Services, 56, 858-862.

Christy, A., Douglas, K., Otto, R. K., & Petrila, J. (2004).  Juveniles evaluated incompetence to proceed:  Characteristics and quality of mental health professionals’ evaluations.  Professional Psychology Research and Practice, 35, 380-388.