Alisha Desai, PhD
Clinical Psychologist (PhD) with specializations, extensive research experience, and publications in forensic psychology, clinical supervision, multiculturalism, and trauma/PTSD
Research Expertise
About
Publications
With crisis comes opportunity: Building ethical competencies in light of COVID-19
Ethics & Behavior / May 13, 2020
Desai, A., Lankford, C., & Schwartz, J. (2020). With crisis comes opportunity: Building ethical competencies in light of COVID-19. Ethics & Behavior, 30(6), 401–413. https://doi.org/10.1080/10508422.2020.1762603
Treatment for restoration of competence to stand trial: Critical analysis and policy recommendations.
Psychology, Public Policy, and Law / Nov 01, 2019
Heilbrun, K., Giallella, C., Wright, H. J., DeMatteo, D., Griffin, P. A., Locklair, B., & Desai, A. (2019). Treatment for restoration of competence to stand trial: Critical analysis and policy recommendations. Psychology, Public Policy, and Law, 25(4), 266–283. https://doi.org/10.1037/law0000210
Releasing individuals from incarceration during COVID-19: Pandemic-related challenges and recommendations for promoting successful reentry.
Psychology, Public Policy, and Law / May 01, 2021
Desai, A., Durham, K., Burke, S. C., NeMoyer, A., & Heilbrun, K. (2021). Releasing individuals from incarceration during COVID-19: Pandemic-related challenges and recommendations for promoting successful reentry. Psychology, Public Policy, and Law, 27(2), 242–255. https://doi.org/10.1037/law0000279
Craigslist as a source for heroin: a report of two cases
Journal of Substance Use / Mar 09, 2016
Tofighi, B., Perna, M., Desai, A., Grov, C., & Lee, J. D. (2016). Craigslist as a source for heroin: a report of two cases. Journal of Substance Use, 21(5), 543–546. https://doi.org/10.3109/14659891.2015.1090495
Facilitating Successful Reentry Among Justice-involved Veterans: The Role of Veteran and Offender Identity
Journal of Psychiatric Practice / Jan 01, 2021
DESAI, A., HOLLIDAY, R., BORGES, L. M., BLUE-HOWELLS, J., CLARK, S., STIMMEL, M., & WORTZEL, H. S. (2021). Facilitating Successful Reentry Among Justice-involved Veterans: The Role of Veteran and Offender Identity. Journal of Psychiatric Practice, 27(1), 52–60. https://doi.org/10.1097/pra.0000000000000520
Understanding the Intersection of Homelessness and Justice Involvement: Enhancing Veteran Suicide Prevention Through VA Programming
Federal Practitioner / Jan 10, 2022
Holliday, R. (2022). Understanding the Intersection of Homelessness and Justice Involvement: Enhancing Veteran Suicide Prevention Through VA Programming. Federal Practitioner, 39(1). https://doi.org/10.12788/fp.0216
Becoming a Forensic Psychologist
Nov 20, 2019
DeMatteo, D., Fairfax-Columbo, J., & Desai, A. (2019, November 20). Becoming a Forensic Psychologist. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429488306
Patients' perspectives on initiating treatment with extended-release naltrexone (XR-NTX)
Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment / Mar 01, 2021
Gauthier, P., Greco, P., Meyers-Ohki, S., Desai, A., & Rotrosen, J. (2021). Patients’ perspectives on initiating treatment with extended-release naltrexone (XR-NTX). Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 122, 108183. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsat.2020.108183
Meeting the Health and Social Service Needs of Veterans Who Interact with the Criminal Justice System and Experience Homelessness: a Holistic Conceptualization and Recommendations for Tailoring Care
Current Treatment Options in Psychiatry / Jul 06, 2022
Holliday, R., Desai, A., Stimmel, M., Liu, S., Monteith, L. L., & Stewart, K. E. (2022). Meeting the Health and Social Service Needs of Veterans Who Interact with the Criminal Justice System and Experience Homelessness: a Holistic Conceptualization and Recommendations for Tailoring Care. Current Treatment Options in Psychiatry, 9(3), 174–185. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40501-022-00275-1
The Role of Social Determinants of Health in Moral Injury: Implications and Future Directions
Current Treatment Options in Psychiatry / Jun 20, 2022
Borges, L. M., Desai, A., Barnes, S. M., & Johnson, J. P. S. (2022). The Role of Social Determinants of Health in Moral Injury: Implications and Future Directions. Current Treatment Options in Psychiatry, 9(3), 202–214. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40501-022-00272-4
Policy Changes as a Context for Moral Injury Development in the Wake of Dobbs v Jackson Women's Health Organization
Obstetrics & Gynecology / Nov 30, 2022
Desai, A., Holliday, R., Wallis, M., Thornewill, A., Bahraini, N. H., & Borges, L. M. (2022). Policy Changes as a Context for Moral Injury Development in the Wake of Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health Organization. Obstetrics & Gynecology, 141(1), 15–21. https://doi.org/10.1097/aog.0000000000005009
Opioid‐specific medication‐assisted therapy and its impact on criminal justice and overdose outcomes
Campbell Systematic Reviews / Jan 07, 2022
Strange, C. C., Manchak, S. M., Hyatt, J. M., Petrich, D. M., Desai, A., & Haberman, C. P. (2022). Opioid‐specific medication‐assisted therapy and its impact on criminal justice and overdose outcomes. Campbell Systematic Reviews, 18(1). Portico. https://doi.org/10.1002/cl2.1215
PROTOCOL: Opioid‐specific medication‐assisted therapy and its impact on criminal justice and overdose outcomes
Campbell Systematic Reviews / Mar 01, 2021
Strange, C. C., Manchak, S. M., Hyatt, J. M., Haberman, C., & Desai, A. (2021). PROTOCOL: Opioid‐specific medication‐assisted therapy and its impact on criminal justice and overdose outcomes. Campbell Systematic Reviews, 17(1). Portico. https://doi.org/10.1002/cl2.1138
The importance of evidence on interventions to reduce risk of violence.
Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice / Jun 01, 2019
Heilbrun, K., Thornewill, A., Desai, A., & Pietruszka, V. (2019). The importance of evidence on interventions to reduce risk of violence. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 26(2). https://doi.org/10.1111/cpsp.12284
Military sexual trauma among Veterans using and not using VA justice-related programing: A national examination
Journal of Psychiatric Research / Aug 01, 2023
Holliday, R., Holder, N., Smith, A. A., Desai, A., Hoffmire, C. A., Forster, J. E., & Monteith, L. L. (2023). Military sexual trauma among Veterans using and not using VA justice-related programing: A national examination. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 164, 46–50. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2023.05.067
Forensic Mental Health Assessment as a Critical Intercept for Enhancing Mental Health Care
Journal of Psychiatric Practice / Sep 01, 2022
Holliday, R., Desai, A., Clem, M. A., & Wortzel, H. S. (2022). Forensic Mental Health Assessment as a Critical Intercept for Enhancing Mental Health Care. Journal of Psychiatric Practice, 28(5), 396–403. https://doi.org/10.1097/pra.0000000000000652
A preliminary investigation of VA PTSD residential treatment for veterans admitted from unstable housing or incarceration
Journal of Social Distress and Homelessness / May 21, 2021
Holliday, R., Gross, G. M., Desai, A., Smith, N. B., & Harpaz-Rotem, I. (2021). A preliminary investigation of VA PTSD residential treatment for veterans admitted from unstable housing or incarceration. Journal of Social Distress and Homelessness, 31(2), 238–243. https://doi.org/10.1080/10530789.2021.1926750
Mental health among justice-involved veterans during the COVID-19 pandemic: Understanding needs and proposing a research agenda
Journal of Affective Disorders Reports / Apr 01, 2021
Holliday, R., Desai, A., Brenner, L. A., Elbogen, E. B., & Monteith, L. L. (2021). Mental health among justice-involved veterans during the COVID-19 pandemic: Understanding needs and proposing a research agenda. Journal of Affective Disorders Reports, 4, 100076. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadr.2021.100076
Substance Use Disorder (SUD) and the Criminal Defendant
Desai, A. (n.d.). Substance Use Disorder (SUD) and the Criminal Defendant: The Impact of Substance Type on Judges’ Sentencing Recommendations [Drexel University Libraries]. https://doi.org/10.17918/d8167f
Personality Disorder Diagnosis Among Justice-Involved Veterans
Journal of Nervous & Mental Disease / May 01, 2023
Holliday, R., Desai, A., Edwards, E. R., & Borges, L. M. (2023). Personality Disorder Diagnosis Among Justice-Involved Veterans: An Investigation of VA Using Veterans. Journal of Nervous & Mental Disease, 211(5), 402–406. https://doi.org/10.1097/nmd.0000000000001627
Trauma-Informed Training for Veterans Treatment Court Professionals: Program Development and Initial Feedback
Federal Practitioner / Feb 01, 2023
Desai, A. (2023). Trauma-Informed Training for Veterans Treatment Court Professionals: Program Development and Initial Feedback. Federal Practitioner, 40(2). https://doi.org/10.12788/fp.0358
Forensic Mental Health Assessment
Forensic Mental Health Assessment / May 30, 2022
Heilbrun, K., Desai, A., Rizzo, M., McPhee, J., Zapotocky, H., & Loggia, S. (2022). Forensic Mental Health Assessment. In Forensic Mental Health Assessment. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780367198459-reprw195-1
Technology-based intervention preferences to enhance self-management of substance use disorders, HIV, and hepatitis c among patients in inpatient detoxification
Drug and Alcohol Dependence / Feb 01, 2017
Tofighi, B., Grazioli, F., Thomas, A., Desai, A., Pinguello, A. C., Greco, P., & Lee, J. D. (2017). Technology-based intervention preferences to enhance self-management of substance use disorders, HIV, and hepatitis c among patients in inpatient detoxification. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 171, e203. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2016.08.554
Appraising Jackson-based unrestorability to competence to stand trial: The demonstration model.
Psychological Services / Aug 01, 2023
Heilbrun, K., Giallella, C., Wright, H. J., DeMatteo, D., Griffin, P. A., Gowensmith, N., Locklair, B., Ayers, D., Desai, A., & Pietruszka, V. (2023). Appraising Jackson-based unrestorability to competence to stand trial: The demonstration model. Psychological Services, 20(3), 553–564. https://doi.org/10.1037/ser0000578
Public perception on policies to address prenatal substance use: Recommendations regarding maternal criminal prosecution and child welfare.
Psychology, Public Policy, and Law / Aug 01, 2023
Desai, A., DeMatteo, D., Heilbrun, K., Holliday, R., Lankford, C., & Rotrosen, J. (2023). Public perception on policies to address prenatal substance use: Recommendations regarding maternal criminal prosecution and child welfare. Psychology, Public Policy, and Law, 29(3), 402–415. https://doi.org/10.1037/law0000387
Racial, ethnic, and sex differences in psychiatric diagnosis, mental health sequelae, and VHA service utilization among justice-involved veterans.
Law and Human Behavior / Feb 01, 2023
Desai, A., Holliday, R., & Borges, L. M. (2023). Racial, ethnic, and sex differences in psychiatric diagnosis, mental health sequelae, and VHA service utilization among justice-involved veterans. Law and Human Behavior, 47(1), 260–274. https://doi.org/10.1037/lhb0000511
Association of lifetime homelessness and justice involvement with psychiatric symptoms, suicidal ideation, and suicide attempt among post-9/11 veterans
Journal of Psychiatric Research / Dec 01, 2021
Holliday, R., Forster, J. E., Desai, A., Miller, C., Monteith, L. L., Schneiderman, A. I., & Hoffmire, C. A. (2021). Association of lifetime homelessness and justice involvement with psychiatric symptoms, suicidal ideation, and suicide attempt among post-9/11 veterans. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 144, 455–461. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2021.11.007
Jackson-based restorability to competence to stand trial: Critical analysis and recommendations.
Psychology, Public Policy, and Law / Aug 01, 2021
Heilbrun, K., Giallella, C., Wright, H. J., DeMatteo, D., Griffin, P. A., Gowensmith, N., Locklair, B., Ayers, D., Desai, A., & Pietruszka, V. (2021). Jackson-based restorability to competence to stand trial: Critical analysis and recommendations. Psychology, Public Policy, and Law, 27(3), 370–386. https://doi.org/10.1037/law0000307
Education
Drexel University
PhD, Psychology / June, 2021
Cornell University
BS / January, 2013
Experience
Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Center
Clinical Psychology Resident + PTSD Fellow / July, 2020 — February, 2022
Rocky Mountain Mental Illness, Research, Education & Clinical Center for Suicide Prevention
Clinical Research Psychologist / March, 2022 — March, 2023
UNICEF USA
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