Christa Smelko, PsyD.
Dr. Smelko is a licensed psychologist in the states of Montana, Alaska, Colorado, and Wyoming, who is certified PSYPACT-APIT (Authority to Practice Interjurisdictional Telepsychology) and TAP (Interjurisdictional Practice Certificate, Temporary Authorization to Practice). In addition, she is a member of special interest groups in the subjects of Alzheimer’s, brain injury, forensics, and neuropsychology to help inform on evaluation, policy, and procedures. Dr. Smelko has also received advanced training in topics such as civil capacities in neuropsychological assessment, competency and violence risk assessment, clinical neuroanatomy, behavioral and cognitive neurology, traumatic brain injury, postconcussive syndrome, and geriatric psychology.
Dr. Smelko has served as a clinical director of a highly specialized psychiatric and genetics facility and has been the Co-founder of two thriving and well-established Forensic practices. Dr. Smelko has also provided valuable information to the Trier of Fact in Federal and State courts through both written reports and expert testimony. She has been deemed an expert witness across states in the general areas of Neuropsychology, Clinical Psychology, Forensics, Civil, and Family Law.
Further, Dr. Smelko works for multiple referring sources throughout the county in both clinical and forensic domains. She is a highly regarded member of the psychological and forensic community and is hired by prosecution and defense attorneys alike, due to her rare objective approach. She has testified on topics such as involuntary commitment, competency, insanity, guardianship, conservatorship, death penalty, sexual recidivism, adult and adolescent risk, juvenile transfer issues, custody, dependency and neglect, memory, traumatic brain injury, and neuropsychological and functional deficits.
As a result of her knowledge and expertise, Dr. Smelko has also educated a vast audience in the areas of clinical, neuropsychological, and forensic matters, including attorneys, college students, clinicians, specialty groups, community agencies, and consumers locally, statewide, and nationally. In addition, she has helped develop national standards regarding clinical competencies for conducting various types of forensic evaluations. Such as, to help inform upon statutory guidelines and best practices in the evaluation of juvenile competency.
Moreover, Dr. Smelko provides neuropsychological services for community-based providers throughout Montana and for a Medical Genetics department, such as regarding congenital malformations and deformations, specific genetic and neurological syndromes, in utero exposure to toxins, and metabolic diseases. In this realm, Dr. Smelko has also educated consumers and community agencies regarding topics such as epigenetics, epileptic encephalopathy, autism, functional neurological disorders, and the impact of early adverse events, in utero exposure, and trauma on neurocognitive and developmental outcomes. Additionally, she has been a participant in publications on topics such as the neurocognitive manifestation of Gaucher disease and central nervous system dysregulation. Further, given her level of expertise, Dr. Smelko also provides training and supervision regarding neuropsychological evaluation for doctoral-level students.
Credentials/Training:
Licensed Clinical Psychologist (PSY- 400 Montana, PSY-841 Wyoming, PSY-
191665 Alaska, PSY 2989 –Colorado)
State of Montana Business Standards Division of the Board of Psychology:
Sexual Offender Evaluator Endorsement
Clinical Member, Association for the Treatment of Sexual Offenders
American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology
General Member and
Forensic Special Interests Group
Brain Injury Special Interests Group
Alzheimer’s Special Interests Group
National Academy of Neuropsychology
PSYPACT-APIT (Authority to Practice Interjurisdictional Telepsychology)
Interjurisdictional Practice Certificate (IPC)-Temporary Authorization to Practice
International Association of Forensic Mental Health Services
American Psychology-Law Society
Legal Information Institute-Cornell Law School
American Psychological Association
International Association of Forensic Mental Health Services
American Psychology-Law Society
Association of Family and Conciliation Courts
Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers
National Registry of Health Care Providers
CAQH Proview
Services Offered:
Supervision and Consultation in the areas of Forensic, Clinical, and Neuropsychology
Vitae:
Christa Smelko – CV.pdfBowman Smelko, PsyD., ABPP
Dr. Smelko is a licensed psychologist in the states of Montana, Alaska and Colorado and is certified PSYPACT-APIT (Authority to Practice Interjurisdictional Telepsychology) and TAP (Interjurisdictional Practice Certificate, Temporary Authorization to Practice). Further, Dr. Smelko is Board Certified in Forensic Psychology and is a member of the American Board of Forensic Psychology and the American Academy of Forensic Psychology. In addition to being a Board-Certified Forensic Psychologist, he served as part of the Examination committee for the American Board of Forensic Psychology, which reviews written samples and conducts oral interviews of those aspiring to become board certified forensic psychologists.
Dr. Smelko founded and served as the Director and Clinical Director of highly specialized Forensic programs and has been the CEO of two well established forensic practices. He has been deemed an expert witness in the general areas of competency/fitness, criminal responsibility, parenting, child and adolescent, sexual and violent offending, sexual abuse, clinical psychology, and forensics.
Dr. Smelko works for multiple referring sources throughout the country and has testified on the forensic topics of death penalty clemency, insanity, competency, Sell Hearings, civil and criminal commitment, sexually violent predator, sexual and violent recidivism, placement options, child adolescent risk, juvenile transfer issues, custody, dependency and neglect, voluntariness of disclosure/Miranda rights, eye witness identification, memory, psychological autopsy and child abuse. Dr. Smelko has provided testimony to Federal and State courts and to legislative bodies and has provided information to the Trier of fact on multiple occasions through written report in which testimony was not required.
Dr. Smelko is a highly regarded member of the psychological and forensic community. He serves as the chair of the Montana Board of Psychologists and the chair of the screening panel which reviews the potential need for disciplinary for accusations of ethical violations. He is hired regularly by both prosecutors and defense attorneys alike, with rare opposition due to his objective nature. Dr. Smelko has educated a vast audience in the areas of forensics and clinical matters including attorneys, judges, law enforcement, college students, clinicians, and consumers on the local, statewide and national stages. He teaches Law, Justice and Forensic Psychology at Carroll College and as a result of his knowledge and expertise Dr. Smelko was appointed to serve on the Local Advisory Committee on Mental Health, was appointed by the governor to serve on the Suicide Mortality Review Committee, psychologist representative of the Sex Offender Evaluator committee for the Department of Licensure, was given the honor of being on the faculty for the examination committee of the American Board of Forensic Psychology, and most recently his appointment by the Governor of Montana to the Montana Board of Psychologists. In addition, Dr. Smelko co-chaired the standards committee for the Montana Sex Offender Treatment Association, has assisted in the development of a risk measurement tool, was on the Montana Sex Offender Taskforce, has developed and implemented highly specialized forensic facilities, and has been consulted with by professionals in multiple states with regards to forensic, mental health and correctional settings.
Credentials:
Licensed Clinical Psychologist (PSY 2788 –Colorado, PSY 394 Montana, PSY 132475 Alaska)
American Board of Forensic Psychology
American Academy of Forensic Psychology
National Register of Health Care Providers
American Psychological Association
American Psychology-Law Society (Division 41)
Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy Intensively Trained
Pain Management
and is certified PSYPACT-APIT (Authority to Practice Interjurisdictional
Telepsychology) and TAP (Interjurisdictional Practice Certificate, Temporary
Authorization to Practice).
Services Offered:
Individual Therapy with highly dangerous and unmotivated individuals
Supervision and Consultation in the areas of Forensic and Clinical Psychology
Sex Offender Therapy
Psychological/Forensic Evaluations
Vitae: