Newswise \u2014 EL PASO, Texas \u2014 The inaugural fellows of Texas Tech Health El Paso’s new forensic psychiatry fellowship were recognized during a graduation ceremony on campus in June, highlighting a program aimed at addressing shortages in forensic psychiatric expertise in our community.<\/p>\n
The first graduates of the Foster School of Medicine Department of Psychiatry\u2019s fellowship program are Lizette Lara, M.D., and Eryn Pynes, M.D. The two physicians completed their psychiatry residencies at Texas Tech Health El Paso prior to entering the one-year fellowship, which offers advanced education in forensic psychiatry. Dr. Pynes was one of the first group of four residents to graduate from the Texas Tech Health El Paso \/ The Hospitals of Providence Transmountain Campus Psychiatry Residency Program in 2025.<\/p>\n
Forensic psychiatrists are medical doctors who apply their knowledge of mental health to legal questions and judicial proceedings. For example, a forensic psychiatrist may be asked to give an expert opinion to the court about how a defendant\u2019s mental state affected their behavior.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe do a lot of court-ordered evaluations,\u201d said Texas Tech Health El Paso Assistant Professor of Psychiatry Patricia Ortiz, M.D., who leads the fellowship program. \u201cOne of the most common questions that we receive from the court is whether or not someone is competent to stand trial.\u201d<\/p>\n
A critical shortage<\/p>\n
Texas is experiencing a critical shortage of psychiatrists overall, with demand for psychiatrists projected to exceed supply by 1,208 in 2030, according to a recent Texas Health and Human Services report. Fellowship-trained forensic psychiatrists are especially hard to come by, leading to major bottlenecks in evaluation and treatment of patients in the Texas judicial system.<\/p>\n
West Texas \u201cremains critically underserved in mental healthcare, especially in the forensic psychiatry area,\u201d Dr. Ortiz said.<\/p>\n
In response to the problem, Gov. Greg Abbott announced in March additional grant funding for forensic psychiatry fellowship programs at nine Texas medical schools, including Texas Tech Health El Paso\u2019s Foster School of Medicine. Each institution will receive $555,555 in grant funding to support accredited forensic psychiatry fellowship programs.<\/p>\n
Dr. Ortiz, who completed her forensic psychiatry fellowship at the University of Maryland Medical System, explained that the field includes both treatment and evaluation work. Some forensic psychiatrists provide treatment in correctional settings or for justice-involved individuals. Others conduct evaluations to help answer legal questions, often at the request of the court.<\/p>\n
Ortiz noted that concerns about competency can be raised by multiple parties in the courtroom.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat issue can be raised by anyone involved in the court hearings including the prosecution, the defense attorney or the judge,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Program delivers skilled providers for the Borderplex<\/p>\n
The fellowship, which launched in fall 2025, completed its academic year at Texas Tech Health El Paso in spring 2026. Both Dr. Lara and Dr. Pynes said they will continue to practice their psychiatric specialty in El Paso.<\/p>\n
For Dr. Lara, the fellowship builds on experiences she encountered as a general psychiatrist. Her background includes working with assisted outpatient treatment, and collaborating with judges and attorneys. Dr. Lara said the region\u2019s shortage of forensic psychiatrists, combined with her personal connection to the Borderplex, inspired her to pursue the specialty.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m from Ju\u00e1rez, I speak Spanish, and I\u2019m planning on staying here,\u201d Dr. Lara said. \u201cSo, I thought it would be good for me to get that extra training.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dr. Pynes said she was excited to be a part of the inaugural forensic psychiatry fellowship in her hometown.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve done all of my medical training here in El Paso,\u201d Dr. Pynes said. \u201cIt\u2019s really meaningful that I get to continue to work with this population that I grew up with, and that I can continue to give back to the city.\u201d<\/p>\n
She also said her experience in forensic settings revealed long delays for competency restoration services. That often meant legal proceedings would be put on hold for extended periods, with defendants remaining in jail or prison as they waited for an evaluation from a forensic psychiatrist.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen you\u2019re declared incompetent to stand trial, it means that the proceedings against you pause,\u201d Dr. Pynes said. \u201cWe have this innocent-until-proven-guilty mindset, but these people are imprisoned without having been found guilty.\u201d<\/p>\n
Training tailored to the Borderplex and statewide collaboration<\/p>\n
Dr. Ortiz said the program\u2019s location and local partnerships make it one-of-a-kind place to train in the field.<\/p>\n
\u201cBeing on the border adds a layer of uniqueness in terms of our population,\u201d Dr. Ortiz said.<\/p>\n
The fellowship also provides extensive correctional psychiatry experience that exceeds minimum training requirements. The program works closely with local partners including the county and the local mental health authority.<\/p>\n
Regional investments in forensic mental health infrastructure are expected to help reduce wait times and improve care of individuals in the justice system, according to Dr. Ortiz. Those efforts include a planned expansion of forensic bed capacity at El Paso Psychiatric Center. She also highlighted collaboration with Texas programs funded through a statewide initiative.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have created what we call the Texas Forensic Psychiatry Fellowship Collaborative,\u201d Dr. Ortiz said. \u201cAll of the fellows from all of the forensic psychiatry programs in Texas participate in shared didactics on Fridays.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dr. Ortiz said she looks forward to the day when the statewide fellowship programs increase the number of trained evaluators and improve the quality of forensic evaluations \u2013 and ultimately clear the bottleneck in the court system.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are so many people waiting for evaluations, and there aren\u2019t enough evaluators,\u201d Dr. Ortiz said. \u201cWe\u2019re doing our best to help move that along.\u201d<\/p>\n
About Texas Tech Health El Paso<\/p>\n
Texas Tech Health El Paso serves 108 counties in West Texas and is dedicated to preparing the next generation of healthcare heroes. Established as an independent university in 2013, Texas Tech Health El Paso is a uniquely innovative destination\u00a0for medical, nursing, biomedical sciences and dental education.<\/p>\n