Alexander Simpson

Dr. Simpson took up his current role at the University of Toronto in May 2010. He came from New Zealand where he was the Clinical Director and Director of Area Mental Health Services of the Auckland Regional Forensic Psychiatry Service and as Honorary Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Auckland, New Zealand.

Dr. Simpson holds an international reputation for his progressive approach to forensic mental health, and the published outcomes from the Auckland service are among the best in the field. Among his key accomplishments is his leadership in developing the community and inpatient forensic models into a comprehensive model of service, using both recovery-based and culture-based forensic mental health services.

He has a strong focus on developing culture-specific inpatient treatment services for Maori, and in developing an intellectual disability offender service. He has provided advice to government agencies on policy and has worked closely with the judiciary in training for judges, including to the New Zealand Supreme Court and Court of Appeal Judges.

Dr. Simpson has a broad teaching experience including post-graduate university teaching in Forensic Psychiatry and specialist training in forensic psychiatry for the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists.

Research Synopsis

Dr Simpson's research interests are in the area of mental illness and violence, from its epidemiology, though evaluation and clinical care and outcomes. This covers both the areas of care prior to and in hospital to models of care in prisons and community for people with serious mental illness. Dr Simpson was also Co-editor of the text book on Psychiatry and Law in 2007 and has assisted in writing guidelines on risk assessment and formulation in a recovery paradigm. Dr Simpson promotes and participates in research that contributes to our understanding of how to better work with people with forensic mental health needs, at system and individual levels.