Exploring Forensic Psychology at The Purpose Center - with Jimena Ortiz-Paniagua

Hi! My name is Jimena Ortiz-Paniagua, and I’m a junior from Greensboro, North Carolina, double majoring in Psychology and Romance Languages (Hispanic Studies). This semester, I’m a Clinical Psychology Gil intern at The Purpose Center at KKJ Forensics. 

My passion for psychology began in my junior year of high school after taking PSYC 101; I was immediately fascinated with human behavior and mental health. The following semester, I took a forensic science class at a community college and binge-watched Criminal Minds for the first time. Through these courses and this show, I became captivated with the intersection between psychology and law. After learning more about forensic psychology, I knew this was the career path I wanted to pursue. 

            In the Fall of 2024, as a junior at UNC, I began my own research with Dr. Ronald Strauss, focusing on the mental health challenges among Latinxs post-incarceration and the availability of resources. Not only has this project merged my interests in psychology and law, but it has also helped me bring awareness to mental health issues that are typically ignored in the Latinx community. Through interviews with organizations like Our Journey and experts like Dr. Evan Ashkins, I’ve learned about the severe lack of mental health support for this population. Through my ongoing project, I aim to raise awareness and advocate for reform of mental health support during and post-incarceration. 

            At UNC, I’ve had the wonderful opportunity to explore various psychology subfields through my courses, but not forensics. So, when I learned about the Gil Internship and the opportunities it provided for clinical and forensic psychology, I knew this was something I wanted to do. My work at The Purpose Center has given me hands-on experience and shown me that forensic psychology is more than working with criminals. Forensic psychologists get the opportunity to conduct custody evaluations, competency assessments, and other court-appointed psychological work. 

            With my mentor, Dr. Katrina Kuzyszyn-Jones, I’ve helped develop a guide on interstate licensure for psychologists practicing across multiple states under PSYCPACT. This project has deepened my understanding of laws related to the duty to warn, minor consent, confidentiality, and record access. Before this project, I had no idea that interstate licensure was possible, so I’m excited to see how it progresses.

            I’m also assisting Dr. Julianne Ludlam in researching racial bias in psychological evaluations. My tasks have consisted of reading and coding past assessments for potential disparities based on race and ethnicity. This experience has exposed me to how psychological evaluations are conducted and how psychological research continues beyond undergraduate and graduate school. I’m interested to see what we find at the end of this project and how we can apply these findings to reduce racial bias in evaluators. 

            Additionally, I’ve had the privilege of observing weekly co-parenting group sessions at my worksite with Michelle Chasen. Seeing real-life struggles and how Michelle facilitates these discussions has been an invaluable experience. We recently finished our first group and will be starting the process with another group, so I look forward to learning even more. 

            Overall, my time at The Purpose Center has been an incredible learning experience. I’m grateful to Dr. Steven Buzinski and Emily Dolegowski for this amazing opportunity. I’m also thankful for Dr. Kuzyszyn-Jones, Dr. Ludlam, and everyone at The Purpose Center who has welcomed and supported me throughout this journey.