Special Services

Special Psychology Services in Stow, OH

  • For Public Safety Forces
  • Career Services 

Western Reserve Psychological Associates, Inc. has been working with police and fire departments for over 20 years performing pre-employment and fitness-for-duty evaluations, critical incident stress management and confidential treatment services to public safety personnel and their families. Also provided are psychological evaluations in those cases when a "second opinion" regarding a disqualified applicant is requested by the hiring agency.


Evaluation services are performed by a team of psychologists experienced in working with public safety personnel. Each evaluation includes an intellectual assessment, personality testing, a biographical data information form, a structured clinical interview and a group interview as needed. Each employee is seen by two or more psychologists.


This thorough approach results in an evaluation report and ranking that identifies the candidate's strengths and weaknesses, ability to perform as related to job requirements, amenability to supervision and potential for advancement.


Psychological services have proven to be extremely useful and expenditures are justified by the selection of more effective officers, increased retention, savings in hiring and retraining costs and the avoidance of potential costs of expensive litigation.

List of Public Safety Forces Services

  • Public Safety Forces Pre-employment Evaluations
  • Fitness-to-Serve Evaluations
  • Counseling of troubled employees and their families
  • Safety Forces Training - stress management - improving job skills
  • Consultation with Departments

Participating Psychologists for Public Safety Forces Pre-employment Evaluations

  • Virginia F. Clark, Ph.D.
  • Tracy Dawyduk, Psy.D.
  • Joyce Giovannelli, Ph.D.
  • Samantha Goodin, Psy.D.
  • Mary E. Hickcox, Ph.D.
  • Tanisha Knighton, Ph.D.
  • Jay A. Levine, Ph.D.
  • Donna McDonald, Ph.D.
  • Megan M. McGinty, Ph.D.
  • Ross Robertson, Psy.D.
  • John S. Schell, Ph.D.
  • Eve F. Whitmore, Ph.D.

Our Public Safety Forces Pre-Employment Evaluations

  • Overall adjustment of the candidate and his/her preparation for work in law enforcement or as a firefighter-paramedic.
  • Interpersonal, social and communication skills.
  • Problem solving skills
  • Intellectual strengths and weaknesses
  • The capacity to learn complex knowledge and skills required of a modern firefighter-paramedic or police officer
  • Judgmental ability
  • Ability to function under stress
  • Attitudes and values that may enhance or impede a candidate's ability to carry out his/her responsibilities
  • Candidate's motivation
  • Candidate's self discipline
  • Ability to take and carry out orders
  • Potential for decision making under stress
  • Promotability, dedication and issues for supervision in managing the officer
  • Ability to relate to a diverse citizenry
  • Capacity for working cooperatively as a team
  • Functioning in comparison to other candidates

Career Services

There are a variety of services we provide for choosing, changing, and enhancing individual careers. Clients consult us about all different phases of their working life, from selection of a college major to mid-life career changes, to retirement. Examples are:

  • Career interest assessments
  • Career goal setting
  • Conflict management
  • Stress management 
  • Performance enhancement
  • Problem solving
  • Management consultation
  • Retirement planning
Share by: