Being a licensed clinical psychologist with subspecialty in neuropsychology and forensic psychology who is bi-lingual and bi-cultural (Vietnamese and English), thus being uniquely qualified by virtue of his Vietnamese background/heritage, as well as his professional/academic training and clinical experience in working with Vietnamese and Asian-Americans, Dr. Lee (Le Dinh Phuoc) has been appointed by various courts over the past 32 years throughout the United States, State Superior Court as well as Federal District Court, to conduct forensic and neuropsychological evaluations of primarily Vietnamese and other Asian-American defendants charged with murder (including capital and first degree murders) and other crimes. Dr. Lee completed his high school education in Vietnam in 1960. Having been born and reared in Vietnam, he then worked for various agencies in Vietnam until March 1964, when he left there to study, first in Australia, then Canada, and finally the United States. After nine and a half years of study abroad, he returned to Vietnam and worked for World Vision International (an international non-profit humanitarian relief and development organization) from October 1973 to April 1975. He was responsible for directing various programs, including school construction, school health programs (screening and treatment of medical conditions of students), scholarships to high school and college students, and ongoing teacher training programs at primary school and high school levels (over 1,100 fulltime staff). He also taught Sociology and Psychology at Van-Hanh University (a Buddhist university) in Saigon, and at Dalat University, (a Catholic university) in Dalat, Vietnam, as well as at the School of Social Work of the Republic of Vietnam's Ministry of Social Affairs in Saigon from 1973 to April 1975. In the latter position, he was involved in a training program for the national professional social workers, equipping them to supervise and/or administer various social services programs in the country. In April, 1975, the political structure of Vietnam changed and he returned to the United States. Upon returning to the United States, he was employed as Project Director of the Southeast Asian Refugee Resettlement Project from 1975 to 1977, wherein he was responsible for the settlement of over 9,000 refugees in the U.S. In 1976, Dr. Lee developed and directed the Southeast Asian Refugees Counseling Program, the first Mental Health Services program for the Southeast Asian refugees in the U.S., which was funded by the U.S. federal government. Both of these agencies are operated under the International Institute of Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, a non-profit social services and resettlement agency. Due to the critical need for Vietnamese bi-lingual and bi-cultural clinical psychologists, in 1977 he returned to school full-time to complete his doctoral training in clinical psychology. He obtained his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from United States International University in San Diego, California, (now known as Alliant International University) in 1979. From February 1980 to March 1983, Dr. Lee worked as a Clinical Psychologist for the Indochinese Mental Health Clinic and for the Asian-Pacific Counseling and Treatment Center, which are both operated by the Department of Mental Health, County of Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California. In addition, from 1980 to 1984 he served as Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at University of Southern California School of Medicine in Los Angeles, California, providing training/teaching for M.D. Psychiatry residents in cross-cultural psychology and psychotherapy/psychotherapy. Within this time period, from 1980 to 1981, he also served as Field Instructor for UCLA Graduate School of Social Welfare, Los Angeles, California, providing training and supervision of Social Work graduate students in marriage and family therapy. From January 1985 until the present, Dr. Lee has been in private practice, specializing in clinical psychology, neuropsychology and forensic psychology. He has served as Qualified Medical Evaluator (QME), Agreed Medical Examiner (AME), and Independent Medical Examiner (IME) for various insurance carriers and law firms, as well as having served as court-appointed Expert Witness in criminal and civil courts, throughout the United States. Dr. Lee's expertise includes psychological, social, and cultural issues with Vietnamese and Asian-Americans, Psychological Testing & Personality Assessments, Workers' Compensation, Personal Injury, Clinical Psychology, Neuropsychology, Forensic Psychology, and Cross-Cultural Psychology and Family/Marital Counseling and Psychotherapy. Dr. Lee is a Life Member of the American Psychological Association and a Fellow of the National Academy of Neuropsychology. He is a Fellow of the American College of Forensic Psychology, a Diplomate of the American Board of Medical Psychotherapy,a Diplomate of the American Board of Psychological Specialties and a Diplomate of the American Board of Forensic Medicine. Since 1993, he has been appointed (by examination) as a Qualified Medical Evaluator (QME) in Psychology and Neuropsychology by the Department of Industrial Relations, Industrial Medical Council, State of California. Dr. Lee is also a provider in the Anthem Blue Cross Occupational Medicine Network and in the State Compensation Insurance Fund Medical Provider Network. For more details regarding Dr. Lee's training, experience, and credentials, please see his Curriculum Vitae.
Please call the number below to schedule an appointment. Office hours by appointment only.
Phone: (714) 771-8513 or (714) 675-2548
501 Golden Circle Dr., Suite 100 |
