Heather Zelle, JD, PhD

Dr. Zelle is the Associate Director of Mental Health Policy Research at the ILPPP and an Associate Professor of Research in the UVA Department of Public Health Sciences. She is licensed as an attorney in Pennsylvania (voluntary inactive status) and as a clinical psychologist in Virginia.

Dr. Zelle focuses primarily on policy work and teaching in the Department of Public Health Sciences. She accepts cases for evaluation or consultation only occasionally. 

Select Publications

Geller, L., McConnell N., Zelle, H., Roskam, K., Haas, L., & Bonnie, R.J. The first two years of Virginia’s substantial risk order. Submitted to American Journal of Public Health.

Murrie, D. C. & Zelle, H. (in preparation). Criminal Competencies. In B. L. Cutler & P. A. Zapf (Eds.), APA Handbook of Forensic Psychology, 2nd Ed. Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association.

Zelle, H. & Kelley, S. (2023). Capacity to waive Miranda rights. In D. Lorandos (Ed.) Litigators’ Handbook of Forensic Medicine, Psychiatry, and Psychology. Thomson Reuters.

Zelle, H., Kelley, S. M., Agee, E. R. (2023). Police interactions with persons with mental illness. In R. Roesch (Ed.) Routledge Encyclopedia of Psychology in the Real World: Vol. Psychology and Law. Routledge.

Zelle, H., Kelley, S., Agee, E.R., & Seibert, W.L. (2022). Police use of force standards and mental health crises in the United States: Identifying research and policymaking targets. International Journal of Law and Psychiatry, 80, 101750. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijlp.2021.101750 (IF 1.919)

Research interests:

  • Mental health policy and systems, particularly civil commitment law, crisis services continuum, and advance directives

  • Diversion of individuals with mental illnesses from the criminal legal system

  • Forensic mental health standards and practices (e.g., competence to stand trial, capacity to waive Miranda rights)

Clinical interests:

  • Assessment of capacity to waive Miranda rights and related topics