MA v Lindsay Clancy - Latiesha Dukes - Mental Health Counselor

Testimony of Latiesha Dukes, a mental health counselor of Lindsay Clancy while she was being treated at the South Shore Perinatal Clinic: Witness & Professional Background • Latiesha Dukes, LMHC: Perinatal counselor at South Shore Hospital with five years of experience in postpartum therapy. • Clinical Scope: Provided short-term therapy (CBT, DBT, EMDR) and collaborated with psychiatric prescribers to coordinate higher levels of care. Clinical Timeline with Lindsay Clancy (Dec 2022) • December 2 (Intake - In-Person): Diagnosed with postpartum anxiety. Clancy reported unmanageable anxiety regarding her children's safety, severe sleep deprivation (2–4 hours), passive suicidal ideation (SI) with no active plan, emotional numbness, and a 10-pound weight loss. Dukes ruled out substance abuse, confirming Clancy was taking her prescribed Ativan correctly. • December 5 (Telehealth): Clancy and her husband reported a weekend crisis and calling Aspire Crisis Support (turned away as she lacked an active SI plan). Dukes recommended transitioning to an Intensive Outpatient (IOP) or Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP). • December 12 (Telehealth): Clancy reported calling Aspire a second time. Dukes submitted a referral to the specialized Rhode Island Women & Infants program so Clancy could seek treatment with her baby. • December 19 (Telehealth): Dukes noted no weekend SI, though Clancy's mood remained low and numb. Observed Clancy smile and laugh at a joke, noting it as a positive sign of rapport. No grounds for involuntary emergency intervention (Section 12) were present. • December 27 (Call): Dukes called to confirm the Rhode Island referral was complete. Clancy's husband raised severe medication concerns, and Dukes redirected him to contact their prescribing NP. Key Cross-Examination & Trial Insights • Postpartum Depression (PPD) Alignment: Dukes agreed Clancy met nearly every clinical symptom of PPD (including a severe Edinburgh Depression Scale score of 23/30). • Medication-Induced SI: Clancy's passive suicidal thoughts began immediately after starting Remeron and Seroquel four days prior to her intake with Dukes. • The Rhode Island Rejection: Clancy was turned away from the Women & Infants program on December 20. The defense highlighted that she was rejected for being over-medicated, and the program's follow-up call to Clancy’s clinic prescriber went unreturned. • The "Laughter" Dispute: Dukes conceded on re-cross that while Clancy smiled/laughed on December 19, she was still self-reporting complete emotional numbness. The "laughter" was not documented in the clinical narrative notes, only as a checkbox in the Mental Status Exam. 00:00:00 - MA v Lindsay Clancy - Latiesha Dukes - Mental Health Counselor 00:01:42 - South Shore Perinatal Clinic Procedures 00:06:47 - December 2nd Intake: Lindsay Clancy's Presenting Symptoms 00:18:01 - December 5th Visit: Aspire Crisis Call & IOP Recommendations 00:25:29 - December 12th Visit: Referral to Rhode Island Women & Infants 00:29:39 - December 19th Visit: Final Virtual Session & Clinical Observations 00:33:02 - December 27th Call: Prescription Concerns & Care Coordination 00:36:36 - Cross-Examination: "Fresh Eyes" Policy 00:38:37 - Cross-Examination: December 2nd Intake, Medication Side Effects 00:54:50 - Cross-Examination: Rejections by Aspire Crisis Support 00:57:20 - Cross-Examination: Rhode Island Program Referral 01:02:36 - Cross-Examination: Postpartum Depression Symptoms 01:12:38 - Re-Direct: Clinic Strategy 01:16:16 - Re-Cross: Scrutinizing the "Smiling and Laughing" MSE Checkbox Lindsay Clancy Trial Playlist:    • MA v Lindsay Clancy - Jury Selection Day 1