Dr. Duerksen, the Tulare County Mental Health Director, holds a Ph.D. in clinical psychology, with areas of specialization in community psychology and psychological assessment. She maintained a general clinical practice for fifteen years in Newport Beach, and provided treatment for adolescents, adults, and couples. Dr. Duerksen also held several academic appointments, which included teaching undergraduate and graduate students. Personality assessment of children and adults, cross-cultural issues in clinical psychology, and personality and psychopathology were areas of focus. Her research background includes the neuropsychological assessment of undomiciled men on measures of executive functioning and use of the MMPI-2 with ethnically diverse populations. Dr. Duerksen returned to the Central Valley in 1996. She was first employed as a staff psychologist at Corcoran State Prison for one year, and was subsequently hired by Health and Human Services Agency as the Lead Psychologist for Tulare County Mental Health. For the past three years, she has served as an Assistant Agency Director for Primary Care, which includes the Systems of Care for Health and Mental Health.