Sarah Elizabeth Neilson serves as a consultant on MacDonald Law cases to confidently provide insight on the Division for Children, Youth, & Families (DCYF) process for families with questions and concerns. Ms. Neilson actively collaborates with the legal team on the process, potential directions, and possible outcomes while concurrently working with the family. Additionally, Ms. Neilson offers case consultations and assertively makes recommendations based on specific familial challenges and situations. She provides authoritative forensic insight on child abuse and neglect concerns and rigorously reviews cases to offer recommendations based on professional opinions, while ensuring compliance with state statutes. As a forensically trained interviewer, Ms. Neilson is attuned to the ethical and moral expectations and obligations, for our most vulnerable clients.
In addition to DCYF matters, Ms. Neilson provides insight and analysis on cases in which a Guardian ad Litem (GAL) has been assigned. Ms. Neilson is a former GAL for the State of New Hampshire as well as a former DCYF investigator. She has a history of educational and professional experiences in the behavioral, addiction, clinical and counseling fields, with children and families, through numerous capacities since 1999. Through many forums and modalities, her experience includes mental health facilities, substance abuse facilities, courtroom testimony and reporting, jury selection, as well as more individualistic tasks such as focusing on patients who are struggling with dual diagnoses, physical, sexual, and emotional abuse, psychological, behavioral and emotional trauma as well as addiction disorders.
Ms. Neilson graduated with her Masters in Nursing through the University of New Hampshire, complementing her prior education; a bachelors in Developmental Psychology, a bachelors in Clinical & Counseling Psychology, as well as her Masters in Forensic Psychology. It is with these credentials she is able to blend her competencies and qualifications, to work alongside law enforcement, medical personnel, as well as within the court system.
Ms. Neilson recognizes that being part of a team is respecting that every position plays an important role in the team being a success. Ms. Neilson strives for excellence, for herself, and the team she is on.