The Pennsylvania Mental Health Forensic Evaluation Order is a court-ordered assessment conducted by a mental health professional that examines an individual’s psychological health and functioning. The evaluation will typically consider factors such as the individual’s mental health diagnosis, the presence of any mental health-related impairments, and the individual’s capacity to make decisions or stand trial. This evaluation typically occurs in criminal proceedings and can be used to determine a person’s competency to stand trial, the presence of any mental health-related defenses, or sentencing recommendations. There are two types of Pennsylvania Mental Health Forensic Evaluation Orders: the Standard Evaluation and the Competency Evaluation. The Standard Evaluation is used to assess an individual’s mental health prior to sentencing, while the Competency Evaluation is used to determine whether an individual is able to understand the proceedings and assist in their defense.