Corey M. Leidenfrost PhD

Corey Leidenfrost

Corey M. Leidenfrost
PhD

Research Assistant Professor/Training Director of Psychology Doctoral Internship

Department of Psychiatry

Jacobs School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences

Specialty/Research Focus

Children and Adults; Forensic Psychiatry; Psychiatry

Contact Information
Erie County Medical Center
462 Grider St., 11th Floor
Department of Psychiatry
Buffalo, New York 14215
Phone: 716 858-2859
coreylei@buffalo.edu
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Patient Care

This faculty member is affiliated with UBMD, practicing physicians who are also professors in the Jacobs School.

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Overview Research Publications Activities Latest News

Professional Summary:

My time is split between the Erie County Forensic Mental Health Service (ECFMH) and the Erie County Medical Center (ECMC). At ECFMH I conduct Article 730 competency evaluations for the courts, along with other requested evaluations from the criminal justice system. I complete clinical rounds on the Constant Observation units (suicide watch) at the Erie County Holding Center (ECHC). Previously, I conducted extensive work with a Residential Treatment Unit for incarcerated individuals who have a serious mental illness and may benefit from a higher level of care at ECHC. Working within a treatment team consisting of mental health staff, a psychiatrist, a nurse practitioner, a psychologist, and students, staff provide weekly individual counseling, weekly groups, and comprehensive psychiatric care. We conduct psychological assessments with incarcerated individuals and track clinical outcomes over time. Research from collected data is ongoing. I also help to supervise graduate and undergraduate level students.

At ECMC I am the Unit Chief of a psychiatric intensive care unit--Transitions--for individuals at imminent risk for aggression or recently became aggressive primary to a mental illness. An interdisciplinary team of licensed mental health counselors, nurses, a clinical manager, a psychiatrist, an occupational therapist, and a psychologist work to stabilize patients and prevent incidents of aggression. I provide clinical supervision, psychological assessment, and educational services to staff and clinicians on this PICU.

I am the Training Director of an APA accredited Psychology Internship Program located within the UB Department of Psychiatry. From 2019 to 2024 I was the Associated Training Director for the program. Currently, we have two internship tracks, a developmental approach to serious mental illness and a substance abuse and SMI track

My other clinical and evaluation interests include sex offender treatment and risk assessment, violence risk assessment, work with individuals who have serious mental illness and mood disorders. When I primarily conducted psychotherapy in the past I specialized in working with individuals who had depression and anxiety disorders. I have also specialized in working with domestic violence, both victims and offenders throughout my career.

My research interests are varied, but include aggression, violence, well-being, positive psychology topics, countertransference management, sex offender work, therapist effects, and mood disorders.

Education and Training:
  • PhD, Psychology, Walden University (2014)
  • MA, Psychology, SUNY Brockport (2006)
  • BS, Psychology, SUNY Brockport, Magna Cum Laude (2001)
  • Human Services, Genesee County Community College (1999)

Employment:
  • Training Director of the Psychology Internship Program, University at Buffalo (2025-present)
  • Forensic Psychologist, Erie County Forensic Mental Health Service (2014-present)
  • Research Assistant Professor, Psychiatry, University at Buffalo Jacobs School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (2014-present)
  • Unit Chief, Erie County Medical Center (2014-present)
  • Associate Training Director of Psychology Doctoral Internship, University at Buffalo (2018–2024)
  • Adjunct Faculty, Doctorate in Clinical Psychology, Medaille College (2016–2019)
  • Adjunct Lecturer, Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Niagara University School of Education and Counseling (2009–2015)
  • Mental Health Therapist, Child & Family Services (2007–2014)
  • Social Worker IIIB, Catholic Charities of Buffalo (2007–2012)
  • Social Worker III, Catholic Charities of Buffalo (2005–2007)
  • Director of the Domestic Violence Program, YWCA of Genesee County (2003–2005)
  • Social Worker I, Catholic Charities of Buffalo (2001–2004)
See all (2 more)

Awards and Honors:
  • Dr. Josie Olympia Award for Outstanding Overall Contributions to the Department of Psychiatry (2021)
  • NYSPA Independent Practice Association Award (2018)
  • Outstanding Contribution to Forensic Psychiatry (2017)
  • Outstanding Contribution to the Clinical Mission of the Department of Psychiatry (2017)
  • New York Sheriff’s Association 2015 Innovative Program Award for the Jail Management Division’s Residential Treatment Program (2015)
  • Psychology graduate student of the year at SUNY Brockport (2005)
  • Inducted into Psi Chi (2000)
  • Student of the Year, Genesee Community College (1999)

Research Expertise:
  • Aggression and violence: Research involving general violence and aggression, but particularly involving domestic violence and sexual offending behavior.
  • Positive psychology: Research involving any positive psychology topic, though including subjective well-being and the broaden and build model of positive emotions.
  • Therapist effects: Research involving how psychotherapist variables and characteristics influence the therapeutic process and outcomes, particularly countertransference management.

Grants and Sponsored Research:
  • July 2022
    Graduate Psychology Education Program (GPE)
    Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)
    Role: Co-Principal Investigator
    $343,084

Journal Articles:

Books and Book Chapters:

  • Leidenfrost, C. M & Antonius, D. (2020) Incarceration and trauma: The challenge for the mental health care delivery system. In: Trauma in Forensic Contexts. Spinger
  • Leidenfrost CM, Leonard, KE, Antonius, D. (2018) Alcohol, drugs and crimes. In: The Handbook of Behavioral Criminology: Contemporary Strategy and Issues. Springer Publishing

Abstracts:

  • Scalco M, Leidenfrost CM, Quigley BM, Testa M, Houston RJ, Brown WC, Leonard KE, Antonius D. (2016) Alcohol use impacts recidivism rates differently in individuals with mood versus psychosis spectrum disorders (Abstract #406). Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, (Jan) 117A

Professional Memberships:
  • Society for Personality Assessment (2022–present)
  • American Psychology – Law Society (2017–present)
  • Psychological Association for Western New York (2014–present)
  • NYS Psychological Association (2014–present)
  • NYS Alliance for the Prevention of Sexual Abuse (2013–present)
  • American Psychological Association (2005–present)
  • Psi Chi; National honor society for psychology (2000–present)
  • International Society of the Rorschach and Projective Methods

Presentations:
  • "Family Dynamics" Education with school-based mental health counselors from Spectrum Human Services (2023)
  • "Resilience in Youth" Monthly Lunch and Learn series at ECMC (2023)
  • "Trauma and Resilience" Education with school-based mental health counselors from Spectrum Human Services (2023)
  • "Grit" Monthly Lunch and Learn series at ECMC (2023)
  • "Navigating the Storm: Building Resiliency" Monthly Lunch and Learn series at ECMC (2023)
  • "Obsessive Compulsive Disorder" Monthly Lunch and Learn series at ECMC (2023)
  • "The Therapeautic Alliance" Monthly Lunch and Learn at ECMC (2023)
  • "What Makes Treatment Work – Beyond the Working Alliance" Monthly Lunch and Learn series at ECMC (2023)
  • "Delusional misidentification syndrome" Monthly Lunch & Learn Series. Erie County Medical Center (2022)
  • "Serious mental illness, violence and the criminal justice system" Monthly Lunch & Learn Series. Erie County Medical Center (2022)
  • "Synthetic drugs" Monthly Lunch & Learn Series. Erie County Medical Center (2022)
  • "Heterogeneity of violence" Monthly Lunch & Learn Series, Erie County Medical Center (2022)
  • "Psychosis development following COVID-19 infection: A case study in the utility of psychological testing to clarify an unclear clinical picture" New York State Psychological Association Convention (2021)
  • "Violence and psychiatry: Serious mental illness, risk assessment and management in practice" Comprehensive Review of Psychiatry Conference (2021)
  • "Etiology of Depression" Lunch and Learn Monthly Series, ECMC (2021)
  • "Effects of COVID-19 on Service Providers" Schwartz Center Rounds, Erie County Medical Center (2021)
  • "Pathological personality traits among sex offenders: A focus on antisocial and borderline personality disorders" 25th Annual Joint Conference of New York State ATSA and The Alliance (2021)
  • "Treatment of Depression" Lunch and Learn Monthly Series, ECMC (2021)
  • "Gallows Humor: The Costs and Benefits of Humor and How We Use it in Our Work" Spectrum Human Services training (2021)
  • "Vicarious and Primary Trauma Among Staff in a Psychiatric Inpatient Service" Lunch & Learn Monthly Series (2021)
  • "Etiology of Anxiety Disorders" Lunch & Learn Monthly Series (2021)
  • "Treatment of Anxiety Disorder" Lunch & Learn Monthly Series (2021)
  • "Borderline Personality Disorder and Self Harm: Working with Patients Who Exhibit Self-Injurious Behavior" Lunch & Learn Monthly Series (2021)
  • "The neurobiology of bipolar disorder: An adolescent focus" Academic Rounds for the Child Division. Oeshia Children’s Psychiatric Clinic (2021)
  • "Searching for the right response: A systemic and historical look at #MeToo" the 24th Annual Joint Conference of the NYS Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers and The Alliance (2019)
  • "Perceived motivations and expectations in joining professional organizations: A survey of NYSPA members" New York State Psychological Association’s Annual Convention; New York State Psychological Association’s Annual Convention; Leadership Institute (2018)
  • "Perceived motivations and expectations in joining professional organizations: A survey of NYSPA members" 2018 New York State Psychological Association’s Annual Convention; ; NYSPA Leadership Institute (2018)
  • "Towards enhanced treatment and reduced recidivism of seriously mentally ill offenders" 2018 New York State Psychological Association’s Annual Convention (2018)
  • "Towards enhanced treatment and reduced recidivism of seriously mentally ill offenders" New York State Psychological Association’s Annual Convention; New York State Psychological Association (2018)
  • "Gallows humor: The costs and benefits of humor and how we use it in our work" NYS Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers and The Alliance (2018)
  • "Gallows humor: The costs and benefits of humor and how we use it in our work" 23rd Annual Joint Conference of the NYS Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers and The Alliance (2018)
  • "The Bröset Violence Checklist and Prediction of Aggressive Incident Severity" Annual Meeting of the American Psychiatric Association; American Psychiatric Association (2018)
  • "The efficacy of a psychiatric intensive care unit in managing aggression among individuals with serious mental illness" NYS American Psychiatric Nurse’s Association WNY Regional Meeting; 1978 (2018)
  • "The efficacy of a psychiatric intensive care unit in managing aggression among individuals with serious mental illness" NYS American Psychiatric Nurse’s Association WNY Regional Meeting (2018)
  • "Antisocial and borderline traits, and increased psychiatric comorbidity and lethality risk among seriously mentally ill inmates in a jail setting" American Psychology-Law Society Conference; American Psychology-Law Society (2018)
  • "Borderline and antisocial traits among inmates in a jail setting" American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law (2017)
  • "Domestic violence and sex offenders: Dynamics and typologies" 21st Annual Joint Conference of the New York State Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers and The Alliance (2017)
  • "Self-care and well-being strategies for sexual offender treatment providers" 21st Annual Joint Conference of the New York State Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers and The Alliance (2017)
  • "The efficacy of a psychiatric intensive care unit in managing aggression among individuals with serious mental illness" 9th Annual Collaborative Conference; 9th Annual Collaborative Conference (2017)
  • "The efficacy of a psychiatric intensive care unit in managing aggression among individuals with serious mental illness" American Psychiatric Association Annual Meeting (2017)
  • "Involuntary commitment laws and their impact on opioid-related deaths: Do they make a difference?" 20th Annual Scholarly Exchange at Spring Clinical Day; University at Buffalo (2017)
  • "The efficacy of a psychiatric intensive care unit in managing aggression among individuals with serious mental illness" 20th Annual Scholarly Exchange at Spring Clinical Day; University at Buffalo (2017)
  • "Changes in psychological health and subjective well-being among incarcerated individuals with serious mental illness" American Psychology-Law Society Annual Conference (2017)
  • "Cognitive status and profile validity on the Personality Assessment inventory (PAI) in Forensic Offenders" American Psychology-Law Society Annual Conference (2017)
  • "Treating the mentally ill in jails: Efficacy of a specialized treatment program" American Psychology-Law Society Annual Conference (2017)
  • "Borderline personality disorder and self-harm: Working with patient who exhibit self-injurious behavior" WNY Regional Meeting, American Psychiatric Nurses Association; ; NY Chaptier (2017)
  • "Cognitive status and profile validity: Competency implications" 47th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law (2016)
  • "Efficacy of specialized treatment for mentally ill in jails" 47th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law (2016)
  • "Alcohol use impacts recidivism rates differently in individuals with mood-versus psychosis-spectrum disorders" 39th Annual Research Society on Alcoholism Scientific Meeting (2016)
  • "Sexual Offending Occurring in Domestic Violence: A Cross Section of Two Forms of Violence" 21st Annual Joint Conference of the ATSA and the Alliance (2016)
  • "Assessing treatment needs for incarcerated individuals with serious mental illness" 9th Academic & Health Policy Conference on Correctional Health (2016)
  • "Creation of a residential treatment unit for those with serious mental illness in a jail setting." 9th Academic & Health Policy Conference on Correctional Health (2016)
  • "Impact of subjective well-being and recidivism in mentally ill patients" 9th Academic & Health Policy Conference on Correctional Health (2016)
  • "Antipsychotic treatment of inmates on a special unit" 46th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law (2015)
  • "Efficacy of group treatment on a Specialized Treatment Unit" 46th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law (2015)
  • "The role of antisociality among jail inmates with SMI" 46th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law (2015)
  • "The utility of the PAI-LOCI in a forensic population." 46th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law (2015)
  • "Changes in psychological health and subjective well-being among incarcerated individuals with serious mental illness" Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association (2015)
  • "Changes in psychological health and subjective well-being among incarcerated individuals with serious mental illness" Changes in psychological health and subjective well-being among incarcerated individuals with serious mental illness (2015)
  • "The Utility of the Personality Assessment Inventory’s (PAI) Level of Care Index (LOCI) in a Forensic Population" Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association (2015)
  • "Impact of subjective well-being and recidivism in mentally ill inmates" University at Buffalo Summer Research DAY (2015)
  • "Predictive value of subjective well-being on recidivism in mentally ill inmates" CLIMB PRO/SURF research program; University at Buffalo (2015)
  • "Creation of a residential treatment unit for those with serious mental illness in a jail setting" American Psychiatric Association 168th Annual Meeting; American Psychiatric Association; Forensic Psychiatry (2015)
  • "The Brøset Violence Checklist (BVC)" ; Erie County Medical Center; Charge Nurses (2015)
  • "The role of personality disorders in sex offender treatment: A DSM-5 Perspective" Workshop presented at the Joint NYS ATSA and NYS Alliance of Sex Offender Service Provider Annual Conference (2015)
  • "Enhanced care of aggressive patients" Academic Symposium for the UB Department of Psychiatry (2015)
  • "Formulation and treatment plan training" ; Erie County Forensic Mental Health Services (2015)
  • "Transforming mental health services in a large correctional system" 8th Annual Academic & Health Policy Conference on Correctional Health (2015)
  • "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Overview" Agency-wide training for Child & Family Services of Buffalo, NY (2015)
  • "Conflict resolution" n-service training presented at Meals on Wheels for WNY monthly all staff meeting (2014)
  • "Assessing outcome of enhanced jail treatment." Academic Symposium for Psychiatry Department Faculty; University at Buffalo (2014)
  • "Therapist effects in sex offender treatment and their Influence on outcome." Workshop presented at 2014 NYS ATSA/Alliance Joint Conference (2014)
  • "Countertransference management in sex offender treatment." Workshop presented at 2013 NYS ATSA/Alliance Joint Conference (2013)
  • "Mental illness and violence today: The impact of media and the New York SAFE Act." UB Department of Psychiatry Grand Rounds; University at Buffalo; Department of Psychiatry (2013)
  • "Domestic Violence Offenders Programs in WNY" Erie County Judicial System (2010)
  • "Domestic Violence Program for Men overview." Presentation to Niagara County Child Protective Services and Domestic Violence Collaborative. (2008)
  • "Positive affectivity: The broaden and build theory." Presentation at Scholar’s Day, SUNY Brockport (2004)
  • "Excited Delirium" Crisis Intervention Training (CIT) Police officers
See all (68 more)

Service Activities:
  • Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research; peer review (2024–present)
  • Americal Psychology-Law Society Committee on Science Impact and Communication; Member (2024–present)
  • Criminal Justice and Behavior Journal; Peer-reviewer (2024–present)
  • Served as session chair at the AP-LS annual conference; Session chair (2023)
  • American Psychology - Law Society conference; Submission reviewer (2022–present)
  • American Psychology - Law Society; Session chair (2022)
  • Judged quality of psychiatry resident posters for Poster day; Psychiatry Resident Poster judge (2021)
  • Violence and Victims Journal (2021–present)
  • Internal Treatment Planning for Difficult Patients (2020–present)
  • Assist the director with any needed activities, including interviewing interns, supervision, and other needed administrative duties. Maintain ongoing efforts to promote diversity and equity in our internship program.; Associate Training Director, Psychology Internship Program (2018–present)
  • Erie County Provider Partnership; Member (2018–present)
  • 25th Annual Joint Conference of the New York State Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers and The Alliance; Submission reviewer (2018–2021)
  • Didactic sessions and work with forensic fellow; Faculty member, Forensic Psychiatry Fellowship (2017–present)
  • Faculty Council; Member (2017–present)
  • Conduct fitness for duty evaluations for the Erie County Probation Department, Erie County Sheriff's Department, Cheektowaga Police Department, Corfu Police Department and Amherst Police Department. So far in 2024 I have completed about 35 evaluations.; Consultant, fitness for duty evaluations (2016–present)
  • Work with nursing and clincal staff on 4 zone 3, work individually with patients, assist in development of SOPs, risk assessment activities, support and training to staff, interviewing for positions and psychological evaluation.; Unit Chief, 4 zone 3 (2014–present)
  • Board Member for the NYS Alliance of Sex Offender Service Providers; Board Member (2014–2020)
  • Conduct competency and mental health evaluations for the court at the Erie County Holding Center and outpatient, constant observation rounds at two jail facilities and participation in treatment teams. Completed over 135 court evaluations (so far) in 2024.; Forensic Psychologist (2014–present)
  • Personnel Committee Member for Meals on Wheels for WNY; Committee Member (2013–2020)
  • ; Interview prospective psychiatry residents
  • International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology; Peer-review
  • Crisis Intervention Team training with various local law enforcement agencies; Trainer

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Contact Information

Erie County Medical Center
462 Grider St., 11th Floor
Department of Psychiatry
Buffalo, New York 14215
Phone: 716 858-2859
coreylei@buffalo.edu
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This faculty member is affiliated with UBMD, practicing physicians who are also professors in the Jacobs School.

View this physician on UBMD
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