Dr. Michael W. Faust

Chief Psychologist

Dr. Faust is a licensed clinical psychologist and substance use specialist with 25+ years clinical experience. Our team is well-versed in psychological assessment and intervention for mood, anxiety, substance use, and fitness for duty services. We also provide intervention for sport performance problems, as well as pre-surgical psychological examinations.  Dr. Faust is a certified BWC provider, and experienced in working with your legal representative to facilitate psychological treatment following occupational injury. 

Dr. Faust holds a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology and a Master's Degree in Experimental Psychology, and completed the rigorous elective Certificate of Proficiency in the Treatment of Alcohol and Other Psychoactive Substance Use Disorders by the American Psychological Association (APA-CPP). His Doctoral training provided comprehensive exposure to the theoretical and practical use of the polygraph and lie detection in forensic settings. He has experience as an EAP provider for the Cleveland Indians Baseball Club, and as a treatment provider for the National Football League Players Association. 

Dr. Faust has over 25 years of experience in providing fitness for duty evaluations for law enforcement, safety and security personnel at multiple levels within the municipal, county, and federal employs. I have experience providing consultation and evaluations with the United States Secret Service, the United States Department of Defense, the United States Bureau of ATF, The United States Homeland Security Office, the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, Cuyahoga County, the City of Cleveland and surrounding municipalities, Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, and public and private employers.

Faust Psychological Services has conducted more than 2,000 FFD evaluations for the listed entities . Our evaluation protocol clearly demonstrates awareness in response to community and problem-oriented policing, bias-free policing, use of force issues with regard to personality characteristics, behavior, bias, and predisposition to force, attitudes toward the use of body cameras, chain of command, and multiple additional areas critical to establishing standards for effective selection of law enforcement and safety personnel.  The ultimate goal for our protocol is to select individuals with emotional maturity, exemplary interpersonal skills, strategic thinking, and problem solving skills and those who demonstrate facility with collaborating across diverse communities.  This process is fully cognizant of the ADA and all relevant factors in the evaluation of individuals pursuing professions as First-Responders, including the specific emotional resilience of candidates as we assess each person's ability to manage the cognitive, emotional, social and behavioral demands of public safety service. 

Finally, Faust Psychological Services practitioners have extensive awareness of the police culture, which is critically important to assess for compatibility. Dr. Faust is sought out by law enforcement and First-Responders who have been in crisis and we appreciate the trust that these individuals have placed in us as we assist in their intervention. ​