Prudence Fisher (she, her, hers) is a Professor of Clinical Psychiatric Social Work (in Psychiatry) at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons and a Research Scientist in the Department of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry at New York State Psychiatric Institute (NYSPI). Her primary focus encompasses the assessment, measurement (including nosology), and methodology of youth mental health, with her expertise in diagnostic assessment earning her the most accolades. Dr. Fisher has been notably recognized for her contributions to the Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children (DISC) and is acknowledged as a key member of the small community of experts in youth diagnostic assessment and measurement. Supported in part by funding from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, she developed DISC-5 (DSM-5), with five modules utilized in the National Adolescent Mental Health Surveys (NAMHS) Project conducted in Kenya, Vietnam and Indonesia.
Dr. Fisher’s contributions extend to many prominent instruments in the field, including the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (CSSRS), the Children’s Global Assessment Scale (CGAS), and The Columbia Impairment Scale. She has also served as an advisor and consultant for five DSM-5 workgroups and committees, and has consulted with the WHO ICD-11 group on the text for “developmental presentations” included in the ICD-11 Diagnostic Guidelines’ chapter on mental disorders. Most recently, she advised on the development and adaptation of the FLII-11 for use in youth surveys.