Relief from 18 U.S.C. 922(g)(4)
Virtual Appointments Available for those in CA, NY, & NJ
DOJ’s Federal Firearm Rights Restoration
In August 2026, the Department of Justice launched a new Federal Firearm Rights Restoration program. If you lost your firearm rights due to a “mental health commitment or an adjudication as a mental defective” (e.g., WIC 5150 & WIC 5250) you will be required to provide (per DOJ : required documents) a
“current certification from a licensed mental health professional” stating that:
you know longer suffer from the disease or condition that caused the disability
OR
the disease or condition has been successfully treated or is stably managed such that you are unlikely to be a danger to yourself or others
Firearm Evaluations
Oxford University Press, 2023
Dr. DeMarco has unique expertise in the area of firearm evaluations / mental health evaluations for firearm ownership (CCW) and restoration.
She has conducted well over 100 firearm-specific evaluations, as well as provided expert witness testimony in restoration and CCW denial matters across four different states.
She co-authored a handbook published by Oxford University Press in 2023 that provides foundational information for developing cultural competency around firearm-related issues in clinical practice. Namely, exploring areas such as gun safety principles, federal and state law considerations, how to ask and what to do when firearm issues arise in practice, and how to conduct a firearm-specific risk assessments. As a leading expert in the area, she has been invited to provide trainings to various professionals and mental health clinicians. Dr. DeMarco received the 2024 Lawrence S. Wrightsman Book Award from the American Psychology-Law Society (APLS; Div. 41 of the American Psychological Association - APA) for this publication, recognizing “outstanding scholarship in psychology & law.”
What is involved in a firearm evaluation?
Dr. DeMarco conducts independent, comprehensive, empirically based, and data-driven firearm-specific risk assessments. She reviews records, conducts a comprehensive clinical-forensic interview, collateral interviews, and administers psychological testing. Additionally, Dr. DeMarco explores and various firearm-specific considerations including prohibitor areas of the law, examinee’s specific situation/and or current prohibitor area, and assesses various areas of risk including violence, suicide, domestic violence, and substance use. She works closely with examinee’s attorney to address case-specific needs.
Dr. DeMarco’s professional work in this area
Relevant recent publications:
Pirelli, G., & DeMarco, S. (2023). Firearms and clinical practice: A handbook for medical and mental health professionals. Oxford University Press.
DeMarco, S, & Pirelli, G. (2024). Guns and mental health. Encyclopedia of Psychology in the Real World: Psychology and Law Volume. Routledge.
Invited talks and trainings conducted by Dr. DeMarco:
Firearm-Related Issues in Forensic Assessment: Considerations for Evaluators (November 2023). Invited Staff Training, New York Police Department (NYPD) Psychologists. New York, NY.
Firearms and Clinical Practice: Essentials for Psychologists (March 2023). CE Workshop for Arizona Psychological Association. AZ
Firearms and Clinical Practice: Essentials for Psychologists (February 2023). Group psychology practice. Portland, OR.
Duty to Warn and Protect in New Jersey: Essentials for Mental Health Professionals. (July 2021). Webinar for Independent Mental Health Practice. Union County, NJ.
Identifying and Managing Firearm-Related Risk Factors. (October 2019). Invited Staff Training, Woodland Park Range/Gun for Hire, Woodland Park, NJ.