Forensic Training Institute 2021
Live, Online Workshops in Forensic Psychology
Join us online, through the year, for a series of live workshops on topics in forensic psychology. In lieu of our annual summer training institute, we are pleased to offer a forensic training institute taking place throughout 2021. Our week-long intensive institute has been re-imagined as a series of online workshops taking place throughout the year, and divided into manageable 4-hr chunks to fit your schedule. We hope you can join us!
Why join us?
- LIVE instruction by leading experts in forensic psychology
- Interact with other participants & ask questions of the experts
- Build your forensic practice on solid foundational training
- Update your knowledge with the most recent empirical evidence
Did you know?
The half-life of knowledge in forensic psychology is 7 years.
That is, if you graduated 7 years ago, half of what you learned in graduate school either no longer applies or has been updated to reflect new science.
Is your knowledge up-to-date and in line with best practices?
Mar 18-19
Apr 2 & 9
May 7 & 14
June 3-4
June 11 & 18
Aug 13 & 20
Sept 9-10
Oct 1 & 8
Nov 9-10
Dec 10
Join us throughout 2021 for online training workshops that you can fit into a busy schedule. The focus of this year’s forensic series is on foundational components of forensic assessment and practice. These workshops are relevant to mental health and allied professionals who work at the interface of the justice system. Graduate students in psychology, counseling, and social work are welcome (encouraged!) to attend; we offer a 50% discount to students for these workshops.
Click on the workshop image for more information; Click the button to register
March 18-19, 2021
8:00am - 3:00pm Pacific
Assessing Honor-Based Violence PATRIARCH-V2 (Official Launch)
Presented by Stephen D. Hart, PhD & P. Randall Kropp, PhD
This workshop is the official launch of the newest version of the PATRIARCH, a structured professional judgement guideline for assessing and managing risk for honor-based violence. Significant updates have been made to the guidelines, reflecting advances related to research, practice and the law and incorporating feedback from diverse professionals around the world.
Honour-based violence is a prevalent and a serious international problem and it is critical that professionals engage in best practices to prevent future incidents and tragedies.
This workshop is designed for professionals whose work involves risk assessment and management, including those working in criminal justice, security, victim services, forensic mental health, civil mental health, general health care, social services, human resources, occupational health and safety, and legal services.
Upon completion of this program, participants should be able to:
- Describe key concepts and identifying risk factors
- Describe decision theory
- Describe combining risk factors
- Describe Administration of the PATRIARCH-V2
- Describe Structured Professional Judgment of the PATRIARCH-V2
April 2nd & 9th, 2021
8:00am – 12:00pm Pacific
Cultural Considerations in Forensic Assessment
Presented by Barry Rosenfeld, PhD, ABPP
Upon completion of this program, participants should be able to:
- Describe the principals of cultural awareness in psychological evaluations
- Identify forms of cultural biases that can impact forensic consultation
- List steps necessary before evaluating individuals of diverse cultural background
- Describe how to train and utilize interpreters in forensic assessment
- nterpret assessment and interview data in culturally diverse settings
- Differentiate appropriate and inappropriate psychological tests that can be used with individuals of particular cultural backgrounds.
- Apply ethical standards to their cross-cultural assessment practice
May 7th & 14th, 2021
8:30am – 12:30pm Pacific
Ethics in Forensic Psychological Practice
Presented by Randy Otto, PhD, ABPP
Using a case study approach, this interactive training program reviews ethical challenges/issues commonly encountered by forensic psychologists. In this way it is NOT a workshop on ethics in general psychology practice. Participants are assigned cases on which to work and are encouraged to anchor their judgments and discussions with the group in various sources of professional authority (e.g., ethical principles, practice guidelines).
Upon completion of this program, participants should be able to:
- Employ a 7-step problem-solving process to respond to ethical/legal dilemmas
- List and locate key sources of authority for forensic psychology practice
- Describe conditions under which multiple roles/relationships are permitted, prohibited, and discouraged
- Identify the circumstances in which consent must or need not be obtained from forensic examinees
- Describe and employ strategies when asked to record, or allow a third party to observe a forensic evaluation
- Identify the circumstances/conditions under which psychologists are permitted to offer opinions about persons not examined
- Distinguish between privacy, confidentiality, and privilege as applied to forensic evaluation and treatment contexts, and describe how each impacts what information is included in one’s records and testimony
- Respond to the substandard work of colleagues in such a way that meets one’s ethical obligations
- Identify the obligations one has when examining persons who differ in significant ways from groups on which traditional tests were developed
June 3-4, 2021
8:00am - 3:00pm Pacific
Multi-Level Guidelines Version 2 (MLG-V2) Official Launch
Presented by Stephen D. Hart, PhD
This workshop is the official launch of the newest version of the Multi-Level Guidelines (MLG), a structured professional judgement guideline for assessing and managing risk for group based violence. Significant updates have been made to the guidelines, reflecting advances related to research, practice and the law and incorporating feedback from diverse professionals around the world.
This workshop is designed for professionals whose work involves risk assessment and management, including those working in criminal justice, security, victim services, forensic mental health, civil mental health, general health care, social services, human resources, occupational health and safety, and legal services.
Upon completion of this program, participants should be able to:
- Describe key concepts and identifying risk factors
- Describe decision theory
- Describe combining risk factors
- Describe Administration of the MLG-V2
- Describe Structured Professional Judgment of the MLG-V2
June 11th & 18th, 2021
8:30am – 12:30pm Pacific
Report Writing for Forensic Evaluation
Presented by Randy Otto, PhD, ABPP
Conducting well-constructed forensic psychological evaluations is not enough to persuade judges, attorneys, and other referral sources about the adequacy of one’s work and opinions. Reports and affidavits are the primary vehicles by which psychologists communicate to judges, attorneys, and others what data they considered, what actions they took, and the opinions they formed and the underlying reasoning. Thus, writing clear and concise reports is a critical component of most forensic psychologists’ practice. Research on forensic examiners’ report-writing practices is reviewed; how forensic practice guidelines, the ethics code, and rules of evidence and procedure shape reports is considered; principles for the organization and structure of forensic reports are proposed; and elements of good and bad reports are highlighted using multiple real-world examples from redacted reports. More focused matters such as the use of jargon; specificity in word choice; identifying sources of information; distinguishing between observation and inference; and common report writing errors are considered, as well. Finally, preparation of affidavits, and how their structure and substance differs from reports, is tackled.
Upon completion of this program, participants should be able to:
- List the various functions that reports and affidavits which summarize forensic evaluations serve
- Identify 3 reasons for, and the value of, including in forensic reports competing hypotheses, alternative explanations, and data that are inconsistent with one’s expert opinions
- Identify jargon that is most typically included in reports and the advantages and disadvantages of including such
- Identify the primary purpose of affidavits and describe how they differ from reports in function and development
Aug 13th & 20th, 2021
8:30am – 12:30pm Pacific
Effective Expert Testimony for Forensic Evaluation
Presented by Randy Otto, PhD, ABPP
This workshop is devoted to expert testimony that mental health professionals provide in depositions, trials, and administrative hearings. As such, this program should be of interest to all mental health professionals who testify in legal proceedings, regardless of their sub-specialty. The focus is on oral communication of one’s activities and opinions. Thus, the preparation of interrogatories, affidavits, and reports is not addressed. First reviewed are the research examining, and the general principles of, effective communication in legal proceedings. This is followed by a discussion of the two primary contexts in which expert witnesses testify (depositions and trials/hearing), their similarities, and differences. Next reviewed are nuts and bolts strategies witnesses should employ, followed by an extended discussion of direct and cross-examination techniques and strategies. Throughout the workshop how professional ethics, practice guidelines, and rules of evidence and procedure, shape expert testimony are discussed. Considerable use is made of case examples, using excerpts from trial and deposition transcripts, and video-recordings of experts testifying.
Upon completion of this program, participants should be able to:
- Identify the components/qualities of effective communication generally, and effective testimony specifically
- Identify the differences between testifying at depositions and at trial and testify more effectively in each setting
- Identify various ways in which credibility and expertise can be communicated when testifying
- Identify ethical requirements and practice guidelines that impact expert testimony and testify in accordance with them
- Identify common/typical rules of evidence and procedure shape presentation of expert testimony and testify in a manner that is consistent with these rules
- Describe an approach for effectively communicating their work and opinions to the legal decision-maker during direct examination
September 9-10, 2021
8:00am – 4:00pm Pacific
Malingering
Presented by Barry Rosenfeld, PhD, ABPP
This workshop reviews the tests and techniques currently available for assessing malingering of cognitive impairment and psychiatric disturbance. Among the tests reviewed in this workshop are the measures such as the MMPI scales, the Structured Interview of Reported Symptoms (SIRS), the Test of Memory Malingering (TOMM), and the Validity Indicator Profile (VIP), among others. In addition to discussing the use and interpretation of the individual test, this workshop addresses the integration of multiple instruments into an assessment battery and decision-making in equivocal cases or when test data appear contradictory. Finally, the impact of language, culture, intellectual functioning and serious mental illness on the accuracy of malingering tests is discussed.
Upon completion of this program, participants should be able to:
- Describe the differences between feigning, malingering, and insufficient effort in the context of psychological assessment
- Describe the types of instruments used to detect feigning
- Describe the strengths and limitations for commonly used instruments used to detect feigning
- Describe the different indices of classification accuracy
- Describe the tests and techniques available to assess malingering
- Describe the importance of base rate information
- Describe standard errors on the interpretation of psychological test results
- Describe alternative decision-making strategies for selecting and integrating multiple tests into an assessment battery
- Describe the impact of different types of diversity on the interpretation of test data
- Describe the impact of different types of diversity (e.g., language, culture, intellectual functioning, serious mental illness) on the interpretation of test data
October 1st & 8th, 2021
8:30am – 12:30pm Pacific
Case Formulation & Treatment Planning
Presented by Michele Galietta, PhD
This workshop focuses on teaching participants to utilize risk assessment data in formulations to inform the management and treatment of forensic clients. The workshop also includes theoretical information about the process of case formulation and its utility. Current practices and the empirical basis for their use are highlighted along with controversies about the relevance of particular types of data in formulations. The workshop includes both nomothetic and idiographic aspects of formulations. Although there are multiple variations in theoretical approaches to formulations and treatment plans, this workshop focuses specifically on using SPJ risk data and a behavioral and cognitive-behavioral framework to inform forensic case formulations in order to develop evidence-based treatment plans targeting the most salient treatment targets.
Upon completion of this program, participants should be able to:
- Describe the rationale for Forensic Case Formulation
- Describe the rationale for Treatment Planning
- Describe essential features of forensic case formulations in order to manage and decrease risk in forensic treatment cases
- Describe the prevailing research on the reliability and validity of formulations in forensic practice
- Describe the best practices for formulation and treatment planning
- Describe the relationship between SPJ concerning violence risk
- Describe the use of forensic case formulations, including treatment plans
- Demonstrate formulation and treatment planning using case vignette material
November 9-10, 2021
8:00am – 3:00pm Pacific
Risk for Sexual Violence Protocol Version 2 ( RSVP-V2) Official Launch
Presented by Stephen D. Hart, PhD; Kelly Watt, PhD; & P. Randall Kropp, PhD
Sexual violence is a prevalent and a serious international problem and it is critical that professionals engage in best practices to prevent future incidents and tragedies. This workshop is the official launch of the newest version of the Risk for Sexual Violence Protocol (RSVP), a structured professional judgement guideline for assessing and managing risk for sexual violence.
Significant updates have been made to the guidelines, reflecting advances related to research, practice and the law and incorporating feedback from diverse professionals around the world.
This workshop is designed for professionals whose work involves risk assessment and management, including those working in criminal justice, security, victim services, forensic mental health, civil mental health, general health care, social services, human resources, occupational health and safety, and legal services.
Upon completion of this program, participants should be able to:
- Describe key concepts and identifying risk factors
- Describe decision theory
- Describe combining risk factors
- Describe Administration of the RSVP-2
- Describe Structured Professional Judgment of the RSVP-2
December 10, 2021
9:00am – 12:00pm Pacific
Advanced Training in Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
Presented by Jerrod Brown, PhD
Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are temporary or permanent alterations in brain functioning resulting from an open or closed wound to the head. Such an injury could be the result of an automobile accident, a sports-related impact, or victimization of violence like being punched in the head. TBIs can range from mild to severe in nature and may result in a host of short and long-term impairments. Symptoms associated with TBI can be cognitive (e.g., confusion, language production and processing difficulties, irritability, and impulsivity) or physical (e.g., insomnia, headaches, nausea, and loss of consciousness). Deficits associated with TBI can also place an impacted individual at elevated risk for an array of mental health (e.g., anxiety and mood disorders), substance abuse, and education and employment problems. In particular, individuals with TBIs are disproportionately likely to become entangled in the criminal justice system as either victims or perpetrators of crime.
Upon completion of this program, participants should be able to:
- Describe the causes, symptoms, red flag indicators, and consequences of TBIs
- Describe the implications that TBIs have on functioning within criminal justice, forensic mental health, and legal processes
- Describe how TBIs increase the risk of criminal justice-involvement, including victimization and vulnerability
- Describe evidence-based practices for the screening and intervention of TBIs
- List interviewing approaches most appropriate for individuals with TBI who are involved in criminal justice, forensic mental health, and legal settings
- Describe key research findings associated with TBIs in criminal justice, forensic mental health, and legal settings
Student Discounts
A discount of 50% is available for graduate students with proof of status. To receive a student discount, please scan and email verification of your student status to receive a discount code to use during registration.
Registration
Upon registration, you will receive a confirmation email with preliminary workshop information. We will send emails (1) week, (1) day, and the day of each workshop with the zoom login information and workshop materials. We want to be able to send you communications and we promise to keep your email private but if you work for a government agency or know of firewall issues with your network, please use a personal email address to ensure communication. If you are registering for someone else, please use their name & email address at checkout. Be sure to caps@paloaltou.edu to your safe list of emails.
Continuing Education Credit
Continuing education credits are granted independently, for each workshop. Attendees are responsible for attending each workshop for which they wish to receive continuing education credit in entirety. At the end of each workshop, a link to the workshop evaluation will be distributed in the chatbox and by email. Continuing education certificates will be available upon submission of the workshop evaluation.