South Dakota - Best Practices in the Evaluation of Competence to Stand Trial
20 Hours | 20 CEs
This on-demand training program on Best Practices in the Evaluation of Competence to Stand Trial is presented by Patricia A. Zapf, PhD.
One of the primary foundations of criminal law is that all defendants have a right to a fair trial. Towards this end, upwards of 60,000 evaluations of competency to stand trial are conducted annually in the USA. Research has shown that the opinion of the evaluator in these evaluations is accepted by the courts upwards of 95% of the time. Thus, it is imperative that these evaluations be conducted using best practices.
Two important sources have recently been recognized as setting the foundation for best practices in competency evaluation. This training program provides a strong foundation for South Dakota evaluators who conduct adjudicative competency evaluations of adults. This training was developed for the South Dakota Unified Judicial System and the South Dakota Department of Social Services.
Intended Audience
This on-demand professional training program is intended for mental health and other allied professionals
Experience Level
This on-demand professional training program is appropriate for beginner, intermediate, and advanced level clinicians.
CE / CPD Credit
APA, ASWB, CPA, NBCC Click here for state and other regional board approvals.
Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this program you will be able to:
Describe important legal cases that deal with issues relevant to the interpretation of adjudicative competence standards and statutes
Describe the developments in the conceptualization of the Dusky Standard
Describe the research on evaluations of adjudicative competence
Describe theoretical issues in competency evaluation
Describe the most recent clinical guidance on competency evaluation
Describe the administration procedures for various competency assessment instruments
Describe the psychometric properties of CAIs
Describe the process for case and opinion formulation
Describe the process of communicating opinions regarding criminal competence
Describe required, appropriate, and inappropriate report contents
Presented By
Patricia A. Zapf, PhD
Dr. Patricia A. Zapf, Ph.D. is Vice President for Continuing & Professional Studies at Palo Alto University (PAU). Prior to coming to PAU, she was a professor of psychology at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, City University of New York (CUNY), for 16 years, during which time she was instru...
Curriculum
1. Foundational Aspects of Forensic Mental Health Assessment
2. The Legal Context
3. South Dakota CST Statutes and Procedures
4. Forensic Mental Health Concepts
5. Empirical Foundations and Limits
6. Preparation for the Evaluation
7. Competency Assessment Instruments
8. Data Collection
9. Interpretation
10. Report Writing & Testimony
Develop a Specialty Area of Practice
Transforming mental health professionals into experts
Expert Instructors
Professional training developed and delivered by the field's leading experts
CE Credit
Earn CE credit for meaningful professional training that will elevate your practice
Convenience & Flexibility
Learn at your own pace, from wherever you might be!