Association of Forensic Center Directors Announces the 2021 Annual Conference & Poster Presentation

This will be a virtual conference offered through our program partner, Concept Continual & Professional Studies. The cost of this 10-hour CEU course is $100 for both days. Register here if you are not affiliated with an Ohio forensic center. If you are affiliated with a forensic center – contact your director for a registration link, specific to your agency.

https://training.concept.paloaltou.edu/courses/2021-Ohio-Forensic-Directors-Association-Conference

Once you are registered through Concept for this event, you will receive the login information and instructions at the same email you used for registration. The email will instruct you on how to participate in this two-day event. After you create an account with Concept, add them to your safe-sender list (so their emails do not go into your junk/spam folder). Remember your login and password so that you can access your registration dashboard, even if you can’t find the registration email. Your Concept dashboard will also have links to the handouts and the video-access links you need to join the program.

This year we are pleased to bring back the two-day conference format, albeit virtually and the poster presentations. The full-day program will be on April 29th and will include the Makey-Sokolov Poster Presentations. The half-day program will be on April 30th.

The conference will be virtual but will have the same level of excellent forensic mental health – legal continuing education opportunities that you have come to expect. This program is designed to provide education for those professionals in Ohio who are affiliated with the accredited forensic evaluation centers but anyone with a professional interest in this field is invited.

Deadline for applications for the poster presentation is March 15th, 2021 at 4:00 p.m.

The two-day program will be held on APRIL 29th & 30th, 2021. Registration costs and instructions will be posted here when registration opens.

Our 2021 speakers are Maureen Reardon, Ph.D. ABPP, Clinical and Forensic Psychologist and President, American Board of Forensic Psychology; and Shawn K. Acheson, Ph.D. Clinical and Forensic Neuropsychologist at Clinical Neuroscience Services of WNC in Asheville, NC, and Duke University.

Drs. Reardon and Acheson are going to be presenting together on Day 1.

Pharmacology and Mental State Evaluations – Day 1 – April 29th is a full-day presentation by Dr. Maureen Reardon and Dr. Shawn K. Acheson starting at 9:30 AM (EST) and going until 5:00 PM with breaks, and qualifying for a total of 6.0 contact hours.

Recreational drugs are common in criminal activity and can exert potent effects on cognition, affect, and behavioral control. This workshop provides an introduction to the neuropsychopharmacology of recreational drugs of abuse (e.g., alcohol, sedatives, stimulants, opiates, and hallucinogens) with particular emphasis on alcohol and stimulants, given their ubiquity in criminal activity.   First discussed are the effects of various substances, and combinations thereof, on mental state, and then consideration of the legal implications.  Next, strategies for disentangling the effects of various substances from underlying mental conditions will be provided.  Lastly, the relevance of substance-related altered mental states to criminal responsibility evaluations in Ohio will be discussed and illustrated via case vignettes.

Practical Strategies & Ethical Considerations for Formulating Sanity Opinions – Day 2 – April 30th is a half-day presentation from Dr. Reardon starting at 8:00 AM (EST) and going until 12:30 PM with a break, for a total of 4.0 contact hours.

This second day is also a stand-alone workshop but will build upon the material from Day 1 by identifying the essential data sources and methods of evaluating a defendant’s understanding of the wrongfulness of the alleged acts while highlighting relevant ethical considerations from referral to evaluation to testimony. 

Registration will open soon and can be found on the Concept website. That link will be here when registration opens.

If you are a Legal Examiner at one of our ten accredited centers, please see your supervisor for the registration code for your center.

Note: Continuing Education credits are now APPROVED for MDs, Psychologists**, RNs, LSW/LPCC, and Attorneys. **There will be no partial credit given for any psychologist that does not complete the entire day’s program (i.e. all day Thursday or half-day Friday). Other professions can get partial credit.

We have confirmed that ETHICS credit has been approved for the second (half-day) session, as well.

To Register (if you are not affiliated with a forensic center) go here: https://training.concept.paloaltou.edu/courses/2021-Ohio-Forensic-Directors-Association-Conference

The University of New Mexico Law and Mental Health Series Continues

For more information, contact HSC-LawMentalHealth@salud.unm.edu about this weekly continuing education program – offered on Tuesday afternoons at 2:00 PM (EST) over Zoom and for free and with APA approved CEs.

You do have to pre-register and get on their mailing list for their monthly calendar of really amazing presenters.

To register for the upcoming individual sessions you can use this link: https://hsc-unm.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_xo4njEcIRHSSDdYvKgHYxQ

Monthly, they send out a flyer of their upcoming speakers/topics. Here is the most recent flyer.

 

We will continue to update these as we get them, but for the most current information please sign up directly with the university.

Decision Making in Forensic Psychology

Tess Neal, PhD & Emily Pronin, PhD

Greetings from Arizona State University and Princeton University!  We hope you will join us in learning more about our profession. We would appreciate your time and attention and, in return, offer 2.5 complimentary Continuing Education credits for your participation in this dynamic and didactic training. 

This project, funded by the National Science Foundation, is being performed to better understand how psychologists come to conclusions and make decisions in forensic examinations. It also includes personalized feedback to help you understand your own behaviors with a didactic portion with video instruction. We believe this project has the potential to assist in solving problems faced by many forensic mental health experts. You are invited to participate because you are a psychologist with forensically-related interests. 

This program is free. 

You will receive 2.5 hours of Continuing Education credits for your participation. Should you choose to engage in this opportunity, you will first participate in a dynamic and interactive portion of the program (roughly 1 hour and 45 min) in which you read materials from a case and make judgments about the material, followed by tailored feedback about your performance and suggestions for how to improve your expert judgment. Then, a didactic portion of the course with video content will follow (roughly 45 min). Upon completion, you will receive a certificate for 2.5 hours of CE credit. 

  • Describe the role of several different cognitive processes in decision making
  • Describe the practice of making legally-relevant decisions
  • Describe how to improve decision making

Harvard Medical School & Cambridge Health Alliance present

2020 Continuing Education Courses

Offered by the Department of Psychiatry at Cambridge Health Alliance

www.cambridgecme.org

 DIVERSITY IN MENTAL HEALTH PRACTICE

Cost is $360 for 14 hours of CEU hours.

Two-day program on December 11-12, 2020

Live Stream Only

This course will present the dynamics of culture, diversity, and social justice that impact the mental health of people from diverse life experiences.

This course will present the dynamics of culture, diversity, and social justice that impact the mental health of people from diverse life experiences. This course is intended for health and mental health clinicians, educators and administrators invested in improving mental health care for diverse patient populations. We will explore the role of cultural diversity factors in therapy in a variety of clinical settings with particular attention to the unique context of care provision during the COVID-19 pandemic. Contemporary thought on cultural humility, cultural identity development, privilege and anti-racism in mental health care will be examined from various theoretical perspectives. Emphasis will be placed on the latest research findings on reducing health care disparities and increasing patient advocacy for underserved populations. We will use live streaming, electronic Q & A, and other remote learning technologies. 

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Upon completion of this activity, participants will be able to:

Define the state of the mental health field with regards to diverse patient populationsIdentify clinical tools that will improve culturally sensitive patient assessment and treatmentIncorporate racial and ethnic considerations, gender/sexuality, social determinants of mental health, and social justice into clinical case formulationIdentify culture-based ruptures in the therapeutic alliance and develop clinical strategies to help repair the clinical relationshipRecognize how implicit bias influences the quality of mental health care

TARGET AUDIENCE

This course is targeted to mental health and health practitioners, including counselors, social workers, psychologists, primary care physicians, physician assistants, nurses, and nurse practitioners.

COURSE DIRECTORS

Hsiang Huang, MD, MPH
Treniece Lewis Harris, PhD
Priya Sehgal, MD

  Download a Course Brochure [PDF]

https://cmeregistration.hms.harvard.edu/events/diversity-in-mental-health-practice/event-summary-a06c126780e84dc1a084b5d2f1280ff9.aspx?5S,M3,a06c1267-80e8-4dc1-a084-b5d2f1280ff9=

2021 OhioMHAS Annual Conference goes virtual

REGISTRATION INFO HERE: https://training.concept.paloaltou.edu/bundles/ohio-mhas

Ohio MHAS 2020 Conference offers 4 workshop sessions starting November 3 and going through November 19th

Join us for our annual conference reimagined for 2020 as 4, 2-hr workshops for continuing education credit for each course (CEU, CLE, CME applications in process). Each course is $35 per session or $105 for all four sessions. See the OHIOMHAS link for more information or go directly to registration at CONCEPT Training.

REGISTER HERE

The four courses – two from Barry Rosenfeld, Ph.D., one from Deb Pinals, MD, and her panelists, and one from Jennifer Wright Schneeman, MBA – E-RYT 500, C-IAYT offer skill training for the practicing forensic evaluator or forensic clinician from resiliency-building during these complicated times to detecting malingering and videoconferencing practices for assessment and treatment.

Barry Rosenfeld, Ph.D.

Assessment of Malingering in Vulnerable Populations: Intellectual Disability & Severe Mental Disorder

November 3rd, 2020 | 9:00 – 11:00 Eastern for 2 hours continuing education credits

  • Describe the differences between feigning, malingering, and insufficient effort in the context of psychological assessment
  • Describe the types of instruments used to detect feigning and the strengths and limitations for these instruments when applied to individuals with ID and/or psychosis
  • Recognize test adaptations and adjustments to the interpretation of test results in the context of cognitive deficits and psychotic symptoms

Assessment of Feigning and Minimization Using Videoconference and Online Methods

November 17th, 2020 | 9:00 – 11:00 am Eastern for 2 hours continuing education credits

  • Describe the types of instruments used to detect feigning and the strengths and limitations for these instruments when administered through videoconference
  • Describe the nature and extent of adaptations needed to administer tests through teleconference and/or online methods
  • Recognize the impact of test adaptations on the interpretation and communication of test results

Debra Pinals, MD Jay Witherell, Ph.D. and Donna Rinnas, Ph.D. will present:

Video Conference Forensic Evaluations: Lessons Learned for Access and Quality

November 12th, 2020 | 1:00 – 3:00 pm Eastern for 2 hours continuing education credits

  • Describe the historical literature regarding opportunities and challenges with video conferencing forensic evaluations
  • Describe steps taken in one state to transition to video forensic activities in the context of a pandemic
  • Recognize lessons learned for ongoing access to quality forensic evaluations

Jen Wright Schneeman, MBA, E-RYT 500, C-IAYT

Self-Care and Resilience: Reset Throughout the Day for Forensic Mental Health Professionals

November 19th, 2020 | 1:00 – 3:00 pm Eastern 2 hours continuing education credits

  • Describe reliance on self for care throughout the day is possible with the right non-invasive skills
  • Describe rhythm by proper mask breathing, reset in the moment and recharge throughout the day to combat daily exhaustion
  • Describe how to restore appropriately at the end of the day to tend to daily needs

REGISTRATION INFO HERE: https://training.concept.paloaltou.edu/bundles/ohio-mhas

Southern Arizona Psychology Association Continuing Education Program

9-11-2020 https://mysapa.wildapricot.org/event-3941543

The Southern Arizona Psychology Association is offering this one-day continuing education program ($50 for non-members). As with all of these programs, you will be responsible for following their instructions for registration and documentation of completion.

Forensic Psychology for All Skill Sets:

From Novice to Expert 

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION

Full-Day CE Event (5 ½ CEs) 

SEPTEMBER 11, 2020 9:00AM – 4:00PM [MST] 

A triad of common problems in forensic evaluations and testimony: Reliability, documentation, and reasoning.  SPEAKER: Stephen Golding, Ph.D., ABPP (Forensic) 

Foundations of bias in forensic judgement. SPEAKER: Tess Neal, Ph.D. 

Using psychology to prevent police misconduct. SPEAKER: Joel Dvoskin, Ph.D., ABPP (Forensic) 

Mental Health Disparities within Black America. SPEAKER: Eddie Taylor, Ph.D.

Evaluating Juveniles Who Engage in Illegal Sexual Behavior: Bridging the Gap. SPEAKER: Andrew Perkins, Ph.D.

Please note that you are not required to attend all 5 talks to participate in this event.   The price of this event is the same, regardless of how many presentations you attend.  You will receive CE credit(s) for only those presentations you attend.

Ohio Psychological Association (OPA) Online Webinars for CEs

The Ohio Psychological Association is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists: OPA maintains responsibility for the program and its content. Click here for OPA event policies and disclaimers.

* The Ohio Psychological Association is also approved by the State of Ohio Counselor, Social Worker, and Marriage & Family Therapist Board to offer continuing education to counselors and social workers, and those sessions are marked with an asterisk. The approval number is RCS070608 and RTX071703.

To learn more about OPA Webinars click here or copy and paste the link listed below into your browser.

If you have any questions or problems with these webinars, please contact OPA Webinars for assistance. The Ohio Forensic Directors Association does not administer this program. 

https://ohpsych.org/page/webinars

Here is a list of the newest topics offered and while not all of them are specifically related to forensic practice, one could make the argument for most of them.

1-Hour CE Program

2-Hour CE Program

3-Hour CE Program

 

Risks, Benefits, and Complexities: Reporting Race and Ethnicity in Forensic Mental Health Reports

Christina L. Riggs Romainea and Antoinette Kavanaughb
aWheaton College, Norton, Massachusetts, USA; bPrivate Practice, Chicago, Illinois, USA

International Journal of Forensic Mental Health 

Volume 18, 2019 – Issue 2

ABSTRACT
In legal systems with complex disparities and potential biases, the reporting of the evaluee’s race or ethnicity (ERE) in the written forensic mental health report (FMHR) has both risks and benefits, yet few resources provide guidance on when and how to include this information. Available information suggests current practice in reporting ERE varies widely, and few recommendations and best practices guidelines exist. This article examines the available information and explores reasons for and against including ERE in the FMHR, examining how each fits with established principles of assessment. Benefits and potential consequences of including ERE, including implicit bias, the potential for stereotype threat and the problems with colorblind approaches, are discussed. Available research suggests carefully considered practice is required and decisions to include ERE should be based on a culturally competent weighing of relevance.

Antoinette Kavanaugh will be presenting on August 24 at the Law and Mental Health Series presented by the University of New Mexico. The August flyer has not yet been posted, but to get on the mailing list for that lecture series, send an email to HSC-LawMentalHealth@salud.unm.edu

2021 Annual Forensic Directors Conference will be virtual

We are making plans now to bring you the presenters that we were supposed to have in person in April 2020 – but now it will be virtual. We will still offer approximately 8 CEUs and have our annual poster session honoring Howard Sokolov and Miller Makey.

There are still a lot of details to work out, but our plans are to bring you Maureen Reardon, Ph.D. ABPP, Clinical and Forensic Psychologist and President, American Board of Forensic Psychology; and Shawn K. Acheson, Ph.D. Clinical and Forensic Neuropsychologist at Clinical Neuroscience Services of WNC in Asheville, NC, and Duke University in a two-day event likely designed similarly to the traditional day and a half model that we have used in the past. That is all still up for consideration.

Pharmacology and Mental State Evaluations from Dr. Maureen Reardon and Dr. Shawn K. Acheson is planned to be an all-day presentation.

Recreational drugs are common in criminal activity and can exert potent effects on cognition, affect, and behavioral control. This workshop provides an introduction to the neuropsychopharmacology of recreational drugs of abuse (e.g., alcohol, sedatives, stimulants, opiates, and hallucinogens), with particular emphasis on alcohol and stimulants given their ubiquity in criminal activity.   First discussed are the effects of various substances, and combinations thereof, on mental state.  Next, strategies for disentangling the effects of various substances from underlying mental conditions will be provided.  Lastly, the relevance of substance-related altered mental states to evaluations of criminal responsibility in Ohio are discussed and illustrated via case vignettes.

Practical Strategies & Ethical Considerations for Formulating Sanity Opinions – Day 2 is planned to be a half-day presentation from Dr. Reardon.

The second workshop will build upon Day 1 by identifying the essential data sources and methods of evaluating a defendant’s understanding of the wrongfulness of the alleged acts, while highlighting relevant ethical considerations from referral, to evaluation, to testimony. 

If you are a Legal Examiner at one of Ohio’s our ten accredited centers your center director will let you know when you can register. For those who are not an affiliate of a center, we will publish our registration materials and fees later this year.

Note that we will be applying for continuing education credits for MDs, Psychologists, RNs, LSW/LPCC and for CLEs. There will be no partial credit given for any psychologist that does not complete the entire session as publicized. Other professions can get partial credit. We will also be applying for ETHICS CEs for Psychologists for the 1/2 day program.

As information is confirmed we will post it here and communicate to those who have registered for our conferences in the past.