4 Hours / 4 CEs

On Demand | Self-Paced Professional Training

This on-demand professional training program on Criminal Competency and Responsibility in Individuals with ASD is presented by Bob Stinson, PsyD, JD, ABPP, and A.J McConnell, PsyD, in partnership with The American Academy of Forensic Psychology.

There are over 3 million individuals in the United States diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, and prevalence estimates rates have doubled since 2000. Criminal competency evaluations and criminal responsibility evaluations are two of the most common criminal forensic evaluations completed. This program provides information and practical guidance for assessing criminal competency and criminal responsibility in individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder, with an emphasis on how characteristics of the disorder uniquely affect relevant psycholegal abilities.

Learning Objectives

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

  • 1 Describe common characteristics of criminal offenders diagnosed with ASD
  • 2 Describe how attributes of ASD are most likely to impact psycholegal capacities related to criminal competency and criminal responsibility
  • 3 Describe key tools for use in assessing persons with ASD

Training Instructors:

Bob Stinson, PsyD, JD, ABPP

Bob Stinson, PsyD, JD, ABPP

Bob Stinson, Psy.D., J.D., LICDC-CS, ABPP, is a board-certified forensic psychologist, an attorney at law, and a licensed independent chemical dependency counselor – clinical supervisor. Dr. Stinson is listed in the National Register of Health Service Providers in Psychology. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Forensic Psychology (AAFP) and a Diplomate in forensic psychology with the American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP).

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A.J McConnell, PsyD

A.J McConnell, PsyD

A.J. McConnell, Psy.D., NADD-CC is a psychologist at Forum Ohio, LLC., in Columbus, Ohio. Dr. McConnell’s expertise is in forensic evaluations of individuals with neurodevelopmental disabilities. He is also responsible for training and providing supervision as part of Forum Ohio LLC.’s Postdoctoral Fellowship, which has been granted the forensic psychology waiver by the American Board of Forensic Psychology.

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  • Intended Audience

    This training is intended for mental health and allied professionals who want to develop expertise in assessing criminal competency and criminal responsibility in individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). It is particularly relevant for those specializing in forensic psychology, clinical psychology, psychiatry, social work, counseling, and related fields that intersect with law and mental health.


    Examples of Relevant Professionals:
    • Forensic psychologists
    • Clinical psychologists
    • Psychiatrists
    • Social workers
    • Counselors
    • Allied mental health professionals
    • Professionals working in legal or criminal justice contexts
    • Mental health professionals

  • Experience Level

    This training is appropriate for licensed and pre-licensed mental health professionals at various stages of experience with forensic assessment and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

    • Beginner: Participants new to forensic mental health or ASD will gain foundational knowledge about ASD characteristics, their impact on psycholegal capacities, and basic assessment tools.

    • Intermediate: Participants with some experience in forensic assessment or working with individuals with ASD will deepen their understanding of how ASD attributes influence criminal competency and responsibility, and refine their use of specialized assessment tools.

    • Advanced: Participants with extensive experience in forensic mental health and ASD will enhance their expertise in complex case conceptualization, integrating nuanced ASD presentations into psycholegal evaluations, and applying advanced assessment strategies.

  • Practice Setting

    Professionals practice in forensic and legal-interfacing environments across courts, correctional systems, hospitals, and community clinics, working within multidisciplinary teams under high-stakes, security- and documentation-driven conditions. Work focuses on structured evaluations of criminal competency and responsibility for individuals with ASD across inpatient, outpatient, and community-based services, reflecting rising demand as ASD prevalence grows and these evaluations remain common.

    Examples of Practice Settings:

    • Court-based forensic evaluation clinics and pretrial services
    • Forensic and state psychiatric hospitals (inpatient units)
    • Jail and prison mental health services
    • Community mental health centers serving court-referred clients
    • Hospital-affiliated outpatient psychiatry/neuropsychology clinics
    • Private practice forensic assessment services
    • Juvenile justice programs and detention centers
    • University-affiliated or training clinics providing forensic evaluations
We are proud to partner with

American Academy of Forensic Psychology (AAFP)

American Academy of Forensic Psychology (AAFP)

We are proud to partner with the American Academy of Forensic Psychology (AAFP) for this training. AAFP is a non-profit organization of board-certified forensic psychologists whose mission is to contribute to the development and maintenance of forensic psychology as a specialized field of study, research, and practice. The Academy does this by providing high-quality continuing education workshops, providing a forum for the exchange of scientific information among its members, and conferring awards upon outstanding students and practitioners in the field of forensic psychology.

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CE Sponsorship Information

Palo Alto University, Continuing & Professional Studies (CONCEPT) is approved by, recognized by, or maintains sponsorship provider status with the following boards and agencies. We maintain responsibility for all content in our CE/CPD programs. For more information, visit here. 

  1. American Psychological Association (APA): Approved sponsor of continuing education for psychologists.

  2. Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB): Approved continuing education provider (ACE program, Provider #1480), 11/22/2023–11/22/2026.

  3. Canadian Psychological Association (CPA): Approved to sponsor continuing education for psychologists.

  4. National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC): Approved Continuing Education Provider (ACEP No. 7190).


Sponsorship Approval Statements 

Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT), is approved by the Canadian Psychological Association to offer continuing education for psychologists. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 7190. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Palo Alto University, #1480, is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved as ACE providers. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. Palo Alto University maintains responsibility for this course. ACE provider approval period 11/22/23-11/22/26. Social workers completing this course receive (clinical or social work ethics) continuing education credits. Continuing and Professional Studies, Palo Alto University, is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychologists #PSY-0103. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs. Palo Alto University, Continuing & Professional Studies (CONCEPT), is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0356. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies, is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors. #MHC-0073.