4 Hours / 4 CEs

On Demand | Self-Paced Professional Training

This on-demand professional training program on AAFP: Uncommon Topics in Sanity Evaluations is presented by Terry Kukor, PhD, ABPP in partnership with The American Academy of Forensic Psychology (AAFP).

This program considers topics that arise less commonly but nonetheless introduces complications in the assessment of sanity. Specific topics include: assessing religious beliefs in sanity evaluations; amnesia and insanity; sanity and seizures; sanity and sleep disorders; and managing discrepant data in sanity evaluations. Relevant case law and literature are reviewed. General and specific conceptual considerations in performing sanity evaluations that involve the topic areas are discussed.

Learning Objectives

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

  • 1 Describe strategies for assessing functional legal capacities in sanity evaluations when issues of religious beliefs, amnesia, seizures, or sleep disorders arise.
  • 2 Describe the known symptomatic phenomenology of genuine seizure disorders, amnesia, and sleep disorder as they relate to functional legal capacities in sanity evaluations.
  • 3 Describe key differences between delusions and overvalued ideas.
  • 4 Describe strategies for coping with data that are not consistent with one’s opinion in sanity evaluations.
Presented By

Terry Kukor, Ph.D., ABPP

Terry Kukor, Ph.D., ABPP, is board certified in forensic psychology by the American Board of Professional Psychology. In late 2023 he retired from his salaried position at the Netcare Forensic Center in Columbus, Ohio, where he had held a variety of roles including Director of Forensic Services, Senior Forensic Psychologist, and Training Director for the Postdoctoral Fellowship in Forensic Psychology. He is now in independent practice. 

Dr. Kukor has specialized in criminal forensic evaluation for more than 30 years, and has performed or consulted on thousands of criminal forensic psychological evaluations. Dr. Kukor currently serves as an Associate Faculty in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health at The Ohio State University. He is a past Co-Chair for the American Academy of Forensic Psychology CE Workshops. In 2016 he was presented the Howard H. Sokolov Forensic Mental Health Leadership Award by the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services. In 2019 he was recognized with the Distinguished Contributions to Forensic Psychology Award by AAFP. Passionate about finding ways to improve forensic practice with critical thinking, Dr. Kukor conducts workshops on relevancy focused report writing, sanity evaluations, and critical thinking in forensic assessment.


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  • Intended Audience

    This training is intended for mental health professionals who conduct or are interested in conducting sanity evaluations within forensic contexts. It is designed for individuals with backgrounds in forensic psychology, psychiatry, or clinical psychology who possess expertise in assessing complex or atypical factors that influence determinations of sanity.

    Examples of Relevant Professionals:

    • Mental Health Professionals
    • Forensic Psychologists
    • Psychiatrists
    • Clinical Psychologists
    • Forensic Evaluators
    • Court-Appointed Mental Health Experts

  • Experience Level

    This training is appropriate for licensed and pre-licensed mental health professionals with varying levels of experience in forensic assessment, particularly in complex sanity evaluations.

    • Beginner: Participants are new to forensic mental health or sanity evaluations and seek foundational knowledge about assessing religious beliefs, amnesia, seizures, and sleep disorders in legal contexts.

    • Intermediate: Participants have some experience with forensic assessment and are looking to deepen their skills in applying case law, differentiating delusions from overvalued ideas, and managing discrepant data in complex sanity evaluations.

    • Advanced: Participants are experienced forensic evaluators seeking to refine advanced strategies for nuanced assessment, integrate current literature, and address uncommon complications in sanity evaluations.

  • Practice Setting

    These professionals practice in secure clinical and legal environments that interface directly with the courts, conducting pre- and post-adjudication evaluations. Work involves structured interviews, testing, record review, collateral contacts, and testimony, often addressing uncommon complicating factors (e.g., religious beliefs, amnesia, seizures, sleep disorders) and integrating case law while managing discrepant data.

    Examples of Practice Settings:

    • Forensic inpatient units/state psychiatric hospitals
    • Jails and prisons
    • Court-affiliated forensic evaluation clinics
    • Private forensic assessment practices
    • Academic medical centers with forensic services
    • Government forensic mental health agencies
    • Teleforensic evaluation services (where permitted)
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.

Learn More About Our Partner

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.