20 Hours / 20 CEs

On Demand | Self-Paced Professional Training

This on-demand professional training program on Best Practices in the Evaluation of Competence to Stand Trial in Juveniles is presented by Ivan Kruh, PhD. This badge-earning program can be shared digitally on platforms like LinkedIn or your resume and counts towards a certificate. Enroll in this program to earn credit towards Juvenile Forensic Assessment Certificate and share your new digital credentials with prospective employers and colleagues.

In recent years, there has been an increasing focus upon the competence to proceed of juveniles being adjudicated in juvenile and adult courts. This program focuses on conducting juvenile adjudicative competence evaluations that meet best practice standards. The use of cases to highlight relevant issues is emphasized, and the training includes activities to assist participants in honing their interviewing, record reviewing, data interpretation, and report writing skills.

The program covers foundational issues, including the evolution of legislation regarding juvenile competence and differences in legislation across states. The manner in which these legal standards can be translated into measurable forensic concepts is discussed, with a focus on how these concepts differ between juvenile and adult cases. The current empirical literature relevant to juvenile adjudicative competence is reviewed, with a particular focus on the intersection of adolescent development and court-related functioning. All of this background set the stage for a detailed discussion of conducting juvenile adjudicative competence evaluations. Preparation for the evaluation and the data collection process is examined, with a particular focus upon developmentally sensitive competence interviewing, the role of available Forensic Assessment Instruments in juvenile adjudicative competence evaluations, and the importance of third-party corroboration. Methods for interpretation and integration of data are presented, as well as strategies for effective communication of findings. Throughout this discussion, there is a focus upon sensitivity to functional limitations based on normal child development and developmental psychopathology. Juvenile competence remediation is also highlighted.

Learning Objectives

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

  • 1 Describe the best practices in conducting juvenile adjudicative competence evaluations
  • 2 Describe the legal standards for juvenile adjudicative competence
  • 3 Describe forensic concepts, and models for thinking about juvenile adjudicative competence
  • 4 Describe the body of empirical research related to the issue of juvenile adjudicative competence
  • 5 Describe the role of normal childhood development in conducting developmentally sensitive juvenile adjudicative competence evaluations
  • 6 Describe the role of developmental psychopathology in conducting developmentally sensitive juvenile adjudicative competence evaluations
  • 7 Describe key elements in conducting a developmentally sensitive competence interview of a juvenile
  • 8 Describe the strengths of using various Forensic Assessment Instruments in the evaluation of juvenile adjudicative competence
  • 9 Describe the weaknesses of using various Forensic Assessment Instruments in the evaluation of juvenile adjudicative competence
  • 10 Describe the steps in forming opinions relevant to juvenile adjudicative competence
  • 11 Describe the key elements of a juvenile adjudicative competence report that meets best practice standards
  • 12 Describe the current approaches to remediating incompetence with juveniles

  • Intended Audience

    This training is intended for clinicians who are involved in or interested in forensic mental health evaluation, with a focus on areas such as adjudicative competence, developmental psychopathology in legal contexts, and both civil and criminal forensic assessment. It is designed for those specializing in juvenile forensic evaluation, conducting assessments related to legal standards, or working at the intersection of clinical psychology and the law. The program supports participants in obtaining or strengthening their skills in forensic evaluation, regardless of their specific professional background.

    • Mental Health Professional
    • Forensic Psychologist
    • Clinical Psychologist
    • Psychiatrist
    • Social Worker
    • Counselor
    • Forensic Evaluator

  • Experience Level

    This training is applicable for all career stages: entry-level, mid-career, and experienced professionals.

    • Beginner: Participants new to juvenile forensic evaluation or those with limited experience in adjudicative competence assessments seeking foundational knowledge of legal standards, developmental considerations, and best practices.
    • Intermediate: Participants with some experience in forensic or juvenile evaluations who wish to deepen their understanding of state-specific legislation, empirical research, and the application of forensic assessment instruments.
    • Advanced: Participants with substantial experience in forensic mental health who seek to refine their skills in complex case analysis, data integration, and advanced report writing, and to stay current with evolving best practices and remediation approaches.

  • Practice Setting

    Professionals who conduct juvenile adjudicative competence evaluations typically work in environments where mental health and legal systems intersect. These settings may include hospitals, outpatient clinics, private practices, juvenile detention centers, court clinics, or government agencies. The work often involves collaboration with legal professionals, court personnel, and child welfare agencies. Evaluators may conduct interviews and assessments in secure facilities, community-based offices, or remotely, depending on the needs of the youth and the requirements of the legal system. The environment is structured to ensure confidentiality, safety, and adherence to legal and ethical standards, with access to relevant records and resources for comprehensive evaluation.

    • Hospital-based forensic psychiatry or psychology departments
    • Outpatient mental health clinics specializing in forensic assessment
    • Juvenile detention centers or correctional facilities
    • Court-affiliated forensic evaluation units
    • Private practices offering forensic evaluation services
    • Government agencies (e.g., departments of mental health or child services)
    • Community mental health centers with forensic programs

Presented By

Ivan Kruh, PhD, Partner, National Youth Screening and Assessment Partners

Ivan Kruh received his PhD in Clinical Psychology with a concentration in Psychology & Law from the University of Alabama in 1998 and subsequently completed fellowship training in forensic psychology through the University of Washington. For ten years, he was the Director of Juvenile Forensic Mental Health Services for Washington State and directed a Juvenile Forensic Psychology fellowship through the University of Washington. He has offered juvenile forensic mental health evaluations privately in Massachusetts, New York and Connecticut since 2012. Dr. Kruh specializes in the conduct and coordination of evaluations of juvenile competency to proceed (JCTP) and has co-authored two manuals with Thomas Grisso regarding creation of state standards for these evaluations. He has provided training, quality assurance and technical assistance for a variety of state agencies nationally since 2010, all aimed at supporting the day-to-day provision of high quality juvenile forensic mental health evaluations.

View More Programs from this Presenter
Ivan Kruh, PhD

Training Outline

Key topics covered in this training include:

  • Foundational
    Participants learn the foundational issues of juvenile adjudicative competence evaluations

  • Legal
    Participants learn legal standards and measurable forensic concepts and how they differ in juvenile and adult cases

  • Preparation
    Participants learn about the preparation for the evaluation and the data collection process

Earning a Certificate

This is a badge-earning program, which means it will help you earn a certificate that can be showcased on digital platforms like LinkedIn.
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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).



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) maintains responsibility for this program and its content. 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), SW CPE 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 and 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. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6811. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. CONCEPT Professional Training, #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. CONCEPT Professional Training 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.