Ethical Issues in Sex Offense-Specific Assessment and Treatment
Presented by: Randy Otto, PhD, ABPP and Marc A. Martinez, PhD, ABPP
4 Hours / 4 CEs
On Demand | Self-Paced Professional Training
This on-demand professional training program on Ethical Issues in Sex Offense-Specific Assessment and Treatment is presented by Randy Otto, PhD, ABPP, and Marc A. Martinez, PhD, ABPP.
This program is intended for psychologists who treat or evaluate persons with a history of sexual offending. Using a case vignette approach, this program identifies common ethical dilemmas encountered in this area of practice and provides strategies for navigating these situations. After brief reviews of ethical decision-making and risk management strategies, matters including issues of roles and boundaries, privacy and confidentiality, assessment procedures, and one’s obligation to make efforts to maintain the security of test materials will be discussed.
Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this training, participants will be able to:
- 1 Describe two risk management strategies attendees can employ when treating or assessing persons with a history of sexual offending
- 2 Describe key sources of authority that impose obligations on mental health professionals when assessing and treating persons with a history of sexual offending
- 3 Describe three ways that the primary issue of “role” shapes mental health professionals’ obligations when evaluating or treating persons with a history of sexual offending
- 4 Describe the difference between privacy, confidentiality, and privilege, and identify the resulting obligations mental health professionals have when assessing or treating persons with a history of sexual offending
- 5 Describe how mental health professionals should consider matters of individual differences when treating or evaluating persons with a history of sexual offending, and describe how obligations to consider individual differences can be met
Presented By
Randy Otto, PhD, ABPP Professor and Chief of the Division of Forensic Behavioral Sciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine
Randy K. Otto, PhD, MLS, joined the faculty in the Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine in May 2025, where he serves as Professor and Chief of the Division of Forensic Behavioral Sciences. Dr. Otto was a member of the faculty at the University of South Florida between 1989 and 2022, and Nova Southeastern University between 2022 and 2025. Dr. Otto, licensed to practice psychology in New Mexico and Florida, is board certified in clinical psychology and forensic psychology by the American Board of Professional Psychology. He earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Rochester, and masters and doctoral degrees in clinical psychology from Florida State University. After serving as a clinical psychology intern at the Medical University of South Carolina, he completed a two year, NIMH-funded fellowship in the College of Law and Department of Psychology at the University of Nebraska, where he was awarded a master’s degree in legal studies. Dr. Otto’s research, writing, and practice is devoted to matters of forensic psychological assessment. In press is the fifth edition of Psychological Evaluations for the Courts: A Handbook for Mental Health Professionals and Lawyers, which he co-authored with co-authors Chris Slobogin, John Petrila, and Lois Oberlander. With Irv Weiner, he edited the fourth edition of the Handbook of Forensic Psychology, and he is also lead author of books devoted to forensic practice ethics and forensic report writing and testimony.
Presented By
Marc A. Martinez, PhD, ABPP Owner, Clinical and Forensic Psychology Services, LLC
Dr. Martinez is a psychologist licensed in Indiana (Health Service Provider in Psychology), Ohio, and New York. He also has authority to Practice Interjurisdictional Telepsychology (APIT) and Temporary Authorization to Practice (TAP) under PSYPACT. In 2011, Dr. Martinez became board certified by the American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP) in Forensic Psychology. Since 2012, Dr. Martinez has maintained a private practice that specializes in forensic psychological evaluations of juveniles and adults involved in civil and criminal legal matters. Most commonly, Dr. Martinez provides evaluations related to competency to stand trial, criminal responsibility/insanity defense, sexual recidivism risk (including civil commitment of individuals who commit sexual offenses), and violence recidivism risk. In addition to his private practice, Dr. Martinez has been an ethics and risk management consultant to mental health professionals for The Trust’s professional liability insurance program since 2020. He has published and presented on various topics related to the practice of forensic psychology, such as sexual and violence risk assessment and ethical practice. He has also served in several national leadership positions such as President and Treasurer of the American Board of Forensic Psychology, Chair and Vice Chair of ABPP’s Ethics Committee, and Chair of the American Psychology Association’s Committee on Professional Practice and Standards.
Training Outline
Key topics covered in this training include:
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Sources of Authority in forensic practice
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Managing risk and responding to ethical dilemmas
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Via the use of case vignettes, discussion of ethical dilemmas that arise when evaluating and treating persons with a history of sex offending and possible responses
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.
American Psychological Association (APA): Approved sponsor of continuing education for psychologists.
Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB): Approved continuing education provider (ACE program, Provider #1480), 11/22/2023–11/22/2026.
Canadian Psychological Association (CPA): Approved to sponsor continuing education for psychologists.
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.