20 Hours / 20 CEs

On Demand | Self-Paced Professional Training

This on-demand professional training program on Evaluation for Workplace Disability is presented by Lisa M. Drago, Ph.D., ABPP. 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 Civil Forensic Assessment Certificate and share your new digital credentials with prospective employers and colleagues.

This program provides a conceptual framework and practical strategies for forensic evaluations in matters involving disability statuses such as ADA, disability insurance, and social security. The program begins with an overview of various types of disability cases with an emphasis on the underlying legal context, including recent changes to social security regulations. Next, the basis for the evaluation of a disability is explored, focusing on functional assessment. Specific subtopics include avoiding ethical pitfalls, understanding the role of diagnosis, assessing dissimulation, and identifying examiner-related threats to validity. This is followed by a discussion of practical strategies for designing an effective assessment, organizing and weighing data, and communicating the findings. Participants have the opportunity to practice these skills through in-depth case studies, including background information, test data, and collateral information.

Learning Objectives

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

  • 1 Describe the psycho-legal question to address in disability evaluations
  • 2 Describe the importance of correctly identifying the definition of disability
  • 3 Describe examples of potential ethical issues that may arise in disability evaluations
  • 4 Describe why functional capacity is more important than a diagnosis in disability evaluations
  • 5 Describe how condition, functional limitations, and work demands interact in the determination of disability
  • 6 Describe how recent changes in Social Security law affect disability evaluations
  • 7 Describe appropriate methods for data collection in disability evaluations
  • 8 Describe how issues of cultural diversity can impact the examinee’s presentation in a disability evaluation
  • 9 Describe strategies for the assessment of malingering in disability evaluations
  • 10 Describe evaluation data presented in two case studies

  • Intended Audience

    This training is intended for clinicians and professionals who want to enhance their expertise in conducting forensic evaluations related to disability status, including ADA compliance, disability insurance, and social security cases. The program is ideal for those seeking to deepen their understanding of best practices, practical skills, and legal, administrative, and clinical challenges in disability assessment.

    Examples of Relevant Professionals:
    • Forensic psychologists
    • Clinical assessors
    • Occupational and disability evaluation specialists
    • Legal and administrative professionals
    • Clinicians in criminal justice or security
    • Healthcare providers involved in disability assessment
    • Social service professionals
    • Educators and school-based clinicians
    • Human resources and workplace disability managers
    • Mental Health Professionals

  • Experience Level

    This training is applicable for all professionals.

    • Beginner: Participants are new to forensic disability evaluations or have limited experience with ADA, disability insurance, or social security cases. They are seeking to understand the legal context, ethical considerations, and core concepts such as functional assessment, diagnosis, and validity in disability determinations.

    • Intermediate: Participants have some experience conducting forensic or clinical evaluations and wish to strengthen their ability to integrate psychological findings with legal standards of disability. They aim to enhance their report writing, understanding of impairment ratings, and familiarity with case law and best practices.

    • Advanced: Participants are seasoned evaluators or forensic experts seeking to refine complex case formulation skills, address nuanced ethical dilemmas, and apply advanced psychometric and functional analysis methods to high-stakes disability evaluations involving contested claims or comorbid conditions.

  • Practice Setting

    Clinicians and professionals who conduct forensic disability evaluations typically work in environments where legal, medical, and administrative considerations intersect. These settings require careful assessment of individuals’ functional abilities and limitations, often in response to legal or regulatory requirements. The environment is often multidisciplinary, involving collaboration with attorneys, healthcare providers, case managers, and administrative personnel. Professionals may conduct interviews, review records, administer psychological or functional assessments, and prepare detailed reports for courts, insurance companies, employers, or government agencies.

    Examples of Practice Settings:
    • Private forensic psychology or clinical assessment practices
    • Hospital-based disability evaluation units
    • Government agencies (e.g., Social Security Administration, Department of Labor)
    • Legal offices specializing in disability or employment law
    • Rehabilitation and occupational health centers
    • Correctional or criminal justice facilities
    • School districts or educational assessment teams
    • Corporate human resources or employee assistance programs
    • Insurance companies’ disability claims departments
    • Community mental health or social service organizations
Presented By

Lisa Drago, PhD, ABPP

Lisa Drago, Ph.D., ABPP is a board-certified forensic psychologist (ABPP). Specializing in civil forensic matters, Dr. Drago is in private practice in Annapolis, Maryland. She has a particular interest in employment-related cases including disability, wrongful termination, sexual harassment, ADA, fitness for duty, and workplace violence. She regularly conducts evaluations in disability, workers’ compensation, personal injury, fitness for duty, and security clearance cases. She has testified as an expert witness on these matters in both state and federal courts. In addition, Dr. Drago serves as a consultant to the U.S. Department of State Forensic Behavioral Science Service regarding fitness for duty and security issues. Dr. Drago has served as president of the American Board of Forensic Psychology. She was chair of the American Psychological Association Committee on Professional Practice and Standards, and co-chair of the American Psychological Association Committee on Legal Issues. She served on the Taskforce for the Revision of the Specialty Guidelines for Forensic Psychology. Dr. Drago is the author of the book Best Practices for Forensic Mental Health Assessment: Evaluation of Workplace Disability as well as a number of book chapters and articles on topics related to personal injury, fitness for duty, ADA, psychological assessment, and disability. She has provided professional training on these topics for the American Psychological Association, the American Bar Association, the American Academy of Forensic Psychology, and the British Psychological Society. She has presented extensively on civil forensic evaluations around the U.S., as well as in Canada, Scotland, Austria, and the Czech Republic. Dr. Drago was the 2018 recipient of the Beth and Charlie Clark Award, a lifetime achievement award given by the American Academy of Forensic Psychology in recognition of an extraordinary level of service to the profession of forensic psychology.

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.
View Certificates

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.