6 Hours / 6 CEs

On Demand | Self-Paced Professional Training

This on-demand professional training program on Evaluation of Fitness for Duty: Foundations & Methods is presented by David M. Corey, PhD, ABPP, in partnership with The American Academy of Forensic Psychology.

This program provides an overview of the major legal foundations and practice standards pertaining to fitness-for-duty evaluations (FFDEs), followed by an introduction of a three-step model for assessing the psychological fitness of incumbents in any position. Finally, participants practice applying the law, practice standards, and the integrative model to comprehensive case material. Each case includes employment and other collateral records, mental health/medical records, findings from the clinical interview, and an MMPI-2-RF protocol.

Learning Objectives

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

  • 1 Describe the legal threshold for mandating a FFDE
  • 2 Describe the competing interests of the principal parties in FFDEs and strategies for balancing them
  • 3 Describe the key federal statutes and case law relevant to FFDEs
  • 4 Describe the benefits and primary goals of a referral conference preceding a FFDE
  • 5 Describe the importance of, and strategies for, considering the impact of the examinee’s cultural self-identification when assessing fitness
  • 6 Describe the utility of a model for assessing FFDE and the elements of one that is useful
  • 7 Describe the appropriate legal and ethical limitations to be considered when preparing a written FFDE report for an employer

  • Intended Audience

    This training is intended for mental health and allied professionals who specialize in occupational or forensic psychology, particularly those involved in fitness-for-duty evaluations and workplace psychological safety. It is relevant for individuals responsible for assessing employee mental health and workplace risk.

    • Mental Health Professional
    • Psychologist
    • Counselor
    • Social Worker
    • HR Specialist
    • Occupational Health Staff
    • Legal Consultant
    • Professionals conducting fitness-for-duty or workplace psychological evaluations

  • Experience Level

    This training is designed for licensed and pre-licensed mental health professionals seeking foundational knowledge and skills in fitness-for-duty evaluations (FFDEs).

    Beginner: Participants are new to FFDEs or have limited experience, seeking to understand the legal foundations, practice standards, and basic assessment models.

    Participants may be unfamiliar with the legal thresholds, relevant statutes, and ethical considerations specific to FFDEs.

    Participants are developing skills in applying integrative models and interpreting case materials, including employment records, clinical interviews, and psychological testing.

  • Practice Setting

    Professionals who conduct fitness-for-duty evaluations and workplace psychological assessments typically work in environments where employee mental health, workplace safety, and organizational risk are prioritized. These settings may include private practices, hospitals, occupational health clinics, corporate offices, government agencies, law enforcement agencies, and consulting firms. The work often involves collaboration with HR departments, legal teams, and management, as well as direct assessment of employees through interviews, psychological testing, and review of employment and medical records. The environment is often confidential, structured, and may require adherence to strict legal and ethical standards.

    • Occupational health departments within large corporations
    • Private psychology or counseling practices specializing in workplace assessments
    • Hospital-based employee assistance programs (EAPs)
    • Law enforcement or public safety agencies conducting FFDEs for officers
    • Government agencies overseeing employee mental health and safety
    • HR or risk management divisions in high-risk industries (e.g., transportation, utilities)
    • Legal consulting firms providing expert opinions on workplace psychological safety
    • Multidisciplinary clinics offering comprehensive employee evaluations

Presented By

David M. Corey, PhD, ABPP, Psychologist

David M. Corey, Ph.D., ABPP is a licensed psychologist with nearly 40 years of experience performing high-stakes evaluations of candidates and employees in public safety positions (e.g., police officers, firefighters, emergency dispatchers, corrections officers, parole and probation officers, federal law enforcement personnel) and other safety-sensitive positions, including physicians, nurses, and pilots. He is the founding president of the American Board of Police & Public Safety Psychology, and a Fellow of the American Psychological Association (Division 18). He is an ABPP board certified specialist in both forensic psychology and in police and public safety psychology.

View More Programs from this Presenter
David M. Corey, PhD, ABPP

Training Outline

Key topics covered in this training include:

  • Overview of the major legal foundations and practice standards pertaining to fitness-for-duty evaluations (FFDEs)

  • Introduction of a three-step model for assessing the psychological fitness of incumbents in any position

  • Practice applying the law, practice standards, and the integrative model to case materials

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).



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.