Live Virtual Training via Zoom

Maureen Reardon, PhD, ABPP, presents a live virtual professional training program on Beyond the Constructs: Navigating Complexities in Insanity Evaluation Best Practices in Multi-Method, Multi-Source Assessment in partnership with the American Academy of Forensic Psychology (AAFP).

As the second installment in a three-part workshop series, this program provides an in-depth examination of commonly encountered challenges when conducting sanity evaluations. After a brief review of the modern insanity constructs covered in Part I, participants will be guided through a systematic, multi-method, multi-source approach to gathering data most pertinent to the retrospective reconstruction of a mental state at the time of the offense. Utilizing illustrative case examples, emphasis is placed on practical strategies for evaluating each of the cognitive, moral, and volitional prongs of modern insanity standards, as well as the clinical factors that frequently complicate those assessments (e.g., acute substance intoxication, severe personality pathology). By the conclusion of this workshop, attendees will have enhanced their practical skills and competence in conducting comprehensive insanity evaluations. 

It is recommended that attendees purchase Part I of this series first, From Precedent to Practice - Evolving Standards and Functional Assessment of Insanity Defense Constructs, as it provides the conceptual foundations of modern insanity standards. This program builds on that foundation by focusing more directly on how these standards are assessed in practice. The program is intended for forensic psychologists working in private practice or hospital settings who are engaged in criminal-forensic evaluation and practice.

Learning Objectives

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

  • 1 Describe interview questions that effectively address a defendant’s understanding of nature, quality, wrongfulness, and volitional control
  • 2 Describe when psychological testing may be useful (or not) in insanity evaluations
  • 3 Describe the confounding impacts of substance intoxication, personality pathology, and ideological extremism on mental state
  • 4 Describe a systematic, multi-method, and multi-source framework to retrospectively reconstruct a defendant’s mental state at the time of an offense

  • Intended Audience

    This workshop is designed for individuals who are actively involved in the assessment and evaluation of criminal responsibility within the legal system. The content is tailored to those who routinely address complex questions regarding defendants’ mental states at the time of alleged offenses, requiring nuanced understanding of cognitive, moral, and volitional capacities, as well as the ability to navigate complicating clinical factors such as substance use, personality disorders, and ideological beliefs. Attendees are those who must synthesize information from multiple sources and methods to inform their professional opinions in forensic contexts.

    Examples of Relevant Professionals:

    • Forensic Psychologist
    • Psychiatrist
    • Mental Health Professional
    • Forensic Social Worker
    • Criminal Justice Consultant
    • Legal Consultant specializing in mental health
    • Clinical Psychologist involved in forensic assessment

  • Experience Level

    This workshop is designed for licensed and pre-licensed mental health professionals with varying levels of experience in forensic assessment, particularly those seeking to deepen their competence in conducting insanity evaluations.

    • Beginner: Participants have limited or no prior experience conducting insanity evaluations and are seeking foundational knowledge of modern insanity constructs, relevant interview techniques, and the basics of multi-method, multi-source assessment.

    • Intermediate: Participants have some experience with forensic or insanity evaluations and are looking to refine their skills in applying systematic assessment frameworks, interpreting complex clinical variables, and integrating psychological testing when appropriate.

    • Advanced: Participants have substantial experience in forensic mental health assessment and seek advanced strategies for addressing complicating factors (e.g., substance intoxication, personality pathology, ideological extremism) and enhancing the sophistication of their retrospective mental state reconstructions.

  • Practice Setting

    Professionals who attend this workshop typically work in environments where legal and mental health systems intersect. Their practice settings often involve conducting forensic assessments in secure facilities, hospitals, private practices, or consulting roles within the criminal justice system. These professionals routinely collaborate with attorneys, courts, correctional staff, and other stakeholders to provide expert opinions on defendants’ mental states, particularly regarding criminal responsibility and insanity defenses. Their work requires access to confidential records, structured interviews, psychological testing, and the ability to synthesize complex information from diverse sources.

    Examples of Practice Settings:

    • Forensic units within psychiatric hospitals
    • Correctional facilities or jails
    • Private forensic assessment practices
    • Court clinics or court-appointed evaluation services
    • Government agencies (e.g., departments of mental health or justice)
    • Academic medical centers with forensic programs
    • Consulting roles for legal teams or public defenders’ offices
Presented By

Maureen Reardon, PhD, ABPP

Dr. Reardon is a board-certified specialist in forensic psychology with over 20 years of experience conducting comprehensive forensic evaluations.   In the course of her tenure with the Federal Bureau of Prisons, she completed numerous evaluations of competency, sanity, and violence risk and, for over two years, oversaw the institution’s forensic evaluation program.   During the past 10 years, she has owned and operated a national forensic practice based in Raleigh, North Carolina, providing evaluation and consultation services to adults and justice-involved youth in criminal matters and select civil cases.  She specializes in complex questions of criminal responsibility, including capital cases, and is honored to be co-authoring the updated volume on criminal responsibility in the Oxford Best Practices Series in Forensic Mental Health Assessment.   She previously served on the ABFP Board of Directors (Past President, 2019) and, for 10 years, served on the examination faculty for candidates seeking specialty board certification.  She is the current Chair of In-Person Continuing Education Workshops for the American Academy of Forensic Psychology.


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Training Outline

Key topics covered in this training include:

  • 30 minutes: Review of foundational concepts

  • 90 minutes: Nuts and bolts of insanity evaluations, potentially including case vignettes and video examples

  • 60–90 minutes: Complicating variables and practical solutions

  • Participant questions and discussion at the end of the program

Live Event Policy

Registration for our live events is covered for one (1) person per purchase. If you would like to purchase for a group, please purchase more than one registration for this event.

  • Event Communications

    When registering, use an email that is active and that you check regularly. We are not responsible for communications not being received; if you do not add [email protected] to your email safe sender list, our emails are likely to end up in your spam or junk folders.

  • Cancellation Policy

    Have a sudden change of plans and are unable to attend live? No worries; you will be given access to the on-demand version of the program once available. Please note that if you attend live, no access to the recording will be given.

  • Event Conduct

    Professional conduct is expected during our live programs. Our goal is to make our events as interactive as possible for all participants. We reserve the right to remove any participants who are disruptive, act unprofessionally, or who we are unable to verify their purchase.

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), 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.