3 Hours / 3 CEs

On Demand | Self-Paced Professional Training

The on-demand professional training program on The Five Question Model to Conducting Juvenile Competence Evaluations is presented by Ivan Kruh, PhD and Christina R. Riggs Romaine, PhD in partnership with The National Youth Screening & Assessment Partners (NYSAP).

Evaluation quality is enhanced when a conceptual model is used that guides data gathering, data interpretation, and the communication of findings in a manner consistent with scientific, empirical, and ethical standards. The most widely accepted model for guiding evaluations of competence to stand trial was offered by Thomas Grisso in 1986 and was applied to juvenile competence evaluations in 2005. The model lays out Functional, Causal, Contextual, Conclusory, and Remediation questions that, when considered and opined upon by evaluators in a systematic manner, yield an effective and informative evaluation and a report that can assist the court. In this program, each of the questions is explained, relevant research and forensic concepts are offered, and the process of forming opinions within each question will be modeled so that participants can apply it to their evaluations.

Learning Objectives

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

  • 1 Describe how competence standards in juvenile courts sometimes differ from those in criminal court, as well as how these differences may impact the evaluation process
  • 2 Describe why normal developmental immaturity can yield competency deficits, both directly and in interaction with mental health symptoms and cognitive limitations
  • 3 Describe the unique types of competency-related deficits adolescents may demonstrate in the areas of factual understanding, rational appreciation, assisting counsel, and legal decision-making
  • 4 Describe how relationships with caregivers, peers, and legal personnel can impact the context within which juveniles must be able to function competently
  • 5 Describe unique challenges of remediating the incompetence of youths and how this may impact their opinions about “restorability

  • Intended Audience

    This training is for professionals at the intermediate to advanced stages of their careers who are conducting or preparing to conduct competence-to-stand-trial evaluations. They likely specialize in forensic psychology, child and adolescent forensic assessment, or legal-psychology interfaces where competency issues are central. These professionals work in environments such as juvenile courts, criminal courts, forensic hospitals, or private forensic practices.

  • Experience Level

    This training is applicable for intermediate to advanced career professionals with experience or preparation in conducting forensic competence evaluations.

  • Practice Setting

    • Juvenile courts

    • Criminal courts

    • Forensic hospitals

    • Private forensic practices

Presented By

Christina L. Riggs Romaine, PhD, Associate Professor of Psychology at Wheaton College

Dr. Christina L. Riggs Romaine received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology with a Forensic concentration from Drexel University. She worked as an evaluator, trainer, and service provider in pre- and post-adjudication juvenile justice facilities, before practicing as a full-time forensic evaluator in the MA Juvenile Court Clinics. Dr. Riggs Romaine is now an Associate Professor of Psychology at Wheaton College, MA where she continues to conduct research and provide clinical training on juvenile adjudicative competence. She is also an Associate with National Youth Screening and Assessment Partners (NYSAP) where she has consulted with and trained clinicians and juvenile justice stakeholders in 14 states.

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Christina L. Riggs Romaine, PhD

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.

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Ivan Kruh, PhD

Training Outline

Key topics covered in this training include:

  • Overview of AI in Mental Health
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  • AI as a Co-Therapist

  • AI for Clinical Efficiency

  • AI in Clinical Education and Supervision

  • Ethical Considerations

  • Clinical and Technological Competency

  • Practical Implementation Strategies

  • Communicating with Clients and Trainees About AI

We are proud to partner with

National Youth Screening & Assessment Partners (NYSAP)

National Youth Screening & Assessment Partners (NYSAP)

The National Youth Screening & Assessment Partners (NYSAP) is a technical assistance and research group dedicated to helping juvenile justice and related programs nationwide. Since 2000, NYSAP has assisted juvenile justice systems to make decisions about adolescents that are consistent with youths’ health and positive development and with the community’s interests by helping systems use reliable, evidence-based methods for screening and assessment. We provide training, technical assistance, and quality implementation services to agencies and programs in the areas of risk screening and risk-needs assessment, behavioral health screening, and competence to stand trial evaluations.


NYSAP professionals have played a key role for 25 years in research on juveniles’ competence to stand trial and in developing juvenile competence standards for forensic clinical practice, law, and policy. In response to the growing demand for juvenile competence evaluations nationally, we provide consultation to assist agencies in developing or refining their juvenile competence service delivery system, as well as creating and conducting quality assurance procedures. We train clinicians and juvenile justice stakeholders (e.g., judges, attorneys, and community partners) in practice standards for conducting high-quality juvenile competence evaluations.

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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.