5 Hours / 5 CEs

On Demand | Self-Paced Professional Training

This on-demand professional training program on Not So Uncommon Topics in Competency Evaluations is presented by Candyce Shields, Ph.D., ABPP, in partnership with The American Academy of Forensic Psychology.

This program examines topics that arise less commonly but that are no less influential in the assessment of competency to stand trial. Topics include: developing informed opinions about the likelihood/probability of restoration to competence; amnesia for the offense in evaluations of competence to stand trial; imposition of a viable insanity defense over a defendant’s objection; and competence to waive the right to counsel (proceed pro se). Relevant case law and literature are reviewed. General and specific conceptual considerations in performing evaluations that involve the topic areas are discussed.

Learning Objectives

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

  • 1 Describe factors relevant to developing informed opinions regarding the likelihood/probability of restoration to competence
  • 2 Describe relevant case law and factors relevant to developing informed opinions where amnesia for the alleged offense(s) is at issue in evaluations of competence to stand trial
  • 3 Describe relevant case law and literature regarding the imposition of an insanity defense on defendants
  • 4 Describe relevant case law and factors relevant to developing informed opinions when evaluating specific competencies to waive counsel

  • Intended Audience

    This training is designed for mental health professionals who are involved in or interested in conducting competency to stand trial evaluations, particularly those specializing in forensic psychology or forensic mental health. It is suitable for practitioners who currently perform or wish to expand their practice to include forensic evaluations of adjudicative competence for the criminal courts.

    • Mental Health Professional
    • Psychiatrist
    • Psychologist
    • Social Worker
    • Other professionals specializing in forensic psychology or forensic mental health

  • Experience Level

    This training is applicable for all career stages: entry-level, mid-career, and experienced professionals.

    • Beginner: New to forensic mental health or competency evaluations; seeking foundational knowledge of relevant case law, conceptual considerations, and specific factors in restoration to competence, amnesia, insanity defense, and pro se competence.
    • Intermediate: Some experience conducting forensic or competency evaluations; looking to deepen understanding of nuanced legal and clinical issues, integrate current literature, and refine informed opinion development in complex cases.
    • Advanced: Extensive experience in forensic assessment; interested in advanced analysis of case law, literature, and conceptual frameworks, and in applying sophisticated reasoning to rare or challenging competency scenarios.

  • Practice Setting

    Mental health professionals specializing in forensic psychology or forensic mental health typically work in environments where legal and clinical systems intersect. These settings require collaboration with attorneys, judges, and court personnel, and often involve secure or controlled facilities. Practitioners may conduct evaluations in correctional institutions, psychiatric hospitals, court clinics, or private practices with a forensic focus. Their workspaces are designed to ensure privacy, safety, and compliance with legal standards, and may include interview rooms, secure offices, and access to legal and clinical records.

    • State or county forensic psychiatric hospitals
    • Correctional facilities (jails or prisons)
    • Court-affiliated forensic evaluation units or clinics
    • Private practices specializing in forensic mental health assessments
    • Community mental health centers with forensic services
    • Academic medical centers or university-based forensic programs
    • Government agencies (e.g., departments of mental health or public defender’s offices)

Presented By

Candyce Shields, PhD, ABPP, Forensic Psychologist at Center for Forensic Psychiatry

Dr. Candyce Shields earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Western Michigan University, in Kalamazoo, Michigan; a master’s degree in rehabilitation psychology and counseling from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in Chapel Hill, North Carolina; and a master’s and her doctoral degree in clinical psychology from the University of Louisville in Louisville, Kentucky. She completed a predoctoral internship at the Federal Correctional Complex in Butner, North Carolina and a postdoctoral fellowship in forensic psychology at the Wyoming State Hospital in Evanston, Wyoming. She is an Early Career Grant recipient from the American Academy of Forensic Psychology (AAFP) and achieved board certification in forensic psychology in 2008 from the American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP). Dr. Shields formerly served as a member of the examination faculty for the American Board of Forensic Psychology (ABFP), reviewing practice samples and conducting oral examinations for board certification. She is the past treasurer of and current membership coordinator for the AAFP. She has taught multiple workshops nationally for the AAFP on the topics of evaluating competence to stand trial and legal insanity. Dr. Shields is currently employed as an Assistant Director of Evaluation Services and Forensic Psychologist at the Center for Forensic Psychiatry in Saline, Michigan. At the Center she conducts forensic evaluations relative to competence to stand trial, legal insanity, and competence to waive Miranda. She is also an Adjunct Clinical Instructor with the Department of Psychiatry in the University of Michigan Medical School. She is the 2016 recipient of the Distinguished Contributions to Forensic Psychology award given by the AAFP.

View More Programs from this Presenter
Candyce Shields, PhD, ABPP

Training Outline

Key topics covered in this training include:

  • Developing informed opinions about the likelihood/probability of restoration to competence

  • Amnesia for the offense in evaluations of competence to stand trial

  • Imposition of a viable insanity defense over a defendant’s objection

  • Competence to waive the right to counsel (proceed pro se)

  • Relevant case law and literature are reviewed

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.