15 Hours / 15 CEs

On Demand | Self-Paced Professional Training

This on-demand professional training program on Risk for Sexual Violence Protocol Version 2 (RSVP-V2) is presented by Stephen D. Hart, PhD in partnership with Protect International Risk and Safety Services.

Sexual violence is a prevalent and serious international problem, and it is critical that professionals engage in best practices to prevent future incidents and tragedies. This program is the official launch of the newest version of the Risk for Sexual Violence Protocol (RSVP), a structured professional judgment guideline for assessing and managing risk for sexual violence.

Significant updates have been made to the guidelines, reflecting advances related to research, practice, and the law and incorporating feedback from diverse professionals around the world.

This program is designed for professionals whose work involves risk assessment and management, including those working in criminal justice, security, victim services, forensic mental health, civil mental health, general health care, social services, human resources, occupational health and safety, and legal services.

 

Learning Objectives

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

  • 1 Describe key concepts and identifying risk factors
  • 2 Describe decision theory
  • 3 Describe combining risk factors
  • 4 Describe administration of the RSVP-2
  • 5 Describe Structured Professional Judgment of the RSVP-2
  • 6 Describe the structure and purpose of the Nature of Sexual Violence and Perpetrator Risk Factors domains in the RSVP-2
  • 7 Describe the process of coding presence, timeframe, and relevance for risk factors in the RSVP-2
  • 8 Describe the role of formulation in integrating diverse information to guide risk management decisions
  • 9 Describe the use of scenario planning to anticipate possible futures and guide intervention strategies
  • 10 Describe core planning elements, including monitoring, treatment, supervision, victim safety planning, and leveraging strengths and resources
  • Intended Audience

    This training is designed for professionals whose work involves assessing and managing the risk of sexual violence, particularly those with backgrounds in forensic psychology, clinical psychology, social work, or related allied fields. Participants are expected to have expertise in structured professional judgment, risk assessment, and evidence-based management strategies, and play a critical role in ensuring effective risk management.

    • Forensic Psychologist
    • Clinical Psychologist
    • Social Worker
    • Mental Health Professional
    • Risk Assessor
    • Case Manager
    • Victim Services Specialist
    • Human Resources Specialist
    • Occupational Health and Safety Officer
    • Legal Professional
  • Experience Level

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

    • Beginner: Professionals new to structured professional judgment guidelines or the RSVP-2, seeking foundational knowledge of key concepts, risk factors, and the administration of the protocol.
    • Intermediate: Participants with some experience in risk assessment and management, familiar with basic concepts, looking to deepen their understanding of decision theory, risk factor integration, and scenario planning using RSVP-2.
    • Advanced: Experienced professionals with substantial background in forensic or clinical risk assessment, aiming to refine their skills in complex case formulation, advanced risk management strategies, and application of updated research, legal, and practice guidelines in RSVP-2.
  • Practice Setting

    Professionals who assess and manage the risk of sexual violence typically work in multidisciplinary environments where safety, legal compliance, and client well-being are paramount. These settings may include secure forensic units, community mental health centers, correctional facilities, hospitals, social service agencies, legal offices, and corporate or institutional human resources departments. Their work often involves collaboration with law enforcement, legal professionals, healthcare providers, and victim support services to ensure comprehensive risk management and prevention strategies. The environment is often high-stakes, requiring adherence to evidence-based protocols, structured professional judgment, and ongoing professional development to stay current with evolving best practices and legal standards.

    • Forensic psychiatric hospitals or secure mental health units
    • Correctional facilities or probation/parole offices
    • Community mental health clinics
    • Social service agencies supporting at-risk populations
    • Victim advocacy and support organizations
    • Human resources departments in large organizations
    • Occupational health and safety offices in institutional settings
    • Legal practices specializing in criminal, family, or employment law
    • University or research institutions conducting risk assessment research
    • Multidisciplinary risk management teams in public or private sectors

Presented By

Stephen D. Hart, PhD

Dr. Stephen D. Hart obtained BA, MA, and PhD degrees in psychology at the University of British Columbia. He has been on faculty in the Department of Psychology at Simon Fraser University since 1990, and has held the rank of Professor since 2001. He also served as a Visiting Professor in the Faculty of Psychology at the University of Bergen in Norway between 2000 and 2021. His expertise is in the field of clinical-forensic psychology, with a special focus on the assessment of violence risk and psychopathic personality disorder. He has co-authored more than 250 books, chapters, and articles. He has served as editor of two scientific journals; a member of the editorial board of eight journals; and ad hoc reviewer for more than 40 journals. He has served as an executive committee member of several professional organizations, including President of the American Psychology-Law Society and the International Association of Forensic Mental Health Services. He has received various distinctions for his professional work, including the Career Achievement Award from the Society of Clinical Psychology, the Saleem Shah Award for Early Career Research Excellence in Psychology and Law from the American Psychology-Law Society and the American Academy of Forensic Psychology, and the Distinguished Achievement Award from the Association of Threat Assessment Professionals. He maintains an active practice in violence risk assessment. He has consulted with government agencies from more than 25 countries; led more than 500 training workshops around the world; and given expert evidence before courts, tribunals, inquests, review boards, and parliamentary committees in Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom.

View More Programs from this Presenter
Stephen D. Hart, PhD

Training Outline

Key topics covered in this training include:

  • Research

  • Practice

  • Law

  • Feedback

We are proud to partner with

Protect International Risk and Safety Services

Protect International Risk and Safety Services

We are proud to partner with Protect International Risk and Safety Services for this training. Protect International's threat assessment professionals are internationally recognized experts that have developed some of the world's most widely used and best-validated threat assessment tools. Protect International provides services and products related to violence risk assessment and management, also known as threat assessment and management. Protect International services and products include threat assessment training and support, case assessment and management, legal consultation, policy review and development, and program evaluation and research; along with threat assessment manuals, worksheets, licenses, and software applications for those tools.

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.