Teaching Decision-Making and Reasoning in Forensic Supervision
Presented by: Terry Kukor, PhD, ABPP and Sarah Miller, PhD, ABPP
4 Hours / 4 CEs
On Demand | Self-Paced Professional Training
This on-demand professional training program on Teaching Decision-Making and Reasoning in Forensic Supervision is presented by Sarah Miller, PhD, ABPP, and Terry Kukor, PhD, ABPP.
How do we learn to make decisions and reason about data in the context of forensic mental health assessment (FMHA)? In this program, we address the core question about how to teach someone to think critically in the context of FMHA. Critical thinking skills are about the ability to receive, collect, and analyze information effectively, which we apply to both decision-making and reasoning.
Decision-making refers to the range of decisions in conducting FMHA, ranging from in-the-moment determinations about what to write down in an interview to larger decisions about what collateral data to request. Reasoning refers to determinations we make about what the data means in terms of the legal issue or capacity being addressed.
This program is intended for two groups: 1) those who either receive or provide supervision of FMHA services, and 2) those who wish to sharpen their skills related to tactical decision-making and reasoning in FHMA.
Looking for Impact? This program reassures employers of participants that they have received supervision-specific training in decision-making and reasoning.
Program Value: For those forensic professionals either providing or receiving supervision, this program provides unique content about tactical decision-making and reasoning in FMHA that, to our knowledge, is not addressed elsewhere.
Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this training, participants will be able to:
- 1 Describe how to teach strategies for making decisions about data acquisition as it relates to requesting collateral information, clinical interviewing, and report writing
- 2 Describe how one can apply Linear Sequential Unmasking to data review strategies
- 3 Describe ways to review common errors, and strategies for minimizing them, in the reasoning process
- 4 Describe ways to teach and model concrete strategies for opinion formation that minimize bias and maximize objectivity
Training Instructors:
Terry Kukor, PhD, ABPP
Terry Kukor, Ph.D., ABPP, is board certified in forensic psychology by the American Board of Professional Psychology. In late 2023 he retired from his salaried position at the Netcare Forensic Center in Columbus, Ohio, where he had held a variety of roles including Director of Forensic Services, Senior Forensic Psychologist, and Training Director for the Postdoctoral Fellowship in Forensic Psychology. He is now in independent practice.
Sarah Miller, PhD, ABPP
Sarah Miller, PhD, ABPP is board certified in forensic psychology by the American Board of Professional Psychology. She is the Director of Maine’s State Forensic Service and the Training Director for the University of Maine Postdoctoral Fellowship in Forensic Psychology. She conducts criminal forensic mental health evaluations, provides consultation to examiners, attorneys, judges, and clinicians, and delivers trainings to clinical and legal audiences statewide.
Training Outline
Key topics covered in this training include:
-
Teaching decision-making about data acquisition
-Collateral information: what to request, how to review it
-Clinical interviewing: ensuring understanding of notification of purpose, leading question, expressed empathy, making decisions about what to write in our notes
-Mental Status: standardized or contextual?
-FAI/Psychological testing: how and when to decide if useful for a specific case
-Report writing: deciding what data from our notes, collateral, and testing are used in the report -
Teaching reasoning
-What is reasoning?
-The component parts of reasoning
-Common errors associated with reasoning
-Connecting evidence to inference in opinion-formation
-Detecting and mitigating bias
-How to maximize objectivity
-Key principles of critical thinking for report-writing
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.
American Psychological Association (APA): Approved sponsor of continuing education for psychologists.
Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB): Approved continuing education provider (ACE program, Provider #1480), 11/22/2023–11/22/2026.
Canadian Psychological Association (CPA): Approved to sponsor continuing education for psychologists.
National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC): Approved Continuing Education Provider (ACEP No. 7190).
Sponsorship Approval Statements
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.