1 Hours / 1 CE

On Demand | Self-Paced Professional Training

This on-demand professional training program on The Importance of Risk Communication: Short Reports is presented by Kelly A. Watt, Ph.D. in partnership with Protect International Risk and Safety Services.

Risk communication is one of the most important and challenging strategies for ensuring that management strategies are implemented and violence is prevented. This program focuses on best practices related to short report structure, content, and process. Case illustrations highlight promising practices and challenging issues when writing short reports (e.g., including all relevant information but only relevant information). 

This program is appropriate for those new to the field of violence risk/threat assessment, as well as experienced professionals who are looking for an update on issues and best practices related to risk communication.

Learning Objectives

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

  • 1 Describe basic elements and core virtues related to short reports
  • 2 Describe promising practices and challenging issues related to writing short reports

  • Intended Audience

    This training is designed for mental health and allied professionals who are responsible for writing concise reports in the context of violence risk and threat assessment. Participants will gain practical skills for evaluating and documenting risk of harm to self or others, with a focus on best practices in forensic and clinical settings. The program is relevant for those working in a variety of environments, including clinical, forensic, correctional, hospital, school, and community-based settings.

  • Experience Level

    • Suitable for early-career to experienced professionals

    • Participants should have a foundational understanding of mental health assessment

    • No prior specialized training in violence risk or threat assessment required, but some experience in clinical or forensic settings is recommended.

  • Practice Setting

    • Mental health professionals (psychologists, psychiatrists, clinical counselors)
    • Allied professionals (social workers, nurses, case managers)
    • Forensic specialists involved in risk and threat assessment
    • Professionals working in correctional, hospital, school, or community-based settings
    • Individuals responsible for evaluating and managing risk of harm to self or others

Presented By

Kelly A. Watt, PhD

Dr. Kelly A. Watt works as a Threat Assessment Specialist at Protect International and is a member of the Mental Health, Law, and Policy Institute at Simon Fraser University in Canada. Dr. Watt is the editor of the Intelligence newsletter which is disseminated on behalf of threat assessment professional associations in the United States, Canada, Europe and Asia Pacific, and that provides recent advances in research, practice, and the law related to threat assessment around the globe.

View More Programs from this Presenter
Kelly A. Watt, PhD

Training Outline

Key topics covered in this training include:

  • Importance

  • Short Reports

    • Cover Page
    • Violence Risk Triage
    • Violence Risk Assessment

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.

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.