4 Hours / 4 CEs

On Demand | Self-Paced Professional Training

This on-demand professional training program on Evaluation of Juvenile Competency to Proceed is presented by Julie Gallagher, PsyD, ABPP in partnership with the American Academy of Forensic Psychology (AAFP).

Juveniles present special challenges to forensic evaluators, necessitating not only consideration of their knowledge of the legal system but also the moving target that is their developmental status and the context in which that development is occurring. Developmentally and culturally sensitive competency evaluations of juveniles also require familiarity with a host of factors, including the nature of the juvenile justice system, cultural issues specific to the community and the defendant, the differing presentations of adolescent psychopathology, and the intersection of cognitive and emotional development on competency-related capacities. Commonly used methods to evaluate these factors in the context of juvenile competency are reviewed and discussed with a special focus on factors that commonly impact juvenile competency.

Learning Objectives

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

  • 1 Describe at least three challenges unique to the evaluation of juveniles’ competency to proceed
  • 2 Describe methods of performing developmentally and culturally sensitive competency evaluations of juvenile defendants
  • 3 Describe commonly used forensic assessment instruments to evaluate juveniles’ competence to proceed
  • 4 Describe recent research findings regarding juveniles’ competency to proceed

  • Intended Audience

    This training is intended for mental health and allied professionals who conduct juvenile competency evaluations in forensic settings. It is designed for those with a background or interest in forensic assessment, adolescent development, competency evaluation practices, and culturally and developmentally informed assessment. The program emphasizes best practices in assessing the competency of youth involved in the legal system, with a focus on adolescent development, culturally responsive assessment, and legal standards.

    • Mental Health Professional
    • Psychologist (forensic, clinical, or counseling)
    • Psychiatrist
    • Social Worker
    • Allied Mental Health Professional

  • Experience Level

    This training is designed for licensed and pre-licensed mental health professionals with varying levels of experience in juvenile forensic evaluation.

    Beginner
    New to juvenile forensic evaluation; seeking foundational knowledge of the juvenile justice system, developmental and cultural considerations, and basic methods for assessing juvenile competency.

    Intermediate:
    Some experience with forensic assessment; familiar with general forensic principles and seeking to deepen understanding of developmentally and culturally sensitive approaches, adolescent psychopathology, and commonly used assessment instruments.

    Advanced:
    Extensive experience in forensic mental health; seeking to refine skills in complex cases, integrate recent research findings, and address nuanced challenges in evaluating juvenile competency to proceed.

  • Practice Setting

    Mental health and allied professionals who conduct juvenile competency evaluations typically work in environments where legal and clinical systems intersect. These settings require collaboration with legal professionals, juvenile justice personnel, and families, and often involve working with youth from diverse backgrounds who are involved in the legal system. The practice environment emphasizes confidentiality, cultural competence, and sensitivity to developmental and psychosocial factors impacting youth. Evaluators may work in public or private sectors, including government agencies, hospitals, community mental health centers, or private practices, and often conduct assessments in secure facilities, courts, or outpatient settings.

    • Juvenile detention centers or correctional facilities
    • Court clinics or forensic assessment units
    • Community mental health agencies serving court-involved youth
    • Hospital-based forensic psychiatry or psychology departments
    • Private practices specializing in forensic or child/adolescent assessment
    • Government agencies (e.g., departments of juvenile justice or child welfare)
    • Outpatient clinics providing court-ordered evaluations

Presented By

Julie Gallagher, PsyD, ABPP, Evaluation, Consultation and Expert Testimony

Julie Gallagher, Psy.D. ABPP is a board-certified forensic psychologist in independent practice in Nashville, Tennessee. Prior to moving to the Nashville area in 2012, Dr. Gallagher was the training director for the University of Washington’s forensic psychology fellowship program, as well as Director of Forensic Services at Child Study & Treatment Center, the state psychiatric hospital for children in Washington State. In that capacity, she ran the forensic evaluation program that served the entire state of Washington, performing forensic assessments, training students and other evaluators, and testifying as an expert witness in juvenile courts throughout the state. Dr. Gallagher is the past president of the American Academy of Forensic Psychology and is a member of the examination faculty of the American Board of Forensic Psychology. She serves as a consultant to the Tennessee Board of Examiners of Psychology and serves on the Ethics Committee of the Tennessee Psychological Association. She is also an adjunct assistant professor in the Department of Psychology at Vanderbilt University.

View More Programs from this Presenter
Julie Gallagher, PsyD, ABPP

Training Outline

Key topics covered in this training include:

  • Unique Challenges in Juvenile Forensic Evaluation
    -Importance of considering legal knowledge
    -Impact of developmental status and context

  • Developmentally and Culturally Sensitive Approaches
    -Need for sensitivity to developmental and cultural factors
    -Influence of community and defendant-specific cultural issues

  • Foundational Knowledge for Evaluators
    -Overview of the juvenile justice system
    -Presentations of adolescent psychopathology
    -Role of cognitive and emotional development in competency

  • Evaluation Methods and Focus Areas
    -Common methods used to assess juvenile competency
    -Special focus on frequently encountered influencing factors

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.