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 individuals with a background or interest in forensic assessment, adolescent development, competency evaluation practices, and culturally and developmentally informed assessment. The program is relevant for those specializing in forensic psychology, clinical psychology, psychiatry, social work, and related fields, with expertise in assessing the competency of youth involved in the legal system and applying best practices in culturally responsive and legally informed evaluation.

    Examples of Relevant Professionals:

    • Mental Health Professionals
    • Forensic Psychologists
    • Clinical Psychologists
    • Counseling Psychologists
    • Psychiatrists
    • Social Workers
    • Allied Mental Health Professionals

  • Experience Level

    This training is appropriate for mental health professionals at various stages of experience with juvenile forensic evaluation.

    • Beginner: Participants new to juvenile forensic evaluation who are developing foundational knowledge of the juvenile justice system, adolescent development, and culturally sensitive assessment practices.

    • Intermediate: Participants with some experience in forensic assessment who seek to deepen their understanding of developmentally and culturally sensitive methods, and to apply commonly used forensic instruments in juvenile competency evaluations.

  • Practice Setting

    Professionals practice in forensic mental health environments that interface directly with the juvenile justice system, operating across secure and community-based settings. Work centers on court-ordered evaluations, records review, and standardized assessment with adolescents, in collaboration with legal stakeholders and caregivers, using developmentally and culturally responsive methods to determine competency.

    Examples of Practice Settings:

    • Juvenile court clinics and court-affiliated assessment programs
    • Juvenile detention centers and intake units
    • Inpatient psychiatric hospitals and forensic units
    • Residential treatment centers serving justice-involved youth
    • Community mental health clinics handling court-referred evaluations
    • State or county forensic services and diversion programs
    • Child advocacy/assessment centers and multidisciplinary teams
    • Probation departments’ behavioral health assessment services
Presented By

Julie Gallagher, PsyD, ABPP

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.

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).


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.