4 Hours / 4 CEs

On Demand | Self-Paced Professional Training

This on-demand professional training program on Risk Assessment is presented by Chad Brinkley, Ph.D., ABPP, in partnership with the American Academy of Forensic Psychology (AAFP).

This presentation provides an overview of risk assessment in the context of forensic and clinical psychology. This program reviews some of the principles common to the assessment of different types of risk (violence, sex offending, suicide), including characteristics of risk, the impact of base rates, types of errors in risk assessment, as well as the difference between risk prediction and risk management. 

This program also covers different approaches to risk assessment (actuarial, clinical, structured professional judgement) and identifies some commonly used risk assessment instruments that exemplify these kinds of approaches. We briefly review case law relevant to risk assessment and discuss why knowledge of local statutes is important. 

Finally, we review information relevant to conducting risk assessments, including a process for conducting assessments, reducing bias in the assessment process, and communication of results regarding risk assessment in reports/testimony. 

This program provides valuable information for various mental health professionals at any stage of their careers. Although the presentation focuses on violence risk assessment, the information covered in the presentation is relevant to the assessment of other kinds of risk, including the risk for sexual offending and the assessment of suicide risk. The information is most relevant to individuals who conduct risk assessments of various kinds, psychologists working in forensic or criminal settings, and psychologists working in inpatient settings with individuals who have been committed for treatment.

Learning Objectives

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

  • 1 Identify different characteristics of risk and how these may impact the assessment of risk
  • 2 Describe a basic understanding of base rates and why they are important in the assessment of risk
  • 3 Describe the differences between actuarial, clinical judgment, and research-guided approaches to the assessment of risk
  • 4 Describe a basic understanding of some common risk assessment instruments and be able to identify when those instruments should or should not be used
  • 5 Describe information about risk in reports and testimony
  • 6 Describe an understanding of how risk assessment is linked to risk management
  • 7 Identify concerns about how risk assessment may be impacted by a defendant’s gender/ethnicity

  • Intended Audience

    This training is intended for individuals who conduct risk assessments of various kinds, with a focus on violence risk assessment but also covering information relevant to the assessment of other risks, such as sexual offending and suicide risk.


    Examples of Relevant Professionals:
    • Mental Health Professionals
    • Psychologists
    • Forensic Psychologists
    • Criminal Justice Psychologists
    • Risk Assessment Specialists
    • Clinical Assessors

  • Experience Level

    This training is appropriate for licensed and pre-licensed mental health professionals at various stages of experience with risk assessment in forensic and clinical settings.

    • Beginner: Participants new to risk assessment or with limited experience will gain foundational knowledge of risk concepts, assessment approaches, and relevant legal considerations.

    • Intermediate: Participants with some experience in risk assessment will deepen their understanding of different assessment models, enhance their ability to select and apply appropriate instruments, and refine their skills in report writing and testimony.

    • Advanced: Participants with extensive experience in forensic or clinical risk assessment will have opportunities to critically evaluate current practices, address complex case scenarios, and explore advanced topics such as bias reduction and nuanced legal implications.

  • Practice Setting

    They practice in secure, high-stakes clinical and forensic environments where risk assessments inform treatment planning, supervision, and legal decisions. Work is multidisciplinary and statute-informed, combining structured tools with professional judgment to produce defensible reports, risk management plans, and testimony.


    Examples of Practice Settings:
    • Forensic psychiatric hospitals and civil commitment units
    • Inpatient psychiatric units
    • Jails and prisons
    • Court clinics and pretrial services
    • Probation, parole, and community supervision programs
    • Outpatient mental health and forensic evaluation clinics
    • Sex offender assessment and treatment programs
    • Emergency departments and psychiatric crisis services
    • Juvenile justice facilities
    • Workplace or school threat assessment teams

Presented By

Chad Brinkley, Ph.D., ABPP Licensed Clinical Psychologist

Dr. Brinkley is a licensed clinical psychologist who is also board-certified in forensic psychology by the American Board of Professional Psychology. Dr. Brinkley obtained bachelor's degrees in Psychology and Business Administration from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He completed his master's and doctoral degrees in Clinical Psychology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He was a clinical psychology intern at the United States Penitentiary in Atlanta, Georgia. He was employed by the Federal Bureau of Prisons (FBOP) for more than twenty years, during which time he worked in multiple correctional facilities, including inpatient mental health treatment units. While working for the FBOP, Dr. Brinkley conducted numerous suicide risk assessments and violence risk assessments as well as some sex offender assessments. He recently retired from the FBOP and began working for a private psychology firm. Dr. Brinkley has published several peer-reviewed articles on Psychopathy. He has previously presented continuing education seminars for the American Academy of Forensic Psychology, community corrections, and the Federal Bureau of Prisons.

Chad Brinkley, Ph.D., ABPP

Training Outline

Key topics covered in this training include:

  • Introduction

  • Basic Concepts in Risk Assessment (Characteristics of Risk, Base Rates, Prediction vs. Management, Types of Error)

  • Relevant Case Law

  • Sample Legal Statutes

  • Process for Conducting Assessments

  • Approaches to Risk Assessment (Actuarial, Clinical, Structured Professional Judgement)

  • Sample Risk Assessment Instruments (V-RAG-R, HCR-20-V3)

  • Risk Management

  • Potential Sources of Bias in Risk Assessment

  • Report Writing/Testimony

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.