20 Hours / 20 CEs

On Demand | Self-Paced Professional Training

This on-demand professional training program on Best Practices in the Evaluation of Competence to Stand Trial is presented by Dr. Patricia Zapf.

One of the primary foundations of criminal law is that all defendants have a right to a fair trial. Towards this end, upwards of 60,000 evaluations of competency to stand trial are conducted annually in the USA. Research has shown that the opinion of the evaluator in these evaluations is accepted by the courts upwards of 95% of the time. Thus, it is imperative that these evaluations be conducted using best practices. Two important sources have recently been recognized as setting the foundation for best practices in competency evaluation. This program provides a strong foundation for any mental health professional involved in or wishing to become involved in the evaluation of adjudicative competence.

This program covers the legal foundations for adjudicative competence, including new developments in the conceptualization of the Dusky standard, as well as practical and theoretical issues in competency evaluation. Competency assessment instruments are reviewed in depth as are report writing and expert testimony. The trainee is taken through the foundations for competency evaluation, the specific abilities to be evaluated, how to formulate a case conceptualization and ultimate opinion regarding a defendant’s adjudicative competence, and how to communicate opinions about competence in the written report and through expert testimony.

Learning Objectives

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

  • 1 Describe important legal cases that deal with issues relevant to the interpretation adjudicative competence standards and statutes
  • 2 Describe the developments in the conceptualization of the Dusky Standard
  • 3 Describe the research on evaluations of adjudicative competence
  • 4 Describe theoretical issues in competency evaluation
  • 5 Describe the most recent clinical guidance on competency evaluation & best practices model
  • 6 Describe the administration procedures for various Competence Assessment Instruments
  • 7 Describe the psychometric properties of Competence Assessment Instruments
  • 8 Describe the process for case and opinion formulation
  • 9 Describe the process of communicating opinions regarding criminal competence
  • 10 Describe required, appropriate, and inappropriate report contents
  • 11 Describe opinions about competence in the written report and through expert testimony

  • Intended Audience

    This training is designed for mental health professionals who are involved in or wish to become involved in forensic evaluations of adjudicative competence. It is particularly relevant for those specializing in forensic populations, focusing on competency evaluations, report writing, and providing expert testimony in legal proceedings.

    Examples of Relevant Professionals:

    • Mental Health Professionals
    • Psychologists
    • Psychiatrists
    • Social Workers
    • Forensic Evaluators
    • Expert Witnesses in Legal Proceedings

  • Experience Level

    This training is designed for licensed and pre-licensed mental health professionals at various stages of experience with adjudicative competence evaluations.

    • Beginner: Participants new to competency evaluations who seek foundational knowledge of legal standards, best practices, and basic assessment procedures.

    • Intermediate: Participants with some experience in forensic assessment who wish to deepen their understanding of legal developments, case conceptualization, and advanced report writing.

    • Advanced: Participants with substantial experience in forensic mental health who aim to refine their expertise in complex evaluations, expert testimony, and integration of recent research and best practices.

  • Practice Setting

    They practice in legally interfacing, assessment-focused environments that collaborate closely with courts, corrections, and attorneys. Work occurs in secure or supervised clinical settings and outpatient clinics, using structured interviews, records review, and standardized instruments to produce reports and provide expert testimony, often within multidisciplinary teams.

    Examples of Practice Settings:

    • Forensic hospitals and competency restoration units
    • Jail-based or court-affiliated forensic evaluation clinics
    • State or county forensic mental health services
    • Criminal court clinics and competency dockets
    • Private forensic assessment practices
    • Community mental health centers serving justice-involved clients
    • Academic medical center forensic services
Presented By

Patricia A. Zapf, PhD

Dr. Patricia A. Zapf, Ph.D. is Vice President for Continuing & Professional Studies at Palo Alto University (PAU). Prior to coming to PAU she was a professor of psychology at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, City University of New York (CUNY) for 16 years, during which time she was instrumental in the development of a new doctoral program in clinical psychology with an emphasis in forensic psychology and served as the program’s first Director of Clinical Training. Prior to her time at CUNY, she was on the psychology and law faculty at the University of Alabama. In 2009, Dr. Zapf founded CONCEPT Professional Training with the mission of elevating the level of practice in psychology and related professions. In 2018, Dr. Zapf brought CONCEPT Professional Training to Palo Alto University to further its mission of continuing and professional studies in partnership with Palo Alto University.

Dr. Zapf is a past President of the American Psychology-Law Society (AP-LS; Division 41 of the American Psychological Association). In 2006, in recognition of her outstanding contributions to the science and profession of forensic psychology, she was named a Fellow of the American Psychological Association (APA) and a Distinguished Member of the American Psychology-Law Society (AP-LS). She has served on the board of directors for the International Association of Forensic Mental Health Services, as an associate editor for Law and Human Behavior and as editor of the American Psychology-Law Society book series, as well as the International Perspectives on Forensic Mental Health book series. She has published 9 books and manuals and over 100 articles and chapters, mainly on the assessment of criminal competencies and forensic evaluation.

In addition to her research, she serves as a consultant to various criminal justice and policy organizations and has a private practice in forensic assessment. She has conducted over 2500 forensic evaluations in both the United States and Canada and has served as an expert witness in a number of cases. Dr. Zapf is the author of Best Practices in Forensic Mental Health Assessment: Evaluation of Competency to Stand Trial; editor of Forensic Assessments in Criminal and Civil Law: A Handbook for Lawyers; and Editor-in-Chief of the APA Handbook of Forensic Psychology. She served on the National Judicial College’s Mental Competency—Best Practices Model panel of experts and travels throughout the United States and Internationally to train legal and mental health professionals on best practices in forensic evaluation.

Dr. Zapf has published 8 books and manuals and over 85 articles and chapters, mainly on the assessment and conceptualization of criminal competencies. She was appointed Fellow of the American Psychological Association and Distinguished Member of the American Psychology-Law Society in 2006 for outstanding contributions to the field of law and psychology for her work in competency evaluation. In addition to her research, she serves as consultant to various criminal justice and policy organizations and has a private practice in forensic assessment. She has conducted over 2500 forensic evaluations in both the United States and Canada and has served as an expert witness in a number of cases, including the competency hearing of Jose Padilla.

Dr. Zapf is the author of Best Practices in Forensic Mental Health Assessment: Evaluation of Competency to Stand Trial; editor of Forensic Assessments in Criminal and Civil Law: A Handbook for Lawyers; and Editor-in-Chief of the APA Handbook of Forensic Psychology. She served on the National Judicial College’s Mental Competency—Best Practices Model panel of experts and travels throughout the United States and Internationally to train legal and mental health professionals on best practices in forensic evaluation.


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Training Outline

Key topics covered in this training include:

  • Introduction and Importance of Competency Evaluations
    Right to a fair trial as a foundation of criminal law
    Prevalence of competency evaluations in the U.S.
    High rate of court acceptance of evaluator opinions

  • Best Practice Foundations
    Recent sources establishing best practices
    Importance for mental health professionals entering this field

  • Legal Framework
    Legal foundations for adjudicative competence
    New developments in interpreting the Dusky standard

  • Practical and Theoretical Issues in Evaluation
    Overview of challenges and considerations in competency work
    Role of evaluator judgment and expertise

  • Competency Assessment Instruments
    In-depth review of available instruments
    Strengths and limitations

  • Case Conceptualization and Opinion Formation
    Identifying and evaluating specific abilities relevant to competence
    Developing a case conceptualization
    Formulating an ultimate opinion

  • Communicating Findings
    Best practices for report writing
    Presenting and defending opinions through expert testimony

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.