In an ever-evolving healthcare landscape, many mental health professionals are looking for ways to diversity their practice. Forensic mental health evaluation is an interesting, impactful, and lucrative option for counselors who wish to branch out into new areas of expertise. For many clinicians, forensic work triggers a series of questions:
1. What can I do and not do as an expert witness?
2. Am I qualified to administer and interpret psychological tests?
3. What are judges and attorneys looking for in an evaluation?
4. What are some of the unique ethical considerations for forensic evaluation?
5. Can I do forensic work without having a doctorate?
6. Is it true that forensic evaluation is for psychologists and psychiatrists and not counselors, social workers, and marriage and family therapists?
7. How would I get business?
8. How much should I charge for my services?
9. What training or experience would I need?
Whether you want to practice exclusively in the specialty area of forensic mental health, want to do a little bit of it on the side, or are just curious and want to learn more, this training could be a helpful introduction into the field. We will cover various types of forensic specialties, ethical and legal guidelines for practice, options for training and certification, and how to build a forensic practice. We will also dispel common myths about the scope of practice of clinical mental health counseling as it relates to administering and interpreting psychological tests and conducting forensic evaluations. Finally, we will review various resources and options for training and certification.
Learning Objectives
1. Define forensic mental health evaluation as a specialization.
2. List and describe the various types of forensic mental health evaluations counselors can specialize in.
3. Describe ethical and legal considerations for forensic mental health.
4. Identify several resources for training in forensic evaluation.
Note and Disclaimer: This is a recording of a 2-hour live webinar presented for the National Board of Forensic Evaluators on 9/2/20. The intended audience includes licensed mental health professionals and graduate students seeking a degree in a mental health profession. CEs are available to live attendees only. This video was posted for educational purposes only.