Forensic Mental Health Counseling: Roles, Responsibilities, & Evidence-Based Practices

Date course created: October 2023

Learning some basic skills about how to confidently work with clients when therapy intersects with legal and judicial processes is a fantastic set of skills that can help you provide better, more culturally-informed care for those in the greatest need of mental health services.

Forensic mental counselors are professionals who work at the intersection of the mental health and criminal justice and legal systems. This role is particularly salient because individuals entangled in the criminal justice system are significantly more likely to suffer from mental illness, neurocognitive and neurodevelopmental disorders than the general population. Elevated rates of mental illness include psychotic (e.g., schizophrenia), mood (e.g., depression and mania), personality (e.g., antisocial and borderline personality disorders), substance use, traumatic (e.g., post-traumatic stress disorder), behavioral (e.g., attention-deficit hyperactivity and conduct disorder), and attachment disorders. If untreated, these neuropsychiatric issues can exacerbate the likelihood of persistent involvement in the criminal justice system. As such, forensic mental health counselors play an important role in enhancing short and long-term outcomes for clients and improving public safety. This training provides participants with an overview of the roles and responsibilities forensic mental health counselors. Participants will become familiar with common barriers and challenges many criminal justice-based populations face when returning to the community from a confinement setting. Evidence-based practices commonly used within the field of forensic mental health counseling will also be a topic of discussion in this training. Special topics of discussion will include criminal recidivism, confabulation, suggestibility, forensic aspects of personality disorders and serious and persistent mental illness, empathy deficits, alexithymia, self-control problems, executive dysfunction and metacognitive deficits, sleep disorders, psychopathy, sexual offending, social cognition deficits, and traumatic-brain injury to name a few. Throughout this training, participants will critically evaluate peer reviewed research findings on various topics related to forensic mental health counseling. Empirically based research findings will be discussed throughout this training.

**This is a 2.75-CE noninteractive, self-paced online video course delivered in home study format via an industry-standard online learning platform**

Agenda:

00:00 – 01:00: Neurocounseling and Biopsychosocial Assessment

01:00 – 02:00: Trauma-Informed Assessments

02:00 – 03:00: Interventions in Forensic Mental Health Counseling

Objectives:

This training will provide participants clinical knowledge and tools to:

a). After completing this training, participants will be able to define forensic mental health counseling and other related topics.

b). After completing this training, participants will be able to learn and describe the roles and responsibilities of a forensic mental counselor.

c). After completing this training, participants will be able to describe at least two evidence-based practices commonly used within the field of forensic mental health counseling.

d). After completing this training, participants will be able to learn at least two interviewing, screening, and intervention approaches through a forensic mental health counseling lens.

e). After completing this training, participants will be able to learn and understand relevant, key empirically-based research findings.

Target Audience:

Mental health counselors, psychologists, social workers, drug and alcohol counselors, marriage and family therapists, telehealth treatment professionals, and other clinical mental health professionals.

Instructional Level: Intermediate

Instructor(s): Jerrod Brown, PhD, MA, MS, MS, MS

Material Author(s): Jerrod Brown, PhD, MA, MS, MS, MS

Jerrod Brown, Ph.D., M.A., M.S., M.S., M.S., is a professor, trainer, researcher, and consultant with multiple years of experience teaching collegiate courses. Jerrod is also the founder and CEO of the American Institute for the Advancement of Forensic Studies (AIAFS). Jerrod has also provided consultation services to a number of caregivers, professionals, and organizations pertaining to topics related to autism spectrum disorder (ASD), fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), confabulation, suggestibility, trauma and other life adversities, traumatic brain injury (TBI), and youth firesetting. Jerrod has completed four separate master’s degree programs and holds graduate certificates in Neuropsychology, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Other Health Disabilities (OHD), and Traumatic-Brain Injuries (TBI). Jerrod has also conducted over 200 workshops, webinars, and on-demand trainings for various organizations and professional and student audiences. In 2021, Jerrod completed a post-doctoral certificate in Leadership and Organizational Strategy from Walden University and a Professional Certificate in Forensic Psychology from San Diego State University Global Campus. Currently, Jerrod is pursuing a graduate certificate in Neuroscience and the Law from Michigan State University. Jerrod has published several articles and book chapters, and recently, co-edited the book Forensic Mental Health: A Source Guide for Professionals (Brown & Weinkauf, 2018) with Erv Weinkauf. Jerrod is also regularly featured on several national and international podcast programs. Email: Jerrod01234Brown@live.com

For additional information about this course, the instructors, or the material authors, please contact Content Assistance at content@onlinececredits.com.

Course Materials & Delivery Method:

• Course materials – The course is composed of a recorded presentation and written materials (e.g. a slide deck and/or other worksheets, manuals, or handouts as provided by the instructor). The slide deck and any additional worksheets or handouts (as provided by the instructor) are made available inside the Lesson module after a course is purchased.
• Delivery Method – this course is a recorded asynchronous, self-paced webinar training, and there is no access time limit or due date to complete it once enrolled. The enrolled learner will stream the recorded presentation and view the materials from their internet connected device via an industry-standard online learning platform.

CE Approvals:

Online CE Credits has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6795. Programs that do not quality for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Online CE Credits is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.

Mind Works Professional Education, Inc. DBA Online CE Credits, #1974, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: July 23, 2024 – July 23, 2025. Social workers completing this course receive [see advertisement] asynchronous distance learning continuing education credits.

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