Course information

Date: 3/10/25 @ 8:45am-4:00pm (EST) Cost: $10 Instructor: Kimberly Blair, MA, LPCC-S and Claire Robitaille, Ph.D., LSW, Psychologist

CE Credit Hours: 6

Program Description:

Working with court-ordered clients is often a challenging and overwhelming prospect for clinicians as courts have their own culture, which seems very different than the culture associated with traditional mental health environments and being called to testify in court can be even more unnerving. This training is designed to assist mental health practitioners with understanding court processes within Ohio and clarifying their role within the courts, providing treatment for court-ordered clients, responding to subpoenas, and preparing for court as well as providing effective testimony once they are called to court.

Goals:

1.      Gain an understanding of the various courts and court processes

2.      Understand the role of mental health practitioners in the court process

3.      Develop an understanding of how to engage court-ordered clients and what courts are looking for in treatment

4.      Increase confidence in skills associated with responding to subpoenas and providing effective testimony

Objectives:

·        Correctly assign case examples to the appropriate court

·        Identify specific techniques for engaging court ordered clients and critical elements of court ordered treatment

·        Identify how and when to respond to a subpoena

·        Identify the difference between experts and witness of fact in a court process, differentiating the roles of independent practitioners and supervised practitioners in court

·        State at least 3 specific strategies for preparing for court

·        Demonstrate effective testimony skills

Workshop Outline:

Introduction & Goals/Objectives (8:45-9:15)

Identification of various courts and their functions (9:15-9:45)

Court Process (9:45-10:15)

Break (10:15-10:30)

Court Terms (10:30-11:15)

Mental Health Practitioner Role (11:15-12:15)

Break (12:15-1:00)

Tips for Testimony (1:00-2:00)

Witness of fact vs. expert witness and Independent practitioner vs. supervised practitioner (2-2:30)

Break (2:30-2:45)

Expectations of courts, client engagement, & designing court programs (2:45-3)

Subpoenas (3-3:15)

Preparing for court (3:15-3:30)

Arriving to court & providing testimony--techniques to manage the situation (3:30-3:45)

Wrap Up (3:45-4)

Level: Intermediate

Mid-Ohio Psychological Services, Inc. has been approved as a CE provider by the Ohio Psychological Association (#311358292), the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker, and Marriage & Family Therapist Board (RCS060502), and as a NBCC ACEP^TM No. 7265.