Forensic Behavioral Health Professional Certification
This message has been approved by Dr. David Springer, Dean of the College of Social Work for distribution to students, faculty and staff.
The Forensic Behavioral Health Professional Certification will prepare behavioral health professionals to practice forensic behavioral health in the United States legal system.
Benefits to Behavioral Health Professionals:
- Increase provider knowledge of the court systems in the U.S.
- Provide a better understanding of the importance of the relationship between practitioners and attorneys, including the many roles practitioners can have in the legal system
- Improve practice competence in forensic behavioral health
- Boost participant knowledge of practicing behavioral health professionals to operate in the varying court systems in the U.S.
- Educate the participants on the importance of the relationship between behavioral health practitioners and attorneys
- Identify and explore the different roles for behavioral health professionals, and the mechanics of how to interview, prepare reports, and work with attorneys and the court
This course is designed for a multidisciplinary audience, with content that can advance the knowledge and skills of the following professionals who are engaged with forensic behavioral health:
- Social service providers, including social workers and case managers.
- Mental health professionals across a wide range of disciplines, including clinical social workers, psychologists, psychiatrists, counselors, and family therapists.
- Mitigation specialists and fact investigators.
- Forensic behavioral health professionals who provide child custody evaluations and other clinicians who may be friends of the court in custody and other family-related court cases.
This certification is designed for professionals who hold a master’s degree in a certifiable or licensed behavioral health profession. While two years of behavioral health practice is recommended, recent graduates can also benefit from this training. The program is also designed for professionals with doctoral degrees who are working with court-referred clients in a variety of settings and for psychiatrists who find themselves with some forensic practice.