Forensic mental health assessment (FMHA) has grown into a specialization informed by research and professional guidelines. This series presents up-to-date information on the most important and frequently conducted forms of FMHA. The 19 topical volumes address best approaches to practice for particular types of evaluation in the criminal, civil, and juvenile/family areas. Each volume contains a thorough discussion of the relevant legal and psychological concepts, followed by a step-by-step description of the assessment process from preparing for the evaluation to writing the report and testifying in court. Volumes include the following helpful features: - Boxes that zero in on important information for use in evaluations - Tips for best practice and cautions against common pitfalls - Highlighting of relevant case law and statutes - Separate list of assessment tools for easy reference - Helpful gloassary of key terms for the particular topic In making recommendations for best practice, authors consider empirical support, legal relevance, and consistency with ethical and professional standards. These volumes offer invaluable guidance for anyone involved in conducting or using forensic evaluations.

In recent years, juvenile courts and juvenile attorneys have come to rely heavily on mental health professionals for evaluations of youths in delinquency cases. Evaluation questions include the youth's competence to stand trial, competence to waive Miranda rights prior to giving a confession, the risk of future violence, rehabilitation needs, and whether he or she should be tried as a juvenile or an adult.This book offers detailed guidance in performing evaluations for all of these purposes. Written for clinicians but also useful to lawyers and others dealing with such evaluations, each chapter carefully defines the legal and clinical questions for a particular type of evaluation, describes the evaluation process in detail, reviews relevant assessment methods, and discusses issues in interpretation and testimony. The descriptions are guided by current legal requirements and the latest research results in the behavioral and medical sciences, blended with practical advice derived from the author's 25 years of experience in the forensic evaluation of juveniles. The introductory chapter examines the historical, legal, scientific, and professional contexts in which clinicians engage in forensic evaluations of juveniles, and the closing chapter offers a comprehensive review of the ethical and professional issues involved in juvenile forensic practice.

As the courts have evolved over the past 30 years towards increasingly punitive sanctions for youthful offenders, the fundamental protections afforded to adult defendants have become increasingly relevant for youthful offenders. Among these protections, the right of juveniles to be competent to stand trial has gained nearly universal recognition throughout this country's courts. Congruent with theory and previous research, we hypothesized that age, intellectual ability, psychiatric symptomatology, and maturity would all be directly related to adolescents' competence. It was also anticipated that adolescents in the detention sample would evidence lower maturity and competency-related abilities compared to the community sample. Expanding on previous research that has consistently documented an association between age and competence, we hypothesized that psychosocial maturity would partially mediate this relationship. Further, we hypothesized that psychosocial maturity would moderate the direct relations between intellectual ability, psychiatric symptomatology, and competence. In order to test these hypotheses, we utilized a secondary sample from the MacArthur Adjudicative Competence Study that included 927 male and female adolescents ages 11- to 17-years-old recruited from 11 juvenile detention facilities and their surrounding communities. Results demonstrated that age, intellectual ability, and maturity were each directly positively related to competence, and psychiatric symptomatology was negatively related to competence. Further, results provided some support for the hypothesis that maturity partially explains the relationship between age and competence. While the relationship between psychiatric symptomatology and competence did not vary across high and low levels of maturity, results supported the hypothesis that the relationship between intellectual ability and competence varies across high and low levels of psychosocial maturity. Findings suggest that intellectual ability plays an essential role in juveniles' adjudicative competence and can serve as a protective factor against some aspects of immaturity. Given these findings, it is suggested that youth with deficient intellectual abilities facing the possibility of transfer be automatically referred for evaluations of adjudicative competence. Further, findings suggest that maturity appears to warrant further attention from researchers and clinicians involved in evaluating juveniles' adjudicative competence. Results are discussed in terms of the legal and clinical implications of developmental immaturity on the prosecution of youthful offenders.

Competencies, and human competence itself, are rapidly receiving well-deserved recognition as an essential, required element of business success. Without worker competence and supportive organizational practices and strategies, the strategic outcomes desired by organizations can not be realized. Competencies are helping organizations successfully cope with constant and rapid change. This valuable book contains 12 detailed case studies which provide a snapshot of how a variety of practitioners conceptualized, created, and implemented competency-driven performance improvement opportunities in their organizations. A variety of mechanisms and approaches are represented by cases drawn from organizations from both the manufacturing and service sectors. The cases include projects from areas such as leadership development, human resource practices, technical and professional training and development, and organization development.

Your essential guide in the assessment and diagnostic process. Step by step, you’ll hone your ability to perform effective health assessments, obtain valid data, interpret the findings, and recognize the range of conditions that can be indicated by specific findings to reach an accurate differential diagnosis. You’ll have coverage of 170 conditions and symptoms across the lifespan at your fingertips. ***** Powerful little clinical assessment tool! “Book required for graduate nursing course. Didn't disappoint! Especially helpful with formulating the differential diagnoses in the care plan...”—Susan, Online Reviewer ***** Really good organization. Helpful descriptions. Easy to find information. “I actually really liked this text for my Advanced Assessment course. I liked how it was broken down by area or body system, and then further broken down my differential diagnosis. The information is organized in a way that makes sense and is super easy to skim to find exactly what you need.”—Alexx, Online Reviewer Expanded, Revised & Updated! Thoroughly updated to reflect the art and the science of primary care practice as well as the newest evidence and changes in health care New Chapter! Differential Studies New & Expanded! Content in Chapter 1 on history taking-techniques and skills for special populations Expanded! Lab diagnostics information, as well as discussions of health disparities, cultural humility, and competency New Content! Genetic testing for pharmacologic prescriptions for psychiatric mental health conditions New! Diagnosis algorithm decision trees designed to help nurses assess and diagnose conditions such as chronic sore throat, chronic insomnia, and more Coverage of 170 conditions and symptoms across the life span—including children, older adults, and pregnant patients. Complaint-focused approach organized by body system, including discussions of complex conditions Step-by-step how tos for taking a focused history, performing a physical based on presenting complaints/problems, and interpreting the findings Guidance on selecting diagnostic tests and interpreting those studies to help narrow down the diagnoses Prediction rules for selected disorders Quick-reference features, including red flags Ÿ assessment pearls Ÿ medications causing symptoms Ÿ and selected causes of symptoms

Adjudicative competence remains an important topic of research and practice in psychology and law. In the five sections of Adjudicative Competence: The MacArthur Studies, the authors present not only a summary of the research of the MacArthur studies on competence but also an examination of the underlying theoretical work of Professor Richard Bonnie. It is the first publication to encapsulate the scope and significance of both the studies themselves and Bonnie's contributions. There is no other source available that addresses this range of topics. Given its breadth and scope, this book will be a "must have" for forensic mental health professionals, an important volume for lawyers, and a vital academic reference work.

Assessment and Intervention Resource for Hispanic Children is an illuminating resource guide that presents important theory and research as it applies to the clinical process with clients who are communicatively impaired and bilingual. Written by a leading bilingual clinician, this insightful clinical manual provides pertinent, up to date information on bilingual populations. Normative data are presented in clear tabular format and numerous references and resources are included for bilingual and monolingual clinicians, clients, and parents.