Competency Restoration in Jails: A Versatile Response to the Competency Crisis * Free Webinar - Sponsored by NaphCare, Inc.
**Previously recorded on November 17, 2020
Jails are encountering the cascading effect of the competency crisis. Defendants with severe mental illnesses or mental defects who are deemed incompetent to stand trial are experiencing long wait times, in some cases more than 12 months, for admission to state psychiatric facilities for restoration treatment. Despite advocacy groups’ litigation efforts to force government agencies to address this crisis, state agencies often lack the resources (e.g., funding, personnel) to meet dictates of consent decrees. However, through collaborations with county and state agencies, alternative solutions for competency restoration treatment can reduce the strain on state systems. While establishing a jail-based competency restoration program requires dedicated staff to ensure separation of forensic and clinical treatment activities, services can be delivered through a variety of modalities that match the facility’s resources. This webinar highlights the essential components of a jail-based competency program and reviews the advantages and limitations of jail-based restoration treatment.
Educational Objectives
• Review the significance and legal basis for competency and the evaluation/restoration process
• Describe the continuum of jail-based competency restoration models
• List the advantages and limitations of jail-based competency restoration
About the presenter
Amber Simpler, PhD, ABPP, is the chief psychologist at NaphCare, Inc. She earned her doctorate in clinical psychology at Sam Houston State University and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in forensic psychology through the University of Washington School of Medicine. She is board certified in forensic psychology by the American Board of Professional Psychology and a diplomate of the American Academy of Forensic Psychology. Prior to her employment with NaphCare, she served as the psychology director at Taylor Hardin Secure Medical Facility, Tuscaloosa, AL, where she further developed the state’s Certified Forensic Examiner program and established a postdoctoral fellowship in forensic psychology.
This Free Webinar:
Includes the powerpoint presentation, the webinar recording and CE credit - 1.0 hours for ACCME, ADA, ANCC, APA and CCHP. If you would like a copy of the presentation slides and info on how to claim CE credit, please send an email to education@ncchc.org.