Conducting Clinical Assessments

Training Description:

This online training is 2 hours and comprised of 2 learning sessions.

The clinical assessment is the first meeting with the client and clinician to establish care. This can be a complex meeting with many priorities, including creating a welcoming, safe environment, attending to confidentiality and the limits of this, recognizing ways to attend to the individual needs of the client in a culturally competent, trauma-informed manner, assessing for safety and risk, and evaluating their presentation and symptomatology to determine an initial working diagnosis and treatment plan. In this training we will present evidence-based methods of conducting the clinical assessment and best practices for asking difficult questions and gathering information for the creation of an initial clinical formulation and treatment plan.

Training Objectives:

After participating in this training, participants will be able to:

1. Create a welcoming, safe environment to conduct a culturally competent, trauma-informed assessment, attending to the individual needs of the client.
2. Assess the risk of harm or abuse to self or others, and screen for intimate partner violence using standardized tools.
3. Analyze the need for further reporting regarding the risk of harm or abuse to self or others.
4. Compile pertinent diagnostic information and compile findings relevant to the client to complete the initial assessment and treatment plan.

Continuing Education Credits:

Discipline	Approval Statement
Licensed Social Worker	This program has been approved for 2 Social Work Continuing Education hour(s) for relicensure, in accordance with 258 CMR. NASW-MA Chapter CE Approving Program, Authorization Number D91767.
Licensed Psychologist	CE credits for psychologists are provided by the Spiritual Competency Academy (SCA) which is co-sponsoring this program. The Spiritual Competency Academy is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. The Spiritual Competency Academy maintains responsibility for this program and its content. For questions about receiving your Certificate of Attendance, contact Berkshire AHEC at hbruno@berkshireahec.org. For questions about CE, contact Spiritual Competency Academy at info@spiritualcompetencyacademy.com. 2 CE Hour(s).
MA Licensed Mental Health Counselor	This program has been approved for 2 Category I MaMHCA hours for re-licensure in accordance with 262 CMR. MEACP Authorization 24-0177.
MA Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor	This course has been approved by the Department of Public Health, Bureau of Substance Abuse Services/LADC Unit for 2 contact hours for Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselors and Assistants.
MA Registered Nurse	Program meets the requirements for nursing contact hours as specified by the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing 244 CMR 5.04.
MA Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist	This activity has been certified by NEAFAST on behalf of the Massachusetts Board of Registration of Allied Mental Health & Human Services Professions, for LMFT professional continuing education. Certification # PC- 042290.

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