MDLPA: Trauma and Mental Disability Law
20 hours | 20 CEs
This on-demand professional training program on Trauma and Mental Disability Law is presented by Michael L. Perlin, JD, and Heather Ellis Cucolo, JD in partnership with the Mental Disability Law and Policy Associates (MDLPA) This badge-earning program can be shared digitally on platforms like LinkedIn or your resume and counts towards a certificate. Enroll in this program to earn credit towards Mental Disability Law Certificate and share your new digital credentials with prospective employers and colleagues.
This program considers how issues involving trauma-induced mental disabilities (PTSD as an example) are dealt with in civil and criminal courts and other legal areas within the community.
The material is of primary interest to legal practitioners, mental health clinicians, forensic psychologists, other forensic mental health professionals, and disability advocates. In addition, the program includes a review of the policy and legal developments of various issues involving certain marginalized groups and populations, such as children, veterans, those discharged from psychiatric institutions, survivors of domestic abuse, forensic patients, and prison inmates.
The program discusses how we treat trauma-related disabilities in civil and criminal courts, the role of trauma in the legal treatment of people with mental disabilities, the relationship between trauma and disability reduction, and the relationship between stigma and trauma. In addition, the program contextualizes all of these issues through the framework of therapeutic jurisprudence. Finally, it offers various therapeutic intervention points geared towards shifting the relationship between law, trauma, and people with mental disabilities.
Intended Audience
This on-demand professional training program is intended for mental health and other allied professionals
Experience Level
This on-demand professional training program is appropriate for beginner, intermediate, and advanced level clinicians.
CE / CPD Credit
APA, ASWB, CPA, NBCC Click here for state and other regional board approvals.
Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this program you will be able to:
Describe the treatment of trauma-related disabilities in civil and criminal courts
Describe the role of trauma in the legal treatment of people with mental disabilities
Describe the relationship between trauma and disability subordination
Describe how trauma relates to issues of gender, race, youth & violence
Describe the relationship between trauma and issues of sanism and pretextuality
Describe therapeutic jurisprudence concepts to all the underlying issues
Describe how trauma-related disabilities influence credibility assessments in legal proceedings
Describe the impact of trauma on access to justice for individuals with mental disabilities
Describe the role of expert testimony in cases involving trauma-related disabilities
Describe legal strategies that incorporate trauma-informed principles to protect the rights of people with mental disabilities
Presented By
Heather Ellis Cucolo, JD
Heather Ellis Cucolo is a Distinguished Adjunct professor of law and the facilitator of the joint JD/MA program with John Jay College of Criminal Justice, at New York Law School (NYLS). She is also an adjunct professor in the JM Program at Emory University School of Law, and a Fellowship faculty mem...
Presented By
Michael Perlin, JD
Michael L. Perlin is Professor of Law Emeritus at New York Law School (NYLS), founding director of NYLS’s Online Mental Disability Law Program, and founding director of NYLS’s International Mental Disability Law Reform Project in its Justice Action Center. He is also the co-founder of Mental Disabil...
Curriculum
1. Understanding Trauma - Introduction
2. Trauma and Mental Illness
3. Civil Commitment and Institutionalized
4. Professional Roles in the Process that Contribute to Trauma
5. Problem Solving Courts
6. Forensic Mental Health Law Part 1
7. Forensic Mental Health Law Part 2
8. Stigma and Anti-Discriminations Law
9. International and Human Rights Law
10. Therapeutic Jurisprudence
Develop a Specialty Area of Practice
Transforming mental health professionals into experts
Expert Instructors
Professional training developed and delivered by the field's leading experts
CE Credit
Earn CE credit for meaningful professional training that will elevate your practice
Convenience & Flexibility
Learn at your own pace, from wherever you might be!
Program Partner
Mental Disability Law and Policy Associates, LLC
We are proud to partner with Mental Disability Law and Policy Associates, LLC for this training. MDLPA is a boutique educational training company that offers specialized mental disability law consulting, the creation or enhancement of distance learning programs, in-house or online courses, and day or weekend training seminars to reputable organizations, educational institutions, professional groups, and advocacy groups focused on providing advanced knowledge and skills to persons working with marginalized populations.
Earn Certificates
This is badge-earning course, which means it will help you earn a certificate that can be showcased on digital platforms like Linkedin.
CE Sponsorship Information
Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) maintains responsibility for this program and its content. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) is approved by the Canadian Psychological Association to offer continuing education for psychologists. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT), SW CPE is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0356 and the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors. #MHC-0073. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6811. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. CONCEPT Professional Training, #1480, is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved as ACE providers. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. CONCEPT Professional Training maintains responsibility for this course. ACE provider approval period: 11/22/23-11/22/26. Social workers completing this course receive (clinical or social work ethics) continuing education credits.