1 Hour | 1 CE
This on-demand professional training program on Working with Individuals with Developmental or Cognitive Impairment is presented by Margaret Nixon, PhD.
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 the Correctional Mental Health Certificate and share your new digital credentials with prospective employers and colleagues.
This program identifies and understands the social, cognitive, and environmental risk factors that increase the likelihood of criminal offending in individuals with neurodevelopmental disabilities and how these conditions impact behavior, decision-making, impulse control, and emotional regulation.
Participants gain an understanding of evidence-based intervention strategies aimed at rehabilitation and reducing recidivism while also reflecting on the ethical considerations of working with this population in criminal justice contexts, with a focus on person-centered approaches.
This program is intended for early career workers with a minimum of a bachelor's level qualification in a discipline such as psychology, nursing, social work, or counseling, as well as those working in settings with forensic clients, including the community, hospitals, residential services, and custodial settings. The target is broad as the prevalence of developmental or cognitive impairments across all settings is high, meaning the topic is relevant to all working with forensic populations.
Key Topics
- What do we mean by developmental or cognitive impairment?
- Why might having a developmental or cognitive impairment make someone more vulnerable to being involved in the justice system?
- What must we consider when working with people with a developmental or cognitive impairment?

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 factors contributing to criminal offending behavior in individuals with neurodevelopmental disabilities
Describe effective interventions and ethical considerations for supporting individuals with neurodevelopmental disabilities involved in criminal behavior

Curriculum
1. What Do We Mean By Developmental or Cognitive Impairment?
2. Theoretical Explanations of the Link Between Cognitive Impairment and Offending Behaviors
3. Factors Associated with Cognitive Impairment That Might Lead to Offending
4. Effective Interventions to Support a Person With Cognitive Impairments Involved in the Justice System
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!

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.