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First Friday Forum Webinar: How to Conduct Decisional Capacity Assessments: Navigating the Gray in a World of Black and White
Friday, March 05, 2021, 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM CDT
Category: First Friday Forum (CE)

How to Conduct Decisional Capacity Assessments: Navigating the Gray in a World of Black and White

This program will be held virtually because of safety concerns due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The program is only available to attend live.

Details with instruction on how to view the webinar have been sent to all registrants or is included in your confirmation email. If you do not have the Zoom link, please email [email protected].

Friday, March 5, 2021

Program: 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. CT

Friday Forums are cosponsored with the Metropolitan State University Psychology Department.

About the Program

Capacity is the ability to make an informed decision about one’s healthcare such as whether or not to follow the recommendations of healthcare providers. At the crux of determining capacity is the delicate balance between protecting the rights versus welfare of patients, which is addressed in Principle E of the American Psychological Association Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct. As mental health providers become more integrated in the healthcare system, they are increasingly being asked to conduct decisional capacity assessments. Therefore, it is imperative for mental health providers to possess knowledge of the principles of decisional capacity and skills to evaluate patients with complex presentations. The aim of the forum is to provide an overview of decisional capacity – from its historical underpinnings, to its application in clinical practice. Attendees will learn about the characteristics of decisional capacity and how it differs from competence. Prevalence rates of, and risk factors for, diminished capacity will be reviewed, with a special focus on vulnerable populations. The four core components of decisional capacity will be discussed, as well as available structured and semi-structured assessment measures. Potential challenges will be addressed, with a focus on next steps should a patient lack capacity. Diverse case examples will be presented to illustrate how decisional capacity assessments can be conducted in clinical practice. Attendees will have the opportunity to discuss their challenging cases with the group.

This session is at the intermediate level and is designed for psychologists and other mental health professionals.

This session qualifies for 3.0 continuing education credits. You must attend the full 3-hour program to get continuing education credit for the event.

Participants will be able to:

  1. Recognize the foundations of decisional capacity, including its four core components.
  2. Describe decisional capacity assessments with patients in their own practice.
  3. Describe challenges that can arise while completing decisional capacity assessments and considerations in certain clinical populations and settings.

About the Presenter:

Olivia Bogucki, Ph.D., is a post-doctoral fellow in clinical health psychology in the medical psychology fellowship at Mayo Clinic. She completed her doctoral training at the University of Maine in clinical psychology and pre-doctoral internship at the VA San Diego Healthcare System/University of California, San Diego. In her clinical practice, she provides brief assessments and interventions targeting behavioral health concerns in an integrated care setting. Her research interests broadly include: population-level care for mental health conditions, program development and quality improvement within integrated care settings, and major depressive disorder with a focus on recurrent depression. She has published six peer-reviewed articles and two book and encyclopedia chapters and presented several oral and poster presentations. She is passionate about disseminating scientific information to healthcare providers and the general public.

The speaker has indicated they do not have any conflicts of interest.

The Minnesota Psychological Association is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. The Minnesota Psychological Association maintains responsibility for this program and its content.

ACCESSIBILITY ACCOMMODATIONS:  If you need disability related accommodations to make this event accessible, please contact the Metropolitan State University Center for Accessibility Resources, 651-793-1549, or [email protected]


To Register:

Registration Pricing:

Type MPA Member Non-Member Student
Pricing $60 $95 $15

MPA wants all members to have access to quality CE opportunities. If you are an MPA member and due to COVID-19 you are unable to work full time and can’t pay the full registration fee, please contact [email protected] to make other arrangements with staff.

Registration is now closed.

Click here to view and download a PDF program flyer and registration form.

Refund/Cancellation Policy: A 100% refund will be made if the event is cancelled. Refunds, less a $5 handling fee, will be given if a written cancellation is received at least two working days before the scheduled program begins. No refund or transfer is given the day of the program.