This intermediate to advanced 12-credit course provides evaluators with comprehensive training on the administration, scoring, and interpretation of the Mental Competency Evaluation Scale (MCES) and Juvenile-Mental Competency Evaluation Scale (J-MCES). Designed for forensic evaluators and mental health professionals, the course emphasizes psychometric rigor, clinical application, and integration of assessment results into court reports and competency restoration programming.
Participants will explore the structure, administration, and interpretive strategies for both the MCES and J-MCES. The course draws on decades of accumulated psychometric research to highlight the strong reliability and validity of these measures and their role in advancing competency to stand trial evaluations.
Key topics include standardization procedures, content and construct validity evidence, concurrent and predictive validity analyses, and the integration of assessment results into the Mental Competency Assessment and Training (MCAT) Program. The training also provides guidance on report preparation, evaluator responsibilities, and the ethical considerations in forensic assessment. Practical instruction is given on scoring accuracy, interpretation of expressive versus receptive indices, and use of profiles to identify malingering and consistency errors.
The course equips evaluators to utilize the MCES and J-MCES as both standalone forensic instruments and as integral measures within competency restoration programs, supporting defensible, evidence-based reporting to the courts.
Note: To receive American Psychological Association (APA) Continuing Education Credit, participants must complete a post-test with a passing score of 75%. Participants are also asked to complete a course evaluation.
Learning Objectives — Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:
1. Describe the development, structure, and key components of the MCES and J-MCES, including adult and juvenile-specific applications.
2. Analyze the psychometric foundations of the MCES and J-MCES, including reliability, validity, and standardization procedures.
3. Apply interpretive strategies for Phase Index Scales and Supplemental Scales, including receptive/expressive indices.
4. Evaluate risk-related and malingering profiles within the MCES/J-MCES framework and their implications for forensic reporting.
5. Explain how MCES and J-MCES assessments integrate with the MCAT Program for competency restoration outcome tracking.
6. Utilize T scores, percentiles, and level descriptors for defensible interpretation and communication in court reports.
7. Summarize empirical findings from pre- and post-test studies demonstrating competency restoration gains using the MCES and J-MCES.
8. Implement standardized administration procedures for MCES and J-MCES across adult and juvenile contexts.
9. Apply scoring rules for multiple-choice, open-ended, and photo-format questions with accuracy and consistency.
10. Differentiate scoring outcomes using the error hierarchy (e.g., irrational/delusional, don’t know, no response).
11. Incorporate evaluator guidelines for discontinuation rules and appropriate prompting without compromising validity.
12. Ensure ethical and legally sound use of MCES/J-MCES results, including adherence to test security requirements.
13. Integrate collateral records, mental status observations, and attorney questionnaires into competency determinations.
14. Adapt MCES and J-MCES administration for tele-assessment while maintaining psychometric integrity.
15. Prepare and submit comprehensive interpretive reports using the MCES/J-MCES automated data system.
Craig West, Psy.D., CEO
Dr. Craig West is a licensed clinical psychologist and the President and CEO of Psychwest, Clinical & Forensic Psychology, Inc. Since 2002, he has specialized in clinical and forensic services for courts and communities, with a focus on competency to stand trial. Dr. West developed the Mental Competency Assessment & Training (MCAT) Program in 2007, along with the Mental Competency Evaluation Scale (MCES) and Juvenile-Mental Competency Evaluation Scale (J-MCES), to provide court-connected assessment and restoration tools. He has conducted a wide range of forensic evaluations and provides continuing education for psychologists, attorneys, and judges on competency restoration and forensic best practices.
The instructor, Dr. Craig West, is the developer and publisher of the Mental Competency Evaluation Scale (MCES), Juvenile-Mental Competency Evaluation Scale (J-MCES), and the Mental Competency Assessment & Training (MCAT) Program. As such, there is a relevant commercial interest in these assessment instruments and training materials. This interest has been fully disclosed in accordance with APA continuing education requirements, and all educational content is presented in a balanced, evidence-based, and academically rigorous manner.
The material in this course is primarily drawn from the Mental Competency Evaluation Scale (MCES), Juvenile-Mental Competency Evaluation Scale (J-MCES) along with the MCES/J-MCES Technical and Interpretive Manual and MCES/J-MCES Administration and Scoring Manual with some information on the Mental Competency Assessment & Training (MCAT) Program Manual and curriculum, and is presented as accurate and useful for qualified forensic evaluators. Statements about reliability, validity, and restoration outcomes rest on the standardization procedures and pre-/post-test comparisons documented in those manuals and accumulated through clinical and forensic use; where findings are preliminary or based on limited samples, that is identified as such. The MCES and J-MCES assess court-relevant understanding and reasoning: they are not a comprehensive psychological evaluation, they do not diagnose, and they do not determine competency — they inform an opinion that a qualified evaluator must form and that the court ultimately decides. Their scores are valid only for the populations and administration conditions on which they were standardized, including tele-assessment, and results must be integrated with collateral records, mental status observations, and clinical judgment rather than read in isolation. The most common risks are departures from standardized administration and scoring — improper prompting, misapplied discontinuation rules, or inconsistent scoring of open-ended and photo-format items — and treating a T score, percentile, or level descriptor as a competency finding in itself rather than as one source of data. The most severe risks are an inaccurate competency opinion affecting a defendant’s liberty and legal rights, whether by supporting the trial of an individual who is not competent or by contributing to unnecessary commitment and prolonged detention; and breaches of test security, which can invalidate findings and compromise the instruments’ validity for future examinees.
Accommodations. If you need an accommodation to participate in this course, contact us at psychwestinc@psychwest.com or (530) 751-1122 and we will make every reasonable effort to accommodate your request.
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