ESTABLISH A BASELINE
Assess.
Use the MCES for adults or J-MCES for juveniles to establish a baseline with a qualified evaluator.
Explore the assessment pathway →PSYCHWEST · ADULT & JUVENILE
MCAT Program
Overview
A program for competency assessment, training and meaningful progress.
Give your agency the structure to teach, the tools to engage and a clearer view of each participant’s understanding.
Take a look inside.Turn a page. Watch the activities.
See how your team could teach.
See how your team could teach.
ONE COORDINATED APPROACH
Assessment, teaching and practice.
Working together.
The Mental Competency Assessment and Training (MCAT) Program brings evidence-based assessment resources, structured competency-restoration training and digital learning into an agency’s day-to-day work.
BUILD UNDERSTANDING
Teach & practice.
Using four structured phases, implement the digital program using the curriculum, workbook, and activities.
See a lesson in action →NOTICE WHAT CHANGES
Reassess & adapt.
Assess after each phase and at exit. Use the findings to revisit concepts, adjust the pace and plan the next step.
Plan progress review →Best practice is a connected process.
Coordinate training with MCES or J-MCES assessment through your own qualified evaluator or a contracted evaluator. Training and evaluator subscriptions serve different roles; agencies can use both.
WHO IS IT FOR?
Your setting.
Your professional team.
County agencies, behavioral health teams, probation departments and community providers can coordinate delivery across participating staff.
Behavioral healthProbationCounty & government agenciesCommunity providers
Individualized delivery supports adults and juveniles referred for competency restoration, including people with mental health difficulties or cognitive disabilities. Appropriate professional assessment guides participation and support.
HOW YOUR TEAM LEARNS TO DELIVER IT
Prepare your staff.
Support them as they teach.
A curriculum is most useful when staff know how to apply it. Psychwest connects practical learning, formal course options and ongoing guidance.
Review Program material
Included MCAT Program e-learning materials help staff become familiar with the program, the curriculum format and information, and activities.
Assign formal staff courses
Purchase courses for your team and assign learning through the Psychwest portal. Course assessments and certificates document successful completion.
Build assessment skills
MCES and J-MCES training supports qualified evaluators. Assign formal staff courses or have evaluators review purchased assessment materials.
Keep learning and finding answers
Webinars, dashboard support, FAQs and implementation articles help staff apply the program. Paid subscribers receive course discounts, including eligible continuing education offerings.
OPEN A GUIDE. SEE WHAT YOU RECEIVE.
Your introduction
to the MCAT Program.
Review the guides to gain more information about the MCAT Program.
No books match your search.
These guides open for on-screen viewing. Book files are not offered for download or printing.
Case Closed
Witness Box
FlashcardsPRACTICE WITH PURPOSE
Explain. Discuss.
Review. Practice.
Activities give trainers another way to explore reasoning and revisit an idea.
MCES & J-MCES
Connect what you teach
with what is learned.
The Mental Competency Evaluation Scale (MCES) and Juvenile-Mental Competency Evaluation Scale (J-MCES) are assessment resources for qualified professionals working with the juvenile and/or adult populations.
ADULT
MCES
Adult competency assessment, with administration, scoring and interpretive resources.
JUVENILE
J-MCES
Juvenile competency assessment, with administration, scoring and interpretive resources with appropriate juvenile context and terminology.
An Evaluator
A qualified evaluator on your agency’s staff can provide the assessments with an Evaluator Subscription. If your agency does not have one, partner with a qualified contracted evaluator to provide the assessments.
Explore MCES/J-MCES →Baseline→After Phase 1→After Phase 2→After Phase 3→After Phase 4 / Exit
Qualified professionals interpret assessment results in context. Completing a training program is not itself a court determination of competence. Evaluator subscriptions and assessment materials are separate from MCAT Program training subscriptions.
FROM INTEREST TO IMPLEMENTATION
Start a competency program.
Measure meaningful progress.
Identify your setting, staff, and clients. Bring the questions you want answered.
Use assessment and training program records to describe client implementation and observed progress to leadership, funders and other stakeholders.
Begin with a defined population and a practical review plan. Document what was delivered, what changed and what still needs attention.
Contact Us ↗- 01
Define the setting
Choose Adult, Juvenile or both, and identify the departments, participants and staff involved.
- 02
Prepare the people
Coordinate staff training, evaluator access, and the available service capacity.
- 03
Plan your measures
Establish assessment and progress measures. Agree on the client questions the MCAT Program should help answer.
- 04
Review and adapt
Use client records and professional judgment to discuss observed results, progress barriers, additional review, and next steps.
A FEW HELPFUL ANSWERS
What would you
like to know?
For details about your setting, speak with a Psychwest specialist.
Contact Us →Are we getting a book or a complete program?
A complete program. The curriculum with lesson plans is just one part of the MCAT Program. The program includes associated digital materials including a workbook and activities. Agencies can combine structured training materials with staff learning, client program records and MCES or J-MCES assessment.
How do I get started?
- Subscribe to a Training Plan.
- Which clients do you serve? Juvenile, Adult, or Juvenile and Adult.
- Juvenile: if you have clients who only have charges in juvenile court.
- Adult: if you have clients who only have charges in adult court.
- Juvenile and Adult: if you have clients who have charges in both juvenile and adult courts.
- Staff users. How many staff need to access the account and material? The first number in parentheses in the name of the training plan indicates the number of staff authorized to log into the account and use the material. Super Admin, Admin, and Trainers all count as users.
- Client users. How many clients will be in the program? The second number in parentheses in the name of the training plan indicates the number of clients authorized to use the material. Clients may be added and removed during the subscription period.
- Which clients do you serve? Juvenile, Adult, or Juvenile and Adult.
- Add an Evaluator Subscription (recommended for a complete competency program so progress can be measured; this can only be added if at least one qualified evaluator is on staff to assess competency).
- Every Evaluator Subscription allows adding unlimited clients and the ability to purchase both juvenile and adult assessment materials.
- Determine which plan is most appropriate: how many staff need to access the account and material?
- Purchase assessment materials (if you have an Evaluator Subscription).
- Train staff on the program.
- Free e-learning: direct staff to My Resources on their dashboard to review the materials.
- If formal training with a post-test and certificate is needed, purchase courses in the Team Courses tab of the dashboard and assign the courses to staff.
How will our staff learn to use the program?
MCAT Program e-learning materials are available in the dashboard. Formal courses can also be purchased and assigned to staff through Team Courses, with course assessments and certificates documenting completion. Webinars, support articles, FAQs and subscriber course discounts continue to support implementation.
Can our agency use both Adult and Juvenile programs?
Yes. Choose a subscription that includes both tracks. The materials use the language and procedures appropriate to each court system. An assigned client can use both tracks where needed; each track uses a training seat.
Can a participant use the workbook independently?
The e-learning workbook is used in trainer-led sessions. Participants do not receive independent workbook sign-in access, and printable workbook copies are not provided. Additional support can be planned through longer or more frequent sessions.
Do we need to have the assessment component to our program?
No, an assessment component is not needed but is recommended for a complete competency program so progress can be measured. If you do not have a qualified evaluator on staff to perform the assessments, a contracted evaluator can be used.
Do we need an MCES/J-MCES evaluator on our own staff?
Your agency may use a qualified in-house or contracted MCES/J-MCES evaluator. The evaluator should be trained in the applicable instrument and have the appropriate Evaluator Subscription. Use the MCES for adults or J-MCES for juveniles to establish a baseline, assess after each phase and reassess at exit.
Can we discuss how to implement a competency program?
Yes. Contact Psychwest to discuss your population, participating departments, staff preparation needs, assessment pathway, and review goals.
What can I share with another county or colleague?
Share this MCAT Program Overview link using the button or QR code below. It brings colleagues to the same introduction, bookshelf and demonstrations. The books are provided for on-screen viewing, without print or download options.
LET’S FIND YOUR STARTING POINT
Your next conversation
can start here.
Bring your questions about implementation or staff learning. We’ll help you explore the right combination of resources.
SHARE THIS MCAT PROGRAM OVERVIEW
Share with your colleagues.
One MCAT Program Overview link.
The whole introduction.