Mental Competency Assessment & Training (MCAT) Program – Subscription-Based
Our subscription-based Mental Competency Assessment & Training (MCAT) Program provides agencies with the training materials and resources needed to independently run a successful competency restoration program. We provide organizations with the tools needed for them to obtain the competency of juveniles and adults involved in the juvenile and criminal justice system.
Psychwest, Inc. has been providing mental competency to stand trial services for juveniles and adults since 2007. We have developed comprehensive competency restoration curricula for juveniles and adults which includes training manuals, workbooks, and interactive digital activities. The curriculum for juvenile court participants and the curriculum for adult court participants each include the appropriate legal terms, concepts, and processes required.
If you have a current competency training program or are interested in starting one, we have the tools and materials ready for you to implement a complete, strong competency to stand trial program. Our base program includes access to our training curriculum and associated materials for either juveniles and/or adults. The adult curriculum and materials, in conjunction with the MCES, should be utilized with adults (ages 18+ adjudicated in adult court) or if a juvenile is tried as an adult through transfer/waiver/certification. The juvenile curriculum and materials, in conjunction with the J-MCES, should be utilized with juveniles in juvenile court and with juveniles who turn 18 while under juvenile court jurisdiction.
For those agencies with a qualified psychologist or psychiatrist who possesses the necessary mental competency experience or training, you have the ability to add on access to our comprehensive mental competency to stand trial assessments, the Mental Competency Evaluation Scale (MCES) and/or the Juvenile-Mental Competency Evaluation Scale (J-MCES). The MCES and J-MCES are fundamental and necessary instruments when evaluating an individual’s competency ability and play a pivotal role in the determination of an individual’s progression throughout the program.
Agencies who do not have qualified evaluators can still take full advantage of the assessment component to our program. If this comprehensive access to our program is wanted, the necessary competency evaluations can be contracted out to another qualified evaluator.
See the program guides, the four phases and how implementation works, all in one place.
Explore the MCAT Program OverviewAt the heart of our MCAT Program subscription service is the four phases of competency, designed to provide a systematic and comprehensive approach to assessing and enhancing the mental competency of clients. Our online lesson plans and materials provide the necessary tools and information for you to successfully teach court competency concepts and processes for clients under your care.
Phase 1 -General Legal Knowledge: Clients receive education on basic legal concepts and courtroom procedures, allowing them to better understand the legal process and their role in the proceedings.
Phase 2 – Tolerating Stress and Behavior/Conduct: This phase addresses clients’ emotional well-being, teaching them strategies to cope with stress and maintain appropriate behavior during legal proceedings.
Phase 3 – Working with an Attorney: Clients learn how to effectively communicate and collaborate with their legal counsel, ensuring a strong attorney-client relationship and enabling them to actively contribute to their defense strategy.
Phase 4 – Ability to Consult with Counsel/Case-Specific: This final phase focuses on enhancing clients’ understanding of their specific case, as well as their ability to consult with their attorney on case-related matters.
The Full Service Model and the Subscription-Based Model provide different levels of involvement from our team, designed to meet your specific needs.
In the Full Service Model, our team takes care of every step of the mental competency restoration process. From the initial baseline assessment, through each of the four phases of competency training, and then to the final comprehensive assessment, we handle all aspects. This comprehensive service ensures continuity and consistency, freeing up your resources for other tasks.
The Subscription-Based Model, on the other hand, is ideal for agencies seeking more autonomy. With this model, you gain access to our robust Mental Competency Assessment & Training (MCAT) competency restoration program resources and tools, allowing your qualified staff to handle competency restoration training (& assessments, if chosen) internally.
These resources empower your agency to deliver high quality, personalized competency restoration services. Further, you get to benefit from our continuous program evaluation and improvements, ensuring your program stays at the cutting edge of competency restoration practices.
Ready to take the next step? Embrace the flexibility and autonomy that our Subscription-Based MCAT competency restoration program offers and revolutionize your approach to competency restoration.
There is an option to add an Evaluator Subscription to the training program, which allows evaluators to assess baseline competency skills and measure competency progress over time.
Upon entering the MCAT Program, clients are given a baseline assessment using the MCES or J-MCES. This initial evaluation helps determine the individual’s current level of competency and identifies areas requiring targeted intervention and support.
After receiving training in each phase, clients are reassessed using the MCES or J-MCES to evaluate their progress in the specific competency area. Successful completion of a phase assessment indicates that the client has acquired the necessary skills and knowledge in that phase, allowing them to advance to the next phase.
Completing a training program is not itself a court determination of competence.
Upon completion of all four phases of the MCAT Program, the subscribing agency arranges for a qualified evaluator to conduct a final exit assessment using the MCES or J-MCES. Completing all four phases and this final exit assessment fulfills the MCAT Program requirements. The evaluator reviews changes from baseline scores alongside clinical findings, documenting progress and any remaining competency-related needs. The resulting MCES/J-MCES evaluation report is submitted to the court for review. The court makes the final determination of competence.
Continuous program evaluation and improvement are essential components of the MCAT Program. Procedures are in place for data collection, monitoring, and reporting, enabling the measurement of the program’s success and for making data-driven decisions to improve program effectiveness.
The MCAT Program is committed to empowering juveniles and adults involved in the juvenile and criminal justice system by assessing and restoring their mental competency to stand trial. By providing the tools and resources to competency restoration agencies, the MCAT Program aims to ensure that these individuals can effectively participate in their defense and navigate the legal process.
