Understanding Targeted Violence 301:Creating Pathways to Support

Understanding Targeted Violence 301:Creating Pathways to Support is organized by California Psychological Association (CPA) and will be held on Mar 11, 2026.

Description:
Typically following a mass shooting incident, the discussion and debate often emerges in the media about mental health conditions and the attacker. Threat assessment experts often discuss mental health characteristics as vulnerability factors that may accelerate concerning behaviors. Research has shown that attackers were receiving or had some type of mental health treatment. For practicing clinical psychologists, these issues raise more questions about the professional practices to mitigate targeted violence. What are psychologists’ roles in prevention and intervention? What do they need to know for people who may show signs of targeted violence?

As part of a Webinar Workshop Series, Understanding Targeted Violence 301: Pathways to Support, Dr. Holifield will review a method of case conceptualization from referral to intervention and focus on areas such as treatment planning, selection of intervention methods, and confidentiality-Tarasoff.

Participants should have taken Webinar 101: Understanding Targeted Violence: Introduction and History prior to this Webinar to understand and follow concepts and nomenclature in the targeted violence space. Participants should also consider taking Understanding Targeted Violence 201: Developing Clinical Frameworks. In this webinar, Dr. Holifield will review the research on behavioral characteristics and psychological typologies related to people intending to carry out targeted violence. Assessment methods and understanding a clinical framework to develop an understanding of the person in context will be discussed.

Level:
Advanced

After attending this webinar, attendees will be able to:

1. List three Federal and California codes and regulations related to Duty to Protect from a patient communication of a serious threat to an identifiable victim.
2. Identify two approaches of safety management used by threat assessment teams.
3. Through lecture and case study review, identify three warning behaviors demonstrated by individuals on a pathway to violence.