Adult ADHD and Behavioral Dysregulation in Peace Officer Pre-Employment Screening: Why the Diagnosis Matters Under POST Regulation 1955(d)(2)

Course Description

This four-hour continuing education course provides California-licensed psychologists with a clinically and legally grounded framework for evaluating peace officer candidates whose history or presentation suggests adult ADHD under POST Regulation 1955(d)(2). The course covers the neurodevelopmental basis of adult ADHD, its persistence into adulthood, and how its behavioral correlates map onto the ten POST psychological screening dimensions. Evaluators will develop transferable competence in identifying behavioral dysregulation patterns relevant to pre-employment suitability determinations while maintaining compliance with ADA requirements.

Program Goals

Building upon doctoral-level training in psychological assessment, psychopathology, and professional ethics, this program advances evaluator competence in the specialized regulatory and forensic context of peace officer pre-employment psychological screening. The course extends foundational clinical knowledge of ADHD and behavioral dysregulation into an applied framework governed by California POST Regulation 1955(d)(2) and the Americans with Disabilities Act, requiring evaluators to integrate empirical research, structured behavioral assessment, and legally defensible clinical reasoning in ways that general doctoral training does not address.

Learning Objectives

After completing this course, participants will be able to:

1. Identify the behavioral correlates of adult ADHD that map onto POST Regulation 1955(d)(2) psychological screening dimensions, including Impulse Control/Attention to Safety, Decision-Making/Judgment, Emotional Regulation/Stress Tolerance, and Conscientiousness/Dependability
2. Distinguish between a diagnostic determination and a job-relevant behavioral determination in peace officer pre-employment psychological evaluation, applying the ADA conditional offer framework to candidate histories involving ADHD or other psychiatric diagnoses
3. Describe the neurodevelopmental substrate of adult ADHD, including neurobiological mechanisms and longitudinal persistence findings, as a basis for evaluating candidate claims of having outgrown a childhood diagnosis
4. Apply a structured behavioral history framework to assess job-relevant manifestations of ADHD and broader behavioral dysregulation in peace officer candidates, incorporating driving records, occupational history, and emotional regulation patterns
5. Analyze the clinical triage problem inherent in applying general practice assessment priorities to peace officer pre-employment screening, explaining why ADHD and behavioral dysregulation require recalibrated evaluator attention in the POST screening context

Course Outline

• 1Section 1: Regulatory and Legal Framework for Peace Officer Psychological Screening (35 minutes)
• 2 - POST Regulation 1955(d)(2) and the ten psychological screening dimensions
• 3 - The ADA conditional offer model and the diagnosis-versus-behavior distinction
• 4 - Job-relevant behavioral manifestations as the operative evaluative standard
• 5 - Supporting case law and evaluator liability considerations
• 6Section 2: Why ADHD Is Underweighted in General Clinical Practice and Why That Inverts in Pre-Employment Evaluation (25 minutes)
• 7 - Clinical triage logic and the acute-over-chronic prioritization problem
• 8 - How POST screening dimensions directly target ADHD-affected constructs
• 9 - ADHD as an exemplar of behavioral dysregulation across diagnostic categories
• 10 - Recalibrating evaluator attention for the pre-employment context
• 11Section 3: Adult ADHD as a Persistent Neurodevelopmental Condition (40 minutes)
• 12 - Neurobiological substrate: dopaminergic pathways, prefrontal-striatal circuits, and default mode network dysfunction
• 13 - Response inhibition deficits and choice-impulsivity across the lifespan
• 14 - Longitudinal persistence data and what the MTA cohort findings show about remission
• 15 - Distinguishing symptom remission from impairment remission and contextual compensation from underlying resolution
• 16Section 4: Behavioral Correlates of Adult ADHD Mapped to POST Screening Dimensions (40 minutes)
• 17 - Driving history, occupational instability, and financial decision-making as behavioral footprint indicators
• 18 - Mapping ADHD correlates to Dimensions 4, 5, 7, and 8 specifically
• 19 - Extending the framework to behavioral dysregulation without a formal ADHD diagnosis
• 20 - Candidate self-report of having outgrown ADHD: clinical interpretation and follow-up strategy
• 21Section 5: Pre-Employment Evaluation Workflow and Assessment Methodology (35 minutes)
• 22 - Structured history-gathering domains relevant to ADHD and behavioral dysregulation
• 23 - Personality testing and its empirical foundation in peace officer pre-employment contexts
• 24 - Integrating background investigation data with clinical interview and test findings
• 25 - Documentation standards and legally defensible report language
• 26Section 6: Defensible Evaluator Practice and Clinical Integration (25 minutes)
• 27 - Formulating the suitability determination from behavioral evidence rather than diagnostic status
• 28 - The non-adversarial evaluator stance and its practical implications
• 29 - Case-based application across compensated, uncompensated, and undisclosed presentations
• 30 - Ethical obligations, scope of practice boundaries, and continuing competence considerations

About the Instructor

Professional Degree & Discipline:

Psy.D.

Current Position & Expertise in Program Content:

Dr. Troy Ewing is a licensed clinical psychologist and CEO of Ewing Diagnostic & Psychological Services, Inc., a multi-site practice providing psychological and forensic assessment services across California and beyond. With over two decades of experience, Dr. Ewing specializes in pre-employment psychological evaluations, forensic assessments, and disability-related evaluations for local, state, and federal agencies. He has extensive experience working with law enforcement and government organizations, including managing large-scale psychological screening programs for correctional and public safety personnel. His expertise includes the administration and interpretation of a wide range of psychological and cognitive assessment instruments, as well as comprehensive report writing for diagnostic, eligibility, and risk-assessment purposes. n addition to his clinical and forensic work, Dr. Ewing is the founder of Mindset Continuing Education, an APA-approved provider, where he develops and delivers continuing education programs for mental health professionals. His career also includes significant experience in correctional mental health, university counseling, and crisis intervention, where he has worked with diverse populations across clinical settings. Dr. Ewing earned his Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) in Clinical Psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology and is licensed in multiple states.

Conflict of Interest Disclosure

No commercial support or conflicts of interest to disclose.

Refund & Cancellation Policy

Full refund available within 7 days of purchase if course has not been started. No refund after course content has been accessed.