Forensic Psychology for Families: A Brief Overview of Evaluative and Therapeutic Services, 1.5 CE 
Friday, June 26th, 2025 from 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM EST on Zoom
Presented by Kristen McCrary, PsyD, Kelli Marvin, PhD & Melanie Straw-Boone, JD

Click here to register!

This presentation aims to provide a brief introduction to Family Law related services such as child custody/parenting plan evaluations; parenting coordination; parent-child reunification therapy; etc. This presentation is intended for those with limited experience in family law forensics. Indeed, this is not a comprehensive training in how to provide these services. Rather, the overall focus will be defining and explaining these services; review of relevant ethical and professional guidelines related to the provision of these services; and review of ethical and professional pitfalls that can occur when therapists or evaluators undertake these services without requisite expertise and training. Skill level: Beginning 

Workshop Objectives:

Based on the content of this workshop, attendees will be able to...

• Identify a minimum of 3 services provided by psychologists/professionals in the context of family law proceedings.
• Describe common ethical pitfalls related to family law-related therapy, parenting coordination, and/or evaluations.
• Identify and describe professional guidelines relevant to working with court-involved families.
• Identify when to refer out and/or seek supervision/consultation.

About the Presenters:

Kristen McCrary, PsyD, earned her doctorate in clinical psychology with a specialization in forensic psychology from Spalding University in 2012. Prior to earning her doctorate, Dr. McCrary completed a one-year APA-accredited, forensically-specialized internship at the Oklahoma Forensic Center. Following internship, Dr. McCrary completed a two-year, forensically-specialized post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Louisville. As a fellow, Dr. McCrary completed family law evaluations in cases involving child neglect and abuse, termination of parental rights, general parental fitness, child custody, and violence risk assessments. Upon completion of her post-doctoral fellowship, Dr. McCrary joined Dr. Marvin in establishing Forensic Evaluation Services (FES). Dr. McCrary’s areas of expertise include Child Custody Evaluations (particularly those that are high conflict), Parental Capacity Evaluations, evaluations of parents and children in court-involved cases specific to allegations of child sexual, physical, and emotional abuse, Competency to Stand Trial Evaluations, and Criminal Responsibility Evaluations. Dr. McCrary regularly performs work product reviews and other consultative roles.

Kelli Marvin, PhD, earned her doctorate in clinical psychology with a specialization in child development from Seton Hall University in 2000. Following completion of a pediatric neuropsychology fellowship, Dr. Marvin was employed as a Senior Psychologist by Manhattan Family and Juvenile (Criminal) Courts. After relocating to Louisville in 2008, Dr. Marvin was employed by the University of Louisville’s Weisskopf Child Evaluation Center in the capacity of a developmental psychologist, where she performed evaluations of children who presented with various developmental, genetic, and cognitive anomalies. In 2009, Dr. Marvin sought to blend her pediatric and forensic expertise and developed Forensic Mental Health Services (FMHS), in the Division of Forensic Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Louisville. FMHS’ primary focus was family law forensics, which included evaluations in cases involving child neglect and abuse, termination of parental rights by mental illness and/or intellectual disability, general parental fitness, child custody, and violence risk assessments. In the fall of 2014, Dr. Marvin, along with Dr. Kristen McCrary, established a private practice, Forensic Evaluation Services (FES), which duplicates the services formerly provided by FMHS. At present, Marvin & McCrary FES is licensed in FL, IN, KY, NY, and SC.

Melanie Straw-Boone, JD, is a partner with Straw-Boone Doheny Banks Mudd Catalano & McKinney PLLC in Louisville where she focuses on family law, including high-asset and complex financial divorce matters, custody, parenting coordination, and QDROs. She received her B.S. from Indiana University and her J.D., cum laude, from the University of Louisville. She has been practicing for over 30 years. Ms. Straw-Boone is a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (President, Kentucky Chapter, 2011-2012) and was awarded the “Raising the Bar” Award from the Kentucky Chapter (2012). Ms. Straw-Boone has also received the Judge Richard A. Revell Family Practitioner of the Year Award (Louisville Bar Association, 2007) and the Jefferson County Women Lawyers Association Achievement in Excellence Award (2010). Ms. Straw-Boone has been selected to Super Lawyers, and was named as Top Lawyer, Divorce Law, Louisville Magazine.  She served as co-chair of the Jefferson County Family Court Advisory Committee from 2003-2007 and was a member of the Louis D. Brandeis American Inn of Court from 2003-2006. Ms. Straw-Boone serves on the Ethics Committee for the Kentucky Bar Association and is a member of the Indiana and Louisville Bar Associations.

Event Location: 

Livestreamed Webinar via Zoom - Registrants will receive instructions via email on accessing this workshop after completing their registration.

It is important to note that APA continuing education rules require that KPA only give credit to those who attend the entire workshop.  An evaluation of the workshop must be completed. Those who arrive more than 15 minutes after the scheduled start time or leave before the workshop is complete will not receive CE credit. Partial credit may not be given.

Registration:

Click here to register!

Cancellation Policy:

Cancellations received on/before June 26th, 2025 will receive a 90% refund. No refunds are available after June 26th, 2025. All refund requests must be in writing to KPA, 8004 Lyndon Centre Way, Suite 202, Louisville, KY 40222 or [email protected].

CE Credits/Attendance:

This program has been approved for 1.5 CE credits by the Kentucky Psychological Association (KPA). 

Psychologists: 
KPA is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. KPA maintains responsibility for this program and its content. KPA is also an approved sponsor for the Kentucky Board of Examiners of Psychology. 

Social Workers & Art Therapists:
KPA is an approved sponsor for the Kentucky Board of Social Work, the Kentucky Board of Professional Art Therapists. (Provider #1004)

Pastoral Counselors: 
KPA is approved to offer Continuing Education to Pastoral Counselors as stated in 201 KAR 38:070, Section 3(1)(b) as an approved KBEP provider.