Collaborative Courts Speakers Series: Talking About the Complexity of Class and Culture

San Francisco Collaborative Courts offers a quarterly speaker series to provide relevant training opportunities to partners across justice, substance use, mental health, and family service systems. Participation is free.  

Upcoming training opportunity:

Talking About the Complexity of Class and Culture
Friday, April 28, 2:30-4:30PM

Judicial Council of California
455 Golden Gate Avenue, San Francisco, CA
Milton Marks Auditorium, lower level

Overview

Culture supersedes policy, procedures, laws and regulations.  Cultural aspects of poverty are more consistent than cultural aspects associated with gender, race, country of origin, and religion.  Individuals from extreme poverty have their own culture, yet government agencies work from a middle class value set.  Without understanding the hidden rules, values, and goals of those in poverty, treatment providers are likely to struggle with being effective in their efforts to assist.  This lecture will aim to help raise awareness about this controversial but essential topic.

Presenters

Rachyll Dempsey, Psy.D. is a Forensic Neuropsychologist licensed as a Psychologist in 2006 by the Board of Psychology; certified as an Independent Practitioner by the California Sex Offender Management Board (CASOMB) in 2012; and became a Qualified Medical Evaluator certified by the Worker’s Compensation Appeals Board (WCAB) in 2014.  Dr. Dempsey serves as Continuing Education Chair for the California Coalition on Sexual Offending (CCOSO), Bay Area Chapter; Office of Professional Development Committee Member for the California Psychological Association (CPA); and was President of the Northern California Neuropsychology Forum (NCNF) 2015-16. She spent six years as a licensed psychologist working as Assessment Coordinator and supervisor for trainees at San Quentin State Prison and is currently CEO and Founder of Psychological Assessment, Inc., a corporation providing psychological testing and assessment in forensic and non-forensic domains, competency restoration program, sex offender treatment, and corporate services.  Dr. Dempsey has been qualified as a forensic psychologist, neuropsychologist, correctional specialist, sex offender specialist, and developmental specialist in court.

Venus Klinger, Psy.D. completed her doctorate in Clinical Forensic Psychology at Alliant International University. Her interest area is in NGRI (not guilty by reason of insanity), competency, and evaluation. Currently, she is the Director of the Crossroads Competency Restoration program at Psychological Assessment, Inc. Since the Competency Restoration Program began at PAI, she has been providing competency restoration training to adults and juveniles released on their own recognizance or incarcerated in various jails around the bay area.. Dr. Klinger is also adjunct faculty for Alliant International University.

Presentation Goals

• Participants will be able to identify at least five differences between socioeconomic status (SES).
• Participants will be able to describe how individuals move from one class to another.
• Participants will be able to identify how organizations that are run from a middle class paradigm can negatively impact individuals from poverty. 
• Participants will be able to list three ways (or more) about how to be more successful in working with clients challenged by poverty.

The training is free and CEU credits (MCLE and BBS) will be provided. RSVP is not required. Room is available based on seating capacity. Please forward this information widely.