The New York Foundling & APSAC Webinar Series on Controversial Topics

10/8/2025 - 10/8/2025
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM Eastern

Register for this Event

General Admission (individual session): $30.00
APSAC Members and The New York Foundling Staff Admission: Free
1 CE Credit (Social Work & Psychology) Non-Members: $30.00
1 CE Credit (Social Work & Psychology) APSAC Members and NY Foundling: $20.00
APSAC Members: You will receive your discount automatically when registering.
The New York Foundling Staff: Please email FontanaCenter@nyfoundling.org to request your entry code.
Target Audience and Content Level: Multidisciplinary professionals / Intermediate
Interactive, Live Zoom

We would love to see you! Please be prepared to have your camera on whenever possible. It helps create a more connected and engaging experience for everyone. If you need to turn it off, we trust you to take care of yourself. If you are requesting continuing education credit, being on camera is required for verification purposes. We appreciate your understanding and participation!

Title: Are they the Next School Shooter? Breaking the Silo to Assess Risk 

Presenter: Ashley H. VanDercar, MD, JD

Description: 
This webinar shows why multidisciplinary information sharing is crucial to averting school shootings. Although there is no profile of who will become a school shooter, there are relevant risk factors and behaviors that should prompt evaluation or intervention. Recognizing these patterns requires comprehensive data. Yet disciplines often silo information, making it challenging for any one professional to spot a developing threat. 

Through a forensic psychiatry lens, this webinar challenges participants to reconsider which information truly matters when assessing a student’s threat potential. Drawing on two decades of National Threat Assessment Center data, the session explains how seemingly minor details can shift risk. It also examines legal and practical reasons that keep stakeholders from sharing potentially critical information.

Bio: 
Ashley H. VanDercar, MD, JD, is a board-certified forensic psychiatrist and licensed attorney. Dr. VanDercar has specialized expertise in violence risk assessments and post-arrest evaluations of criminal defendants. She has published and presented nationally on the intersection of mental health and violence, including psychiatric factors in lone actor terrorism, cult leaders, and school shooters. Her work emphasizes the value of behavioral observations and collateral data – both when making a psychiatric diagnosis and assessing violence risk. 

Learning Objectives:

• Describe the variability in how the term “school shooting” is defined and the statistical rarity of targeted school shootings.

• Explain the ‘pathway to violence’ concept and identify behaviors showing a student is likely traversing it. 

• Identify factors that lead to information silos and how the resultant information blocking undermines risk assessments. 

Registration will remain open through the start of the Webinar
 
Zoom Webinar System Requirements
For the best experience, use a computer or mobile device with a stable internet connection. Please have the latest version of Zoom installed, along with working speakers and a microphone. A webcam is required if you're requesting continuing education credit.

CE Course Completion Steps

• Register for the live, interactive webinar.
• Attend the full session (please have camera on).
• Complete a posttest (with a passing score of 70% and option to retest up to two additional times) or engage with discussion questions embedded within webinar-you will be notified at start of webinar.
• Submit evaluation form
• Receive your certificate electronically through email within 30 days.

Accessibility Accommodations: To request accessibility accommodations, please contact APSAC at onlinetraining@apsac.org.

 
Provider Statements:
Social Work: The American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children, Inc (APSAC), provider #1622, is approved as a provider for social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB ), www.aswb.org, through the Approved Continuing Education ( ACE ) program. APSAC maintains responsibility for the program. ASWB Approval Period: 7/27/22-7/27/25. Social workers should contact their regulatory board to determine course approval for continuing education credits. The Social worker participating in this conference received 1 continuing education clock hour.”
 
Psychology: The American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children, Inc (APSAC) is approved by the American Psychological Association (APA) to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. The American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children maintains responsibility for this program and its contents. 
 
Cancellations and Refunds: No cancellations. No refunds. Registration is transferable. Requests for transfer to a future event will also be considered on a case-by-case basis. If you have any questions, please email us at onlinetraining@apsac.org.

Questions and Concerns: Please contact the APSAC team at onlinetraining@apsac.org

Zoom

Click on the icon next to the date(s) to add to your calendar:

10/8/2025 - 10/8/2025

Click here to setup an email reminder for this event