2026 Pre-Conference Workshops

15 JUN 2026

We are pleased to offer a number of excellent pre-conference workshops at the 2026 IAFMHS conference on Monday, 15 June 2026. Workshops are offered either as half-day or full-day. The workshops are open to all, regardless if you are attending the conference. The workshops will be hosted at  Helsinki Congress Paasitorni. 

*NEW* We are pleased to introduce a 50% reduced workshop registration rate for current IAFMHS student members. This is the first time IAFMHS has offered this and we think it's a great initiative to increase access to the workshops and support our student members. 

Half-Day Workshop

Duration: 9am - 12.30pm  

Continuing Education (CE) credits: 3.5 credits

Standard Cost: CAD$250 // Student Member Cost: CAD$125

          (includes 01 refreshment break; lunch NOT included)

Full-Day Workshops

Duration: 9am - 5pm

Continuing Education (CE) credits: 7 credits

Standard Cost: CAD$500 // Student Member Cost: CAD$250

          (includes 02 refreshment breaks; lunch NOT included)

*Please note we are not accredited to offer continuing medical education (CME) credits for workshops at this time. IAFMHS reserves the right to cancel the workshop if minimum enrollment is not reached. Participants will receive full refund in the event of workshop cancellation. 

To register for a Pre-conference workshop, please CLICK HERE. 

Half Day Workshop

AI in Forensic Mental Health: Revolutionary or Hallucinatory?

Presenter: Prof. dr. David J. Vinkers

Time: 9am - 12:30pm

Room: Karhupuisto (3rd floor)

Artificial intelligence (AI) is entering forensic mental health rapidly, from automated risk assessment to AI-generated clinical reports. There are, however, several concerns about the use of AI, such as the “black box” problem, algorithmic bias, privacy risks and loss of professional identity. Is there any value in using AI in forensic mental health? The answer to this question is probably that this depends on the balance of risks and benefits of using AI. This workshop is exactly about this topic. You will get a hands-on understanding of the core mechanisms in AI systems and learn about different AI applications in forensic mental health: risk estimation, summarization of judicial documents, analysis of recorded conversations and AI based voice analysis. You learn how to annotate (dummy) data, how to record and summarize a conversation and how to build a prompt. You will also learn about the judicial background of AI use including the EU AI Act and a recent Dutch example of AI in risk estimation (OXREC) will be discussed.

Workshop details can be found HERE.

Full Day Workshop

Recent Advancements in SPJ: Assessing the Individual in Context Using the MLG-V2 and CARE-V2

Presenter: Prof. Stephen D. Hart

Time: 9am - 5pm

Room: Brahenkenttä (3rd floor)

This full-day workshop will focus on the recent advances in SPJ that emphasizes evaluating the “individual in context” as exemplified by the newest versions of the Multi-Level Guidelines (MLG-V2) and Child Abuse Risk Evaluation (CARE-V2). Drawing from ecological systems theory (Bronfenbrenner, 1979) and Action Theory, SPJ frameworks recognize decisions to engage in violence do not occur in a vacuum; rather, they are influenced by factors operating within and across multiple nested levels. Participants will learn how to assess the presence and relevance of contextual factors, integrate them into formulation using an Action Theory framework, identify plausible scenarios of future violence, and develop individualized risk management plans that are responsive to the specific context of each case. The workshop will also review significant updates to both guidelines, reflecting advances in empirical research, professional practice, and legal standards, as well as feedback from multidisciplinary professionals across international jurisdictions.

Workshop details can be found HERE.