CHANGEABLE NEEDS AND RECENT INDICATORS

STABLE-2007 / ACUTE-2007 certified training

Learn to assess comparatively enduring, potentially changeable needs or conditions with STABLE-2007 and to monitor recent, potentially rapidly changing indicators with ACUTE-2007.

This live, applied workshop is for professionals working in assessment, treatment, case management, community supervision, and related forensic practice. It emphasizes evidence gathering, defensible ratings, documentation of uncertainty, and responsible integration with a relevant static baseline.

What is STABLE-2007?

STABLE-2007 is a structured dynamic risk-assessment instrument for adult men in its intended population. It addresses 13 areas of comparatively enduring but potentially changeable functioning that may be relevant to sexual-recidivism risk, treatment, and supervision. Assessment ordinarily draws on an interview and file information. (SAARNA, STABLE-2007; Brankley et al., 2021)

“Stable” does not mean permanent. It distinguishes these areas from recent short-lived fluctuations. Nor does “dynamic factor” prove causation. Research can show that an indicator predicts an outcome or adds information beyond another instrument without showing that changing the indicator will necessarily cause a corresponding change in recidivism.

What is ACUTE-2007?

ACUTE-2007 is a seven-indicator instrument designed for short-term monitoring during community supervision. It focuses on recent behaviour and circumstances that may change relatively quickly and may be relevant to current risk management. (SAARNA, ACUTE-2007; Babchishin & Hanson, 2020)

An ACUTE-2007 assessment is time-sensitive. It does not replace a static baseline, a fuller assessment of comparatively enduring needs or conditions, or professional judgement about the immediate situation.

How are Static, STABLE-2007, and ACUTE-2007 different?

Static-99R or Static-2002R: historical and demographic information that is not sensitive to change through intervention or management; used to provide a baseline estimate within the instrument’s supported population.
STABLE-2007: comparatively enduring but potentially changeable needs or conditions; used to contribute information relevant to fuller assessment, intervention planning, and supervision.
ACUTE-2007: recent, potentially rapidly changing indicators; used to support short-term monitoring in community supervision.

The instruments provide complementary information across different timeframes. They should not be described as directly measuring one established underlying causal process. Whether and how results are combined depends on instrument eligibility, the current official guidance, the referral question, the quality and timing of the information, and competent professional judgement.

What does the evidence show for STABLE-2007?

A meta-analysis of 21 studies representing 12 non-overlapping samples and 6,955 people found that STABLE-2007 was associated with sexual, violent, and any recidivism outcomes and added predictive information beyond Static-99R. Incremental validity means that the instrument contributed information after accounting for Static-99R; it does not establish causation, local calibration, or a large practical gain in every decision. (Brankley et al., 2021)

In a British Columbia field study of 4,433 men assessed in routine correctional practice, Static-99R and STABLE-2007 showed moderate discrimination and each added information for sexual, violent, and any recidivism. The study also found that observed sexual recidivism was lower than expected from the combined norms then in use. That finding illustrates why discrimination and calibration are separate and why local context matters. (Helmus et al., 2021)

Research in two Canadian federal institutional samples found that STABLE-2007 predicted sexual recidivism and added information beyond Static-99R in those samples, while results for a combined sexual-plus-violent outcome differed between the routine and high-risk/high-needs samples. The study extends the evidence to particular institutional settings; it does not establish equal validity in every institution or population. (Looman et al., 2021)

What does the evidence show for ACUTE-2007?

A prospective study followed 632 men on community supervision across 6,629 repeated ACUTE-2007 assessments. Scores showed meaningful within-person change, and recent or rolling-average assessments predicted recidivism better than the first, lowest, or highest assessment. The study did not establish that a specific score change caused a change in risk, and treatment exposure and calibration after reassessment were not established. (Babchishin & Hanson, 2020)

Later research has also shown that the predictive value of dynamic assessments declines as assessments become older, reinforcing the importance of recency without creating a universal public reassessment schedule. (Lee et al., 2024)

Important limitations

STABLE-2007 and ACUTE-2007 do not establish that reoffending will occur, identify the cause of past behaviour, determine guilt, or constitute diagnoses.
A changeable indicator is not necessarily a causal treatment target. Prediction, change sensitivity, and causal intervention effects are different claims. (Brankley et al., 2021; Babchishin & Hanson, 2020)
Ratings depend on information quality, interview practice, collateral sources, timing, documentation, and assessor competence. (Helmus et al., 2021)
Apparent score change can reflect true change, measurement error, new information, different informants, or rater differences. (Babchishin & Hanson, 2020)
Local calibration can differ from published reference data even when rank-ordering remains useful. (Helmus et al., 2021)
A total score is not a complete treatment plan, supervision plan, or case formulation.
Applicability and combination rules are population- and context-specific and belong in the current official guidance and qualified practice—not on a public summary page.

Who is the workshop for?

The course is intended for psychologists, psychiatrists, probation and parole professionals, treatment providers, case managers, researchers, and related forensic practitioners who use or review STABLE-2007 and ACUTE-2007.

Participants should already understand sexual offending and structured risk assessment and should have certified training and competence in the applicable Static instrument. Professional licensure or attendance alone does not establish the specialized competence required for independent use.

What you will practise

Gather and weigh interview, file, historical, recent, and collateral information without treating any single source as automatically decisive.
Distinguish comparatively enduring potentially changeable needs or conditions from recent, potentially rapidly changing indicators.
Select and document defensible ratings, including evidence that supports and counters the decision.
Reassess new information without assuming that every score difference represents true change.
Consider Static, STABLE-2007, and ACUTE-2007 information within a broader case formulation without reproducing a mechanical public combination rule.
Communicate uncertainty, limitations, and current risk-management concerns clearly.

Training format

Before training

Complete the assigned pre-training videos. Download the virtual binder, coding materials, and participant cases. Review the prerequisite Static material and have the specified current manuals available.

During training

Attend every live Zoom session. Participants work in small groups, compare evidence and ratings, discuss disagreements, and practise case formulation and communication with the trainer.

After training

Complete the published certification exercises, then use the additional practice material to consolidate rating and integration skills. Ongoing practice should include access to consultation, peer review or double-scoring where appropriate, and procedures for monitoring rater drift.

Certificate requirements

Certificate eligibility depends on the published attendance and completion requirements. A completion certificate and an attendance certificate record different outcomes.

The exercises, answers, scoring standards, complete participant cases, Smart Forms, and case-formulation sheet remain private. A certificate does not replace professional scope, agency authorization, supervised experience, or jurisdictional requirements.

What participants say

Feedback from STABLE-2007 / ACUTE-2007 workshop participants.

“I enjoyed being introduced to these tools through reading, listening, and seeing the tools. This was very new to me, so examples and cases were very helpful.”

“Amazing training. I really appreciated the entire structure of it. I have been in many trainings before, but never one as complete as this one.”

“The training was well structured and the content was very detailed. Andrew does an excellent job breaking down the concepts so that people of all skill levels can understand.”

Quotations are included only where the participant gave written consent to publication; identifying information is not displayed.

Dates and prices

Current public offerings for STABLE-2007 / ACUTE-2007 appear below. This gallery updates automatically as dates are added or removed. If no cards appear, no public dates are currently posted.

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Dates and prices

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Weekend private training is limited and may be available by special request at a premium rate.