Custody Prerequisites

Before any custody order or parenting plan can be officialized by the courts, a therapeutic evaluation must take place. This process will replace all Guardian et Litem, Parenting Time Expediter, Parent Consultant, and Custody Evaluation positions. This process will also replace mediation services. Each parent shall choose a qualified mental health industry professional as their individual therapist for the term of the divorce proceedings and subsequent treatment recommendations. There shall be a minimum number of required sessions, (currently proposing 6 sessions) for the industry professionals to assess the current capacity for the divorcing parents to keep their children out of the middle of the conflict. A wide range of recommended parenting classes to prescribed treatment for diagnosed disorders, to supervised visitation situations will be recommended by the two professionals. Provided after consulting with each other the two professionals agree with diagnosis's and prescribed classes or treatments, their recommendations shall be sent to the courts for inclusion in the custody order. Unless otherwise recommended by the professionals, a 50/50 custody and visitation arrangement is assumed. All treatments will be prescribed with the intent of one day reaching the 50/50 mark. Though we all have experienced the reality that sometimes that is not possible, which is why there is the two individual professionals to make the recommendations for those cases. Treatment plans shall include benchmarks and treatment goals that must be completed in order to progress closer to the 50/50 mark. If in the event the two professionals do not agree, the courts shall appoint a third neutral professional. This professional must carry higher education or significantly more years of experience in evaluating cases then the two individual professionals. The third professional shall then be the one to make the recommendations to the courts. In cases where there are issues with drug and alcohol abuse, the courts shall order the party with the alleged issues to seek an additional qualified drug and alcohol counselor to make an assessment and a recommended treatment plan that will be included in the recommendations provided by the other professionals.