Parenting Plan Evaluations: Guidelines and Best Practices with an Emphasis on Cases Involving Intimate Partner Violence (IPV)

In the last 20 years, several states have mandated specific training requirements for custody evaluators and others related to IPV. In 2016, the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC) approved and published their “Guidelines for Examining Intimate Partner Violence”. In 2022, AFCC approved their new Guidelines for Parenting Plan Evaluations in Family Law Cases. Of note, the APA child custody evaluation guidelines published in 2009 made no mention of IPV or family violence. Additionally, research trends have suggested that custody evaluators are not taking IPV seriously enough when compared with other family related issues.

In this webinar, the presenter – a psychologist who teaches domestic violence at the National Judicial College and has spoken internationally on this issue – will guide participants in understanding key issues regarding IPV, including:

• Differentiation between common sub-types of IPV in separating/divorcing families
• Separation-Instigated Violence (SIV)
• Situational Couples’ Violence (SCV)
• Coercive Control Violence (CCV))
• Screening and other tools useful for assessing IPV in the family
• Specific risks to child and families associated with those sub-types, including but not limited to risks of physical abuse, stalking, emotional abuse, and sexual and economic control
• Considering recommendations associated with those risks and the health, safety, and welfare of the child

Featuring: Philip Stahl, Ph.D.

[Note] This webinar was filmed on October 19, 2022, and may not reflect the most current information and laws regarding this topic.

Learning Objectives

1. Articulate critical understanding of IPV in family law matters.
2. Integrate a differentiated IPV framework of post-separation risk into their assessment of the family.
3. Provide the court with more nuanced and appropriate recommendations regarding the health, safety, and welfare of the family in cases with allegations of IPV.

Important Notice

Because this webinar is on-demand, once you are registered and have created a login account, you can view the webinar at any time in whatever time increments are most convenient. In order to download your CE certificate, receive CE credits, and become eligible for a discount on your Trust Sponsored Professional Liability Insurance policy premium, you must:

• Complete the entire webinar,
• Pass a brief exam, and,
• Complete a brief evaluation form.

You are required to achieve a passing score of 75 percent or higher. You are allowed three attempts to successfully complete the exam. If you are unsuccessful on the third attempt, you must re-purchase the course to try again.

Eligibility for Insurance Premium Discounts

• Unless otherwise noted, you can combine 6 or more CE credit hours earned from The Trust’s webinars and become eligible for a 10% savings on your Trust Sponsored Professional Liability Insurance premium for one renewal.
• You can also combine 4 or more CE credit hours earned from The Trust’s webinars or any other continuing education programs authorized by APA to offer CE credit and become eligible for a 5% savings on your Trust Sponsored Professional Liability Insurance premium for one renewal.
• To obtain CE discounts, download and submit CE certificates (totaling 4 or 6 hours as explained above and completed within the previous 15 months) with your insurance application/renewal.
• Discounts are not applicable to Researcher/Academician or Student policies.
• Group policies become eligible for CE discounts when at least 50% of individuals insured under the group policy submit CE certification totaling the number of credits needed for a particular percentage discount.
• All applications are individually underwritten and submission of CE certification will not guarantee insurance policy issuance or renewal.

Continuing Education Credits

The Trust is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. The Trust maintains responsibility for this program and its content.

The Trust is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychologists #PSY-0019.

Continuing Education Grievance Policy

The Trust is fully committed to conducting all activities in strict conformance with the American Psychological Association's Ethical Principles of Psychologists. The Trust will comply with all legal and ethical guidelines for non-discrimination in promotional activities, program content and in the treatment of CE participants. The Trust CE Director is responsible for complying with these standards.

While the Trust strives to assure fair treatment for all participants and to anticipate problems before they occur, occasionally grievances may be filed. In cases where a participant files a written or oral grievance, the following actions are taken:

• If the grievance concerns the content of the workshop, webinar, book or the continuing education test, a Trust representative will mediate and will be the final arbitrator. If the participant requests action, the CE Director or a Trust representative will either provide a credit for a subsequent CE offering or provide a partial or full refund of the CE fee already paid.
• Actions involving a credit or a refund will require a written note documenting the grievance for record-keeping purposes. The aggrieved individual need not sign the note. If the grievance specifically concerns The Trust, the CE Director or Trust representative will attempt to arbitrate.

Direct correspondence to:

Continuing Education
The Trust
111 Rockville Pike, Suite 700
Rockville, MD 20850
Phone: (800) 477-1200

Email: grievances@trustinsurance.com

NOTE: This information is provided as a risk management resource and is not legal advice or an individualized personal consultation. At the time this resource was prepared, all information was as current and accurate as possible; however, regulations, laws, or prevailing professional practice standards may have changed since the posting or recording of this resource. Accordingly, it is your responsibility to confirm whether regulatory or legal issues that are relevant to you have since been updated and/or to consult with your professional advisors or legal counsel for timely guidance specific to your situation. As with all professional use of material, please explicitly cite The Trust Companies as the source if you reproduce or distribute any portion of these resources. Reproduction or distribution of this resource without the express written permission of The Trust Companies is strictly prohibited.