EVALUATIONS

Parental Responsibility Evaluation (PRE)

A PRE includes a full family evaluation, including psychological testing ,and a thorough report to the court.   The purpose of a PRE is to assist the court in determining the best interests of children regarding parental responsibilities, including parenting time and parental decision-making.   A PRE is appropriate in cases involving high conflict and/or complicated issues which call for in-depth evaluation.  Must be court ordered. Usually requires a minimum of 40 hours of professional time over a 90-120 day period.  

Brief Focused Assessment

The Brief Focused Assessment can be an efficient and effective tool to assist judicial decision-making in cases where a full child custody evaluation is not needed. These evaluations can be completed in less time than a full child custody evaluation, making information available to the court more quickly and avoiding some of the delays in resolution which can exacerbate tension in families. The evaluator conducts interviews with parents and children, and may also observe parent-child interactions, review relevant records, and conduct telephone interviews with collateral contacts , such as therapists, teachers, or other professionals who have worked with the family. In some instances, psychological testing may be utilized.

For Resa to conduct a Brief Focused Assessment there must be a well-defined referral question from the court, as well as a court order that specifically designates Resa to conduct the assessment.

Parent/Child Relationship Assessment

The safety or appropriateness of a parent-child relationship may come into question due to a variety of factors, including:   suspected or actual confirmed physical or sexual abuse or neglect; parental physical or mental illness that may be temporarily or permanently incapacitating; prior or current substance or drug use/abuse; a history of harsh or questionable parenting practices; and/or periods of separation between parents and children for a wide range of reasons. Thus, families can be participating in Juvenile or Family Courts in order to determine whether  children’s best interests are served by continuing and/or re-establishing parent-child relationships. 

Mental health professionals are often asked to provide insight and recommendations regarding parent-child interactions and how those manifest the strengths and vulnerabilities in the parent-child relationship as well as the ability and/or willingness of parents to take corrective action and follow therapeutic guidelines in order to re-establish, repair, and enhance the relationship.  

Resa has extensive experience and training working within the context of attachment and child development domains, and well-versed in the topic of childhood trauma and its impact on development and family functioning.  

Our parent-child assessments proceed in a structured and coordinated way, ensuring that parents and their children have broad opportunities to say or show their thoughts and feelings about each other, as well as while exploring what led to their current situation. 

Evaluative Mediation (EM)

A confidential process in which Resa conducts a brief assessment of the family prior to mediation.   This approach is ideal when there is uncertainty regarding the children’s needs and professional input is desired.   Resa provides education and guidance concerning the children’s needs and then serves as a neutral facilitator in the mediation phase, guiding parents to their own agreement.   Number of hours varies depending on scope and complexities of the issues, but is often between 8 and 12 hours. 

Consultation

Single or multiple sessions with parents, attorneys, other mental health professionals.