FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGY SERVICES
Child Custody Evaluation
A child custody evaluation is an in-depth evaluation of a family to help clients, attorneys, and judges determine what custody and parenting time arrangement will serve the best interests of the children. The evaluator (sometimes called “the examiner”) does not make the final decisions about custody and parenting time. That is up to the clients and ultimately the judge. During the evaluation the examiner will interview the primary caregivers, the children, and will observe each of the primary caregivers with the children. The evaluator will also interview any other adults who have primary caretaking responsibilities for the children (e.g. grandparents or significant others living in the home). The clients have usually prepared documents to present to the court (called pleadings/motions/certifications) and these will be reviewed as well. The parents will typically undergo psychological testing and provide medical records, psychological records for themselves and the children, and names of people who can provide information about the relationship between the parents and the children.
Removal Evaluation
Our psychologists are experienced in evaluating a family to determine if it is in the best interest of the child for a parent to be allowed to move out of the state with the child. Our psychologists understand the current science and case law that guides these decisions, and will use this expertise to make recommendations for or against a removal, and to provide alternative parenting time plans if such a move is in the best interest of the child.
Parent Coordination
Members of our staff have been approved as parent coordinators by the State of New Jersey’s Administrative Office of the Courts. As forensic psychological specialists, we are attuned to the complicated dynamics of the post-divorce environment. We use our expertise to help parents resolve disputes and we make recommendations for what is in the best interests of the children.
Mediation/Therapeutic Mediation
Our psychologists have New Jersey approved mediation training. We use our specialties in mediation, child development, and divorce to help parents collaborate and arrive at a custody and parenting time plan that makes sense for their family.
Brief Focused Assessment
Our psychologists can evaluate a family to answer more specific and even singular questions that are in dispute. The psychologist will conduct a brief focused evaluation to answer such questions and provide the family and court with an opinion that serves the best interests of the child(ren).
Consultation Services
It takes a high level of experience and expertise to serve as a consultant. Our psychologists have the training and experience to serve as consultants to attorneys in family law matters. We serve as both testimonial experts and non-testimonial experts.
Reunification Therapy
Our psychologists use their clinical and forensic experience to help a parent and child who have been estranged to rebuild their relationship. Every family is different. Because we have extensive experience working with high conflict families, we are sensitive to complex dynamics that play out in the reunification process.
Risk Assessment
Members of our staff have extensive experience conducting risk assessment in cases where a specific question or series of questions needs to be answered about a litigant’s risk to the children. Our psychologists have the forensic and clinical experience to provide expert opinions about the potential risks that a parent may pose to their child(ren).
Bonding Evaluation
Our psychologists have experience evaluating the psychological bond between a child and their caregiver to help courts make best interest decisions in cases where custody may be in dispute between a biological and non-biological parent. The Bonding Evaluation will help to answer this question.
Therapeutic Supervised Visitation
Our psychologists will use their clinical skills to supervise parent/child visitation and engage with a parent and their child in a supportive therapeutic setting.