NEW YORK - In New York State, parents
who divorce, separate or are involved in custody or visitation
disputes will be directed to participate in education programs
designed to provide information and practical tools on how
to reduce the stress of their break-up on their children and
protect them from the negative effects of parental conflict.
Following guidelines released in a report this week by the
Parent Education Advisory Board, the court system will begin
certifying and monitoring local providers of such services
to ensure the quality and efficacy of these programs, including
special protocols to screen out families affected by domestic
violence.
Programs specifically designed for divorcing or separating
parents are used in 49 states today. In New York State, approximately
50 such programs exist, having developed at a grassroots level.
But until now, while some judges in New York have referred
litigants to these programs, no systematic examination had
been undertaken of their curriculum, safety and accountability,
nor had any monitoring structure been put in place.
In her 2001 State of the Judiciary address, Chief Judge Judith
Kaye announced the Parent Education and Awareness Program
to inform judges and others about the benefits of parent education
and to foster increased utilization of this resource. At the
same time, she appointed the Parent Education Advisory Board,
chaired by Supreme Court Justice Evelyn Frazee of Rochester,
New York, to develop uniform standards for parent education
programs to which courts make referrals and to oversee their
implementation. The 19-member panel is composed of professionals
from a spectrum of relevant fields including pediatric medicine,
child and adolescent psychiatry and psychology, social work,
domestic violence awareness, family law and the judiciary.
The Board’s report is the culmination of two years of
study that included reviewing literature on parent education,
domestic violence and child development; interviewing leading
experts in the field; drawing on the experiences of other
states; and considering comments on a draft report circulated
among the community of experts. As detailed in its report,
the Board has established a statewide system of certification
and monitoring and set forth standards that parent education
programs will be required to meet in order to receive court
referrals.
Chief Judge Kaye said, “The benefits of parent education
programs, where divorcing parents learn about the impact of
ongoing conflict on their children and are informed about
how to reduce the stress of this time for them, are well established,
and in many parts of the state, judges are already referring
litigants to these programs. However, in New York to date
we have had no system to monitor providers of these services
nor uniform standards from which to assess them, not only
to ensure the safety of the programs but also their effectiveness.
I appointed the Parent Education Advisory Board, headed by
the dynamic Supreme Court Justice Evelyn Frazee, to shoulder
the vital undertaking of implementing a statewide system of
court-annexed parent education programs and am delighted with
the work they have accomplished. Their proposals, contained
in this insightful report, are well thought out, based on
up-to-date research, and address the concerns of all affected
interest groups, incorporating the wisdom of experts in the
field. Most importantly, they are child-centered—promoting
children’s healthy adjustment and development by educating
parents about what they can do to help their children through
this transitional time. I am extremely grateful to Judge Frazee
and all the advisory board members for their dedication and
fine work on behalf of the children and families of New York.”
Chief Administrative Judge Jonathan Lippman added, “A
great number of children—about 40 percent in this country—will
experience the divorce of their parents during childhood.
In these cases, as well as those involving separation, custody
and visitation disputes, parent education programs have been
shown to be invaluable, helping litigants understand how parental
conflict affects children and giving them tools to ameliorate
the negative impact on their youngsters. The work the Parent
Education Advisory Board has accomplished in this area is
tremendous and will help to ensure that the programs to which
matrimonial and family court judges in New York refer families
will meet the highest standards of quality and excellence.”
The chair of the advisory board, Hon. Evelyn Frazee, said
“Through my work with a parent education program, I
have seen firsthand the tremendous benefit that parent education
can have for children as they adjust to their parents’
divorce or separation. Parents consistently express appreciation
for the information and assistance that these programs provide
to them and their children. For the sake of our children’s
well-being, I am delighted to see parent education become
available to more parents with greater uniformity and consistency.”
Copies of the New York State Parent Education Advisory Board
report can be obtained through the court system’s web
site at www.nycourts.gov/reports
or by calling 212-428-2500.
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