Psychological Evaluations of Parenting Capacity in Custody and Visitation Cases
Dr. Minrath has extensive professional experience in conducting Parenting Capacity Evaluations. These evaluations are a comprehensive assessment of a parent’s overall level of psychological functioning; specifically, as it pertains to parenting skills and the ability to implement these skills in the long term day to day best interests of the child. It is an assessment of the multiple psychological, familial, medical. social and cultural factors that may interfere with the parent’s ability to meet the overall developmental needs of the child.
This evaluation is intended to provide the Court with information pursuant to Virginia Code § 20-124.2. In determining best interests of a child for purposes of determining custody and visitation arrangements. Because it is a parent-focused assessment and, as such, is not a Child Custody Evaluation, this evaluation does not determine or make recommendations regarding actual custody or visitation schedules.
Dr. Minrath serves as a court appointed neutral, objective evaluator in conducting these evaluations. All parties review names of clinical psychologists and agree on the clinical psychologist selected to do the evaluation. The court order is subsequently written and approved by the attorneys representing the parents. When the court assigns a Guardian ad Litem in the case, this attorney is also involved in writing and approving the court order. Dr. Minrath will provide the Informed Consent for the Parenting Capacity Evaluation for all attorneys to review in the process of writing the court order. She will ask to review the court order before it is submitted to the court.
Like all psychological evaluations occurring in the context of a legal question, the parenting capacity evaluation is conducted in the forensic model using multiple methods of data collection: clinical interviews, psychological testing, extensive review of records and telephone interviews with collateral sources of information.
Dr. Minrath does not provide mental health treatment in conducting the forensic psychological evaluation. Nor does Dr. Minrath provide mental health treatment at the completion of the forensic psychological evaluation. She maintains a clearly defined role as forensic psychologist in conducting these evaluations and differentiates her role as a forensic psychologist from her work as a psychotherapist in her clinical practice.
Both the legal and clinical standards of practice require that appropriate records are kept in the process of compiling the custody/evaluation report. Documents prepared for litigation at the request of an attorney should be covered by state attorney-client privilege.
The reports are reviewed with the individuals who have been evaluated. The reports are submitted to the Court and all attorneys noted on the Court Order. The distribution of these reports to outside parties should be carefully considered by the attorneys who have requested the psychological evaluation. The reports contain detailed personal information as well as clinical terminology. It is strongly recommended these reports only be distributed to medical and legal professionals for whom the report has clear relevance.
The retainer fee for this evaluation is $5000. The fee is paid directly by each individual prior to the first interview appointment.
Informed Consent for Psychological Evaluation of Parenting Capacity
Psychological Evaluations of Parenting Capacity for Departments of Social Services
These evaluations are ordered as part of the overall service plan presented by the department of social services to the court. In these cases, Child Protective Services has typically investigated and determined a founded complaint of child neglect or abuse. When the child has been removed from the home, the overall service plan assists the social worker in determining the most appropriate services for the parent to obtain the return home goal.
These evaluations are a comprehensive assessment of a parent’s overall level of psychological functioning; specifically, as it pertains to parenting skills and the ability to implement these skills in the long term day to day best interests of the child. These evaluations provide the Departments of Social Services and the Court with information to assist in determining the best interests of the child.
The evaluation assesses the multiple psychological, familial, medical. social and cultural factors that may interfere with the parent’s ability to meet the overall developmental needs of the child. The parenting capacity evaluation is a parent-focused assessment and, as such, is not a Child Custody Evaluation and does not determine or make recommendations regarding actual custody or visitation schedules.
Like all psychological evaluations occurring in the context of a legal question, the parenting capacity evaluation is conducted in the forensic model using multiple methods of data collection: clinical interviews, psychological testing, extensive review of records and telephone interviews with collateral sources of information. A detailed written report outlining a case summary is provided to the referring social worker.
In these evaluations, Dr. Minrath draws on her background and training in child development and forensic psychology as well as her early work experience in pediatric nursing.
Dr. Minrath does not provide mental health treatment in conducting the forensic psychological evaluation. Nor does Dr. Minrath provide mental health treatment at the completion of the forensic psychological evaluation. She maintains a clearly defined role as forensic psychologist in conducting these evaluations and differentiates her role as a forensic psychologist from her work as a psychotherapist in her clinical practice.
Both the legal and clinical standards of practice require that appropriate records are kept in the process of compiling the custody/evaluation report. Documents prepared for litigation at the request of an attorney should be covered by state attorney-client privilege.
Dr. Minrath is available to review reports with the individuals who have been evaluated, but she does not release reports to additional clinical or legal parties through her office. The distribution of these reports to outside parties should be carefully considered by the attorneys and the departments of social services who have referred the evaluation. The reports contain detailed personal information as well as clinical terminology. It is strongly recommended these reports only be distributed to medical and legal professionals for whom the report has clear relevance.
The fee for this evaluation is paid through the department of social services.
Additional Forensic Practice Areas:
• Fitness for Duty
• Sentencing Mitigation
• Personal Injury
• Requests for other psychological evaluations are reviewed on a case by case basis