PACE Membership Benefits
PACE has been recognized as a national mental health professional organization since 1991, certifying qualified mental health professionals to practice the specialties of custody evaluator and/or parenting coordinator.
It was founded by two custody experts with vast experience at the request of numerous judges and attorneys around the country who wanted an independent means of assessing the education, training and experience of persons claiming expertise in custody assessment and in various custody-related therapies and roles.
Dr. Barry Bricklin has served on the faculties of three medical schools and two universities where he conducted custody-related research over a span of fifty years. He and Dr. Gail Elliot have developed many child custody evaluation tools, and have authored many journal articles and contributed to texts on custody-related issues.
In addition to presenting seminars (PACE is an APA approved sponsor for providing continuing education) for many years on how to conduct child custody evaluations and the role of parenting coordinators in the divorce process, Drs. Bricklin and Elliot have been invited to lecture on custody-related subjects throughout the United States and Canada and for the government of China in Hong Kong.
Holders of PACE membership credentials/specialty certifications are recognized as meeting established national standards for their specialty, including having specialized knowledge, proven work experience, demonstrated competence, and adhering to ethical practice. Their extensive experience and competence is substantiated by judges, attorneys and other mental health professionals. The certified professional’s fulfillment of all of these requirements assures the public of a level of competency necessary for the delivery of quality service to clients and courts.
PACE members are listed in the Academy Register of Family Court Services, contained on the PACE website and used by court personnel and prospective clients to find custody evaluators and parenting coordinators. A listing in the Register enhances the credibility and stature of the listed professional, since professionals must submit verifiable information as to their education, training and experience, as well as a history of adherence to ethical standards in order to be listed.
For many professionals, PACE membership has created opportunities in greatly expanded geographic areas, since the website is viewed by judges, attorneys, and mental health professionals all over the country. This leads to enhanced income totally free of the horrors of dealing with insurance companies.
At no additional cost, a personal letter will be sent each year to up to six judges and/or attorneys of each member’s choosing, announcing his or her membership credential and the criteria met to hold this credential.
What is a Nationally Certified Custody Evaluator (NCCE)?
A custody evaluator is a mental health professional who makes a written recommendation to the Court as to what custody-visitation arrangement would be in the best interests of the children involved.
Custody evaluations are most often utilized in highly contested custody disputes. In the course of an investigation, a custody evaluator will interview both parents, observe the children with each of the parent's, conduct age-appropriate interviews with the children, and interview other significant people such as teachers, daycare providers, healthcare providers, extended family members and friends. It is not unusual for the professional to administer some standard psychological tests. It may also be helpful to the evaluator to visit the child’s home or to visit any other place where the child may live.
In the interest of objectivity, the professional selected to conduct the custody evaluation should not be a person who has previously treated any member of the family. It is also recommended that each party pay one-half the costs of the custody evaluation, to avoid the appearance that the professional may be biased towards the parent who paid the fee.
A well drafted report will contain a summary of the information collected, an assessment of the family and the needs of the children and will also recommend a custody/visitation arrangement. The custody evaluator’s recommendation is just one factor that the Court will take into consideration when deciding what custody/visitation arrangement is in the children’s long range best interests.
Members will be mailed a full-sized certificate containing all of the relevant information and attesting to the fact that the named recipient has satisfied the requirements for education, training, and experience, contained in PACE’S Criteria and is therefore recognized as a Nationally Certified Custody Evaluator.
$13/Month -or- $129/Year (Save 17%)
Plus one time application fee of $169
What is a Nationally Certified Parenting Coordinator (NCPC)?
The use of Parenting Coordinators is an intervention to manage high-conflict custody cases. Parents retain and compensate a clinician to arbitrate ongoing child-related disputes either by private agreement or by Court Order. That clinician then becomes the Parenting Coordinator.
What does the Parenting Coordinator do?
The Parenting Coordinator works directly with the parents to help them communicate more effectively and avoid conflicts about child-related issues. Parents who are constantly in court about child-related issues (such as a holiday visitation schedule or the sharing of information about a child’s academic or medical developments) might benefit from opinions and guidance to help make communication more effective. In addition, the parenting coordinator mediates issues, and when the parents are unable to agree, the parenting coordinator is often given the power to arbitrate what the result should be.
Ultimately, the court has the final say over child custody and visitation issues, but a Parenting Coordinator can drastically reduce the need to go to court and therefore reduce conflict for the children in families involved in such disputes.
Members will be mailed a full-sized certificate containing all of the relevant information and attesting to the fact that the named recipient has satisfied the requirements for education, training, and experience, contained in PACE’S Criteria and is therefore recognized as a Nationally Certified Parenting Coordinator.
$13/Month -or- $129/Year (Save 17%)
Plus one time application fee of $169
What is a Nationally Certified Parenting Coordinator (NCPC)?
The use of Parenting Coordinators is a relatively new intervention to manage high-conflict custody cases. Parents retain and compensate a clinician to arbitrate ongoing child-related disputes either by private agreement or by Court Order. That clinician then becomes the Parenting Coordinator.
What does the Parenting Coordinator do?
The Parenting Coordinator works directly with the parents to help them communicate more effectively and avoid conflicts about child-related issues. Parents who are constantly in court about child-related issues (such as a holiday visitation schedule or the sharing of information about a child’s academic or medical developments) might benefit from opinions and guidance to help make communication more effective. In addition, the parenting coordinator mediates issues, and when the parents are unable to agree, the parenting coordinator is often given the power to arbitrate what the result should be.
Ultimately, the court has the final say over child custody and visitation issues, but a Parenting Coordinator can drastically reduce the need to go to court and therefore reduce conflict for the children in families involved in such disputes.
What is a Nationally Certified Custody Evaluator (NCCE)?
A custody evaluator is a mental health professional who makes a written recommendation to the Court as to what custody-visitation arrangement would be in the best interests of the children involved.
Custody evaluations are most often utilized in highly contested custody disputes. In the course of their investigation, a custody evaluator will interview both parents, observe the children with each of the parents, conduct age-appropriate interviews with the children, and interview other significant people such as teachers, daycare providers, healthcare providers, extended family members and friends. It is not unusual for the professional to administer some standard psychological tests. It may also be helpful to the evaluator to visit the child’s home or to visit the place where the child may live.
In the interest of objectivity, the professional selected to conduct the custody evaluation should not be a person who has previously treated any member of the family. It is also recommended that each party pay one-half the costs of the custody evaluation, to avoid the appearance that the professional may be biased towards the parent who paid the fee.
A well drafted report will contain a summary of the information collected, an assessment of the family and the needs of the children and will also recommend a custody/visitation arrangement. The custody evaluator’s recommendation is just one factor that the Court will take into consideration when deciding what custody/visitation arrangement is in the children’s long range best interests.
Members will be mailed full-sized certificates containing all of the relevant information and attesting to the fact that the named recipient has satisfied the requirements for education, training, and experience, contained in PACE’S Criteria and is therefore recognized as both a Nationally Certified Custody Evaluator and a Nationally Certified Parenting Coordinator.
$20/Month -or- $199/Year (Save 17%)
Plus one time application fee of $296