Virginia

HB 365 (THIS IS A GOOD BILL THAT WARRANTS SUPPORT)
​Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: Introduced on January 11 2022 - 25% progression
Action: 2022-01-11 - Committee Referral Pending
Text: Latest bill text (Prefiled) [HTML]
Text:
CHAPTER 6.1:1.
PARENTING COORDINATOR ACT.§20-124.6:1. Applicability.
This chapter applies to any action for divorce, separate maintenance, or annulment in which custody or visitation is in issue, or any petition for custody or visitation pursuant to this title or Title 16.1, or any written agreement between the parties and the parenting coordinator that incorporates the terms of this chapter.
The purpose of appointing a parenting coordinator is to help parents (i) implement a court order regarding child custody or parenting time, (ii) comply with a court order regarding child custody, (iii) resolve day-to-day issues that arise regarding legal and physical custody of their child, (iv) learn healthy and effective methods of communication and ways to safely and appropriately exchange their child, and (v) reduce litigation where conflict threatens the safety or well-being of their child or has placed an undue burden on the court.
§20-124.6:2. Qualifications.
To be eligible to be appointed by a court as a parenting coordinator, a person must:
1. Meet one or more of the following requirements:
a. Hold a license from the Commonwealth to practice psychology, psychiatry, social work, or marriage and family therapy;
b. Hold a license from the Commonwealth to practice law and hold a juris doctor or equivalent degree in law; or
c. Be a person with education, experience, and expertise deemed to be qualified by the court and appointed upon agreement by the parties;
2. Participate in a total of 40 hours of training, which may include hours otherwise required for licensing, certification, or training for a related position or in a related field, in the following areas:
a. Six hours in the area of developmental psychology, to include the impact of divorce on children and appropriate parenting time for children of different ages;
b. Two hours in parent-child communication and communication between parents;
c. Two hours in family systems;
d. Six hours in psychopathology and normal and abnormal behavior;
e. Eighteen hours in parenting coordination; and
f. Six hours in Virginia family law relating to custody and visitation;
3. Complete 20 hours every two years by either presenting or attending continuing education seminars in any of the areas set forth in subdivision 2 or in any related topic, including parental alienation, relocation in custody disputes, children resisting or refusing time with a parent, parenting plans for infants and toddlers, and parents diagnosed with personality disorders;