Because of the importance of these roles, our office will conduct a comprehensive investigation which may include home visits and assessments, psychodiagnostic testing, individual and family meetings and interviews as well as other information gathering to create an impartial, objective and comprehensive report.
In
addition to Dr. Kilmer's private practice as a licensed Psychologist, he has experience
as a children's social worker (CSW) with the Los Angeles County Department
of Children and Family Services as a supervising social worker and with
Aspira Foster and Family Services in California as a supervising social
worker.
This additional training and experience allows him to assess, diagnosis
and treat all aspects of children and family distress.
Dr. Kilmer holds the following relevant certifications for Parental Responsibilities Evaluations and Child and Family Investigations:
The
Colorado School for Family Therapy, Aurora, CO
Certification in Child and Family Investigations ("CFI")
Department
of Children and Family Services, Los Angeles, CA
Certification in Child Abuse Assessment.
Professional
Academy of Custody Evaluators, Furlong, PA
Trained in Comprehensive Custody Evaluations.
California
Graduate Institute, Los Angeles, CA
Certification in Assessment, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Victims and
Perpetrators of Violent Crime.
Either party may request, or the court may appoint, a licensed mental health professional qualified to perform an evaluation concerning the disputed issues relating to the allocation of parental responsibilities for the child(ren).
This parental responsibilities evaluation (PRE) is a comprehensive evaluation used when there are several issues to be investigated or it is a high-conflict case. A PRE is typically requested when there are questions surrounding mental health, chemical or alcohol dependency issues and allegations of child abuse and/or neglect. The PRE is an important tool of the court to help determine the best interests of the child when a broader scope of an investigation is required.
The PRE must be a licensed mental health professional, and pursuant to C.R.S. 14-10-127(4), the PRE must be qualified as competent, by training and experience, in the areas of:
(a) The effects of divorce and remarriage on children, adults, and families;
(b) Appropriate parenting techniques;
(c) Child development, including cognitive, personality, emotional, and psychological development;
(d) Child and adult psychopathology;
(e) Applicable clinical assessment techniques; and
(f) Applicable legal and ethical requirements of parental responsibilities evaluation.
Child and Family Investigator
The "Child and Family Investigator" becomes involved in a case when a parenting time dispute cannot be resolved and there is a specific issue to be investigated. A CFI has a narrow scope and is limited by the appointment order. Pursuant to the new standards, the CFI may not conduct psychological or drug/alcohol testing, but must instead report back to the Court and recommend such testing. The fees for a CFI are capped at $2,000.
The purpose of the CFI is to investigate the parenting roles and make recommendations based on the best interests of the children directly to the court. The CFI evaluates the situation, typically through a series of interviews and other methods of investigating relevant capabilities and records of the parents and the children.
Pursuant to the new standards, the CFI may not conduct psychological or drug/alcohol testing, but must instead report back to the Court and recommend such testing. The fees for a CFI are capped at $2,000.
Should either party or the Court request a more comprehensive evaluation of parenting issues, an expert must be appointed to conduct a parental responsibilities evaluation.
Psychological Assessments
As a part of our forensic services, we conduct Psychological Assessments of both children and parents. Other court appointed professionals, such as Child and Family Investigators, Parenting Coordinators or Attorneys may ask us to administer psychodiagnostic tests, conduct parent interviews, provide insight into the parent/child relationship and perform home visits.
Our assessments are conducted by a licensed Clinical Psychologist with extensive experience providing diagnostic evaluations at the request of other professionals, who are typically court appointed.
Consultation Services
For Professionals:
Our office provides pretrial consultation, case file review and expert testimony in family law matters to attorneys and other mental health professionals. We also review child custody evaluations, parenting assessments, relocation cases and parental alienation allegations.
For Parents:
We provide consultation to parents in the process of divorce on how to help children through the separation process as well as with the creation of parenting schedules. Consultation services can include meeting with parents individually or jointly and may include parent/child interviews as well. This service can often help parents develop an appropriate parenting schedule without court interventions.