Mark
R. Quigley
Administrative Attorney
(617) 788-6600
FOR
RELEASE ON:July 10, 2003
PROBATE AND FAMILY COURT ANNOUNCES CHANGES TO PARENT
EDUCATION PROGRAM ATTENDANCE STANDING ORDER
The
Probate and Family Court Department announces the deletion of Standing
Order 1-99 relative to Parent Education Program Attendance and
has inserted in its place Standing Order 1-03. Chief Justice Sean
M. Dunphy said, "The new Standing Order incorporates the recommendation
of our Pro Se Committee's report and will mandate that parties
to a divorce action in which there are minor children register
with an approved parent education program within sixty (60) days
of service of the original complaint upon the original defendant
and attend the next available session." Judges will continue to
have the authority to require parties in paternity, modification
and contempt actions to attend the program.
The
second change to the Standing Order is that the parties will be required
to pay $65.00 to the provider in advance of the class to offset the
cost of materials and facilitators. This fee may be reduced to $5.00
upon a party submitting a copy of his or her allowed Affidavit of
Indigency and Request for Waiver, Substitution or State Payment of
Fees and Costs. Parties have paid $50.00 to the providers since 1994.
An increase in the fee has been long requested by parent education
providers.
The
Probate and Family Court now has 31 providers who offer the program
at 63 locations around the state. The program is also offered in
Spanish at 3 locations. Massachusetts was one of the first states
to include mandatory parent education as part of the divorce process
in 1994. Now, a majority of states have implemented similar mandatory
parent education programs across the country. Programs help parents
understand their children's emotional needs and the effects of divorce
on child behavior and development. The programs also provide information
to parents about constructive conflict management, dispute resolution
methods and practical suggestions on parenting after divorce as well
as information about available community resources. All approved
programs are required to disseminate consumer satisfaction surveys
to the parents at the end of each class. The Probate and Family Court
has found that a common theme keeps arising in these surveys in which
parents state that they wish they had attended the parent education
classes sooner in the divorce process.
The new Standing Order shall become effective August 1, 2003.
