N.J. Admin. Code § 13:34-31.3

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 19, October 7, 2024

Section 13:34-31.3 - Qualifications

(a) A licensee shall be qualified to perform custody/parenting time evaluations and/or termination of parental rights evaluations through education, training, and/or supervised experience in all of the following categories:

1. Child growth and development;

2. Parent-child bonding;

3. Scope of parenting;

4. Adult development and psychopathology;

5. Family functioning;

6. Child and family development;

7. Child and family psychopathology;

8. The impact of divorce or family dissolution on children; and

9. The impact of age, gender, race, ethnicity, national origin, language, culture, religion, sexual orientation/identity, disability, and socioeconomic status on custody/parenting time evaluations.

(b) When the topics in (b)1 through 5 below are involved, a licensee shall have education, training, and/or supervised experience in the specific topic(s) or the licensee shall refer the case to a licensed health care provider, or obtain a consultation with an expert who has the relevant education, training, and/or experience:

1. Physical, sexual, or psychological abuse of spouse or children;

2. Neglect of children;

3. Substance abuse or other addictions that impair the ability to parent;

4. Medical, physical, or neurological impairment that affects the ability to parent; or

5. Other areas beyond the licensee's expertise that are relevant to the custody/parenting time evaluation.

(c) Licensed associate counselors, interns, and students shall not perform any part of custody/parenting time evaluations and/or termination of parental rights evaluations.

(d) A licensee shall maintain documentation that demonstrates the licensee's education, training or supervised experience in the topics from (a) and (b) above.

(e) A licensee shall maintain documentation of the referral or the consultation, if the licensee refers a case to a licensed health care provider, or consults with an expert, pursuant to (b) above.

N.J. Admin. Code § 13:34-31.3