Parenting Coordination Program Five County Compact Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery & Philadelphia

As amended through December 18, 2021

An attorney or mental health professional seeking to be included on the roster of qualified individuals to serve as a Parenting Coordinator in a member County shall submit a letter to the Administrative Judge of the Family Division of one of the member Counties together with the following:

1. Completion of the approved Form Affidavit attesting the applicant has the qualifications as set forth in Pa.R.C.P. No. 1915.11-1 (b) "Qualifications of the Parenting Coordinator".

2. The following criteria shall apply to the qualifications:

A. Five hours in the parenting coordination process since August 9, 2018; provided that at least 2 of the 5 hours must be specific to Pennsylvania parenting coordination practice and procedure;

B. Ten hours of family mediation training within the last 10 years (an applicant with 40 hours of mediation training beyond 10 years may satisfy this requirement by verifying the 40 hours of training and significant family mediation practice within the last 10 years);

C. Five hours of training in domestic violence within the past 2 years;

D. Verification of current professional liability insurance via copy of said policy's coversheet/declaration page (which includes the provision of parenting coordination services);

E. Acknowledgement of responsibility to accept pro bono assignments for every 2 paid assignments;

F. Verification of Pennsylvania Act 33 child abuse and Act 34 criminal history clearances within the past two (2) years via copies of same;

G. Acknowledgement that the applicant has read the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC) Parenting Coordination Guidelines and the American Psychological Association (APA) Parenting Coordination Guidelines.

AFCC and APA Parenting Coordinator Guidelines are posted at: https://www.afccnet.org/Portals/0/AFCCGuidelinesforParentingcoordinationnew.pdf https:/www.apa.org/pubs/journals/features/parenting-coordination.pdf

3. Appointments for pro bono assignments shall be made on a rotating basis by each Court on the list maintained by that County. Each parenting coordinator must accept one (1) pro bono appointment for every two (2) fee-generating appointments in a county.

4. There shall be a twelve (12) hour maximum per year on each pro bono case assigned to a parenting coordinator.

5. Each Parenting Coordinator on the roster shall be required to notify the Court Administration of the applicable County, after they have received two fee generating cases in that County, in order to facilitate the appointment of a pro bono case. The failure to affirmatively report this information by a Parenting Coordinator or to accept a pro bono assignment may subject them to removal from the roster. If a Parenting Coordinator is removed from the roster of a member County for this purpose, they shall share this information with the other member counties.

6. Fees:

A. The hourly rate shall not exceed $300.00 an hour subject to the following exceptions:

a. If the parties combined monthly net income exceeds the mandatory minimum set forth in the Support Guidelines at 1910/16-2 (e) (2) (currently $30,000 per month), the Court may adjust the hourly rate;

b. If a party is granted In Forma Pauperis (IFP) status by the Court for the parenting coordination process.

B. The maximum initial retainer that may be requested shall be $1,000.

7. Upon being added to the roster of one Member County, a parenting coordinator may be added to the roster of another member County by submitting a letter requesting same with a copy of the approval that was obtained from another member County.

8. A Judge appointing a parenting coordinator may be guided by the parties/counsel in the selection of a specific parenting coordinator from the County roster (and/or shall otherwise select one from the roster).

9. Each Member County shall establish a Committee to review and consider complaints received about a parenting coordinator and shall recommend removal of a parenting coordinator from the roster of that County for good cause. All complaints received and dispositions of same shall be shared with the other member Counties.

10. The aforementioned review Committee shall consist of the following: Family Court Administrative Judge (or their designee); the Judge who appointed the parent coordinator at issue (or their designee); Court Administrator representative, one family law attorney (from the roster of parenting coordinators) and one mental health professional (from the roster of parenting coordinators).

FORM AFFIDAVIT ATTACHED

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Amended effective 4/8/2019.