Solace Counseling and Anxiety Center
Policy on Legal Involvement, Custody, and Divorce Cases
Purpose:
This policy outlines the guidelines and expectations for professional counselors at Solace Counseling and Anxiety Center when involved in legal matters, particularly those relating to custody and divorce. It ensures clear communication, ethical boundaries, and appropriate compensation for legal-related services.
1. Graduate Student Interns and Legal Involvement
- Graduate student interns are not permitted to participate in any legal matters, including but not limited to:
- Court testimony
- Written statements or letters
- Attorney communication
- Custody evaluations or recommendations
- If a client under the care of a graduate intern becomes involved in legal proceedings, Solace Counseling and Anxiety Center reserves the right to refer the client to another provider.
2. Fees for Legal Involvement
- Any time spent on legal matters will be billed at double the counselor's standard hourly rate.
- This includes, but is not limited to:
- Preparation for court
- Court appearances or testimony
- Drafting or summarizing notes
- Communication with attorneys
- Consultations related to legal proceedings
- For LPC Associates, the following rates apply:Solace Counseling and Anxiety Center Policy on Legal Involvement, Custody, and Divorce Cases
- Double the LPC Associate's standard hourly fee
- Double the supervisor's hourly fee for court appearances or time away from the office due to legalinvolvement
- Travel costs to and from court or legal meetings will be billed at double the counselor's standard hourly rate.
- Therapists request that all subpoenas be served with a minimum of two weeks' notice.
3. Email and Communication Fees
- All email communication regarding custody and divorce legal matters will incur a $10 fee per email.
- If the matter involves custody, communication will occur via a joint email thread with both parents included. We will not engage in separate communications with each parent.
- A credit card must be kept on file for both parents. Payment for services and communication will be split equally between both parents, unless a court order states otherwise.
4. Attorney Communication and ROI
- We will not speak to any attorney without a signed Release of Information (ROI) from the parent who hiredthe attorney.
- The ROI must clearly state permission to discuss the case and the scope of information to be shared.
5. Parents as Collaterals
- Parents are considered collaterals in the therapeutic process.
- Any information provided by parents to a therapist is not considered confidential.
- This means that such information may be shared within the therapeutic team or included in documentation relevant to the client's care.Solace Counseling and Anxiety Center Policy on Legal Involvement, Custody, and Divorce Cases
6. Custodial Agreements and Court Documents
- Solace requires all custodial agreements and court order documents to be kept up-to-date, signed by appropriate parties, and submitted to our office.
- These documents will be securely filed and kept on record.
- It is the responsibility of the client(s) to ensure that these documents remain current and accurate throughout the course of services.
7. General Guidelines
- Our counselors do not make custody recommendations.
- Participation in legal matters is at the discretion of the counselor and may be declined if it is deemed to interfere with the therapeutic relationship or ethical obligations.
- All legal requests must be submitted in writing and with sufficient notice to allow proper preparation.
- This policy is reviewed annually and subject to updates in accordance with professional ethics, legal standards, and practice management needs.