Section 3110.5 Of Chapter 6. Custody Investigation And Report From California Family Law Code >> Division 8. >> Part 2. >> Chapter 6.
3110.5
. (a) No person may be a court-connected or private child
custody evaluator under this chapter unless the person has completed
the domestic violence and child abuse training program described in
Section 1816 and has complied with Rules 5.220 and 5.230 of the
California Rules of Court.
(b) (1) On or before January 1, 2002, the Judicial Council shall
formulate a statewide rule of court that establishes education,
experience, and training requirements for all child custody
evaluators appointed pursuant to this chapter, Section 730 of the
Evidence Code, or Chapter 15 (commencing with Section 2032.010) of
Title 4 of Part 4 of the Code of Civil Procedure.
(A) The rule shall require a child custody evaluator to declare
under penalty of perjury that he or she meets all of the education,
experience, and training requirements specified in the rule and, if
applicable, possesses a license in good standing. The Judicial
Council shall establish forms to implement this section. The rule
shall permit court-connected evaluators to conduct evaluations if
they meet all of the qualifications established by the Judicial
Council. The education, experience, and training requirements to be
specified for court-connected evaluators shall include, but not be
limited to, knowledge of the psychological and developmental needs of
children and parent-child relationships.
(B) The rule shall require all evaluators to utilize comparable
interview, assessment, and testing procedures for all parties that
are consistent with generally accepted clinical, forensic,
scientific, diagnostic, or medical standards. The rule shall also
require evaluators to inform each adult party of the purpose, nature,
and method of the evaluation.
(C) The rule may allow courts to permit the parties to stipulate
to an evaluator of their choosing with the approval of the court
under the circumstances set forth in subdivision (d). The rule may
require courts to provide general information about how parties can
contact qualified child custody evaluators in their county.
(2) On or before January 1, 2004, the Judicial Council shall
include in the statewide rule of court created pursuant to this
section a requirement that all court-connected and private child
custody evaluators receive training in the nature of child sexual
abuse. The Judicial Council shall develop standards for this training
that shall include, but not be limited to, the following:
(A) Children's patterns of hiding and disclosing sexual abuse
occurring in a family setting.
(B) The effects of sexual abuse on children.
(C) The nature and extent of child sexual abuse.
(D) The social and family dynamics of child sexual abuse.
(E) Techniques for identifying and assisting families affected by
child sexual abuse.
(F) Legal rights, protections, and remedies available to victims
of child sexual abuse.
(c) In addition to the education, experience, and training
requirements established by the Judicial Council pursuant to
subdivision (b), on or after January 1, 2005, no person may be a
child custody evaluator under this chapter, Section 730 of the
Evidence Code, or Chapter 15 (commencing with Section 2032.010) of
Title 4 of Part 4 of the Code of Civil Procedure unless the person
meets one of the following criteria:
(1) He or she is licensed as a physician under Chapter 5
(commencing with Section 2000) of Division 2 of the Business and
Professions Code and either is a board certified psychiatrist or has
completed a residency in psychiatry.
(2) He or she is licensed as a psychologist under Chapter 6.6
(commencing with Section 2900) of Division 2 of the Business and
Professions Code.
(3) He or she is licensed as a marriage and family therapist under
Chapter 13 (commencing with Section 4980) of Division 2 of the
Business and Professions Code.
(4) He or she is licensed as a clinical social worker under
Article 4 (commencing with Section 4996) of Chapter 14 of Division 2
of the Business and Professions Code.
(5) He or she is a court-connected evaluator who has been
certified by the court as meeting all of the qualifications for
court-connected evaluators as specified by the Judicial Council
pursuant to subdivision (b).
(d) Subdivision (c) does not apply in any case where the court
determines that there are no evaluators who meet the criteria of
subdivision (c) who are willing and available, within a reasonable
period of time, to perform child custody evaluations. In those cases,
the parties may stipulate to an individual who does not meet the
criteria of subdivision (c), subject to approval by the court.
(e) A child custody evaluator who is licensed by the Medical Board
of California, the Board of Psychology, or the Board of Behavioral
Sciences shall be subject to disciplinary action by that board for
unprofessional conduct, as defined in the licensing law applicable to
that licensee.
(f) On or after January 1, 2005, a court-connected or private
child custody evaluator may not evaluate, investigate, or mediate an
issue of child custody in a proceeding pursuant to this division
unless that person has completed child sexual abuse training as
required by this section.