Скачать или смотреть A4i Osher C, Saturday 26th April 2014 – Kathrine S Nemens

Parenting with Mental Health Challenges: Legal Barriers and Solutions
Intermediate

Katherine S Nemens, JD, Attorney, Mental Health Legal Advisors Committee, Boston, MA, USA

Parents with mental health challenges are at high risk of losing custody of or contact with their children when the court is involved. Stigma and fear are real obstacles in the legal system, which can be overcome with education, supports for families, advocacy and compassion.

Learning Objectives
1. Legal barriers in the courts: The “best interests of the child” standard is often illdefined; courts can make custody and parenting decisions based on a mental health diagnosis, rather than parenting abilities
2. Strategies to overcome these barriers: Providing parents with services and resources to support their family; educating judges and attorneys on the recovery model, to look beyond diagnosis, and to consider holistic, individualized and creative solutions for parents with mental health challenges; and training advocates to look for real-life solutions, and help clients redefine “success”
3. Discuss supports and resources for parents with mental health challenges: Include Recovery Learning Centres, Clubhouses, and other Peer Supports