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Getting Started

Hello,

 

We want to thank you for contacting our office regarding supervised visitation and/or exchange services for you and your child/ren. We understand this may be a difficult time for you and your family, so our goal is to try to support and facilitate your visitation with your children, if possible, and when appropriate.

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How to get started:

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To begin the supervised visitation and/or exchange process with us, our website has information and materials needed. This includes required forms we need for you to complete and submit to us as part of a required intake process. An Intake is the gathering of information about you and your case to determine the safety needs involved for the court-ordered supervised visitation/exchange service and whether the agency can reasonably ensure the safety of everyone involved. The purpose of the intake is to help guide our review process to decide whether we can or cannot provide services to you and your family. California law requires this comprehensive intake screening process before we provide services. Please see this requirement under Standard 5.20 of the California Standards of Judicial Administration (Uniform Standards of Practice for Providers of Supervised Visitation).

 

Referrals We Can and Cannot Accept

We accept all cases for referral.  However, we no longer provide off-site visitation services. Off-site supervised visitation means that the supervised visit between you and your child/ren occurs out in the community, such as in a park, theater, library, restaurant, or other public area. Additionally, we cannot provide supervised visitation and/or exchange services without a court order.

 

Hours of Operation:

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We offer supervised visitation and/or exchange services during the following hours:

 

• Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Saturday and Sundays 9-7, Times may vary. Phone lines are M-F 9-5 only.

 

Please review your court order to determine whether services can or cannot be provided to you based on our hours of operation. If your court order offers visits that do not match our hours of operation, we will not be able to provide services to you without a new court order and/or signed agreement called a “stipulation” that is signed by both parents and filed with the court. Please talk with an attorney. 

 

Intake Process:  (Link at bottom of page)

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Under Standard 5.20, we are required to conduct a comprehensive intake, with both parents, separately. The purpose of the intake process to gather information from both parents regarding the case for safety screening to determine case acceptance or case denial. If you or the other parent is not able to complete the intake process, the agency will not be able to provide service. We will keep a record of all contact made by you and the other parent regarding your efforts in trying to schedule [a] separate intake. The contact information will be recorded whether we accept your case or decline services for you and your family.

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The intake process generally takes several weeks and depends on the extent of information received from you and the other parent. There is a nonrefundable intake fee of $45 to be paid after acceptance and to set up Orientation and it is payable by the person that is listed in the court order to pay for supervised visitation/exchange services. If your court order does not provide specific information regarding who should pay for the supervised visitation and/or exchange service, then you must go back to court regarding issues related to the fee or costs for services. Once the intake process has been completed, we will call you and inform you of the agency decision to accept your case or why we cannot your case.

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Orientation Process:

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After we conduct a review of each parent’s information, our office will contact you to let you know whether we can or cannot accept your request for services. If we decide that service delivery can be provided to you and your family, we will schedule an orientation session with you, the other parent, and the child (if child is of sufficient age and capacity—this means able to understand for their age). The orientation interview will be conducted separately from the other parent and the parent that has physical custody of the child (this means who the child is currently living with now) is responsible for bringing the child to the orientation session.

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The purpose of the orientation is to: (1) go over the rules and guidelines for services; (2) provide you with a tour of the agency facility; (3) have you sign the contract or program service agreement including answering any additional questions or concerns you may have before we schedule your first visit or exchange with the child/ren.  The orientation session with you generally takes approximately an hour and half, but this will depend on the number of questions and information provided to us during the orientation. Information regarding the orientation will only be sent to you if we agree to accept your case.  Remember we cannot provide services or schedule the supervised visit/exchange between you and your child until the intake and orientation processes has been completed by both parents and the child.   

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What Happens Next:

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Upon (or during the orientation) completion of the orientation process, we will schedule your visit. In the meantime, each parent should review the policy and procedures and guidelines for the visit. If you or the other parent goes back to court, please let the agency know to determine next steps.

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If you should have any questions about the enclosed materials or need additional information, please do not hesitate to contact us; otherwise we look forward to speaking with you soon.

 

Thank you again for considering us for meeting your supervised visitation and/or exchange service needs for you and your family.

 

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Before contacting our facility to set up visitation, please be aware that both parties must complete intake at least one week prior to setting up your visitation. In order to set up an intake, you must already have the following:

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•Current Court Order

•Current ID

•Picture of children visiting (Provided by Custodial Parent)

•Proof of Income (Provided by the party responsible for service fees)

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Once you have obtained all of the above, you must call our office to schedule an intake appointment; there are no walk-ins.

Intake fee must be paid prior to intake being scheduled. Once intake is scheduled, you must call at least 24 hours in advance to cancel. If not canceled within 24 hours, your payment will be forfeited. Remember our office is open by appointment only. Call 661.324.5437