Since 1991 PACE has been recognized as a national mental health professional organization. PACE certifies qualified mental health professionals to practice the specialties of Custody Evaluator and/or Parenting Coordinator. These individuals are certified to practice at the independent practice level and hold the following credentials:

PACE, as a recognized professional organization, certifies qualified mental health professionals to practice the mental health specialty of Parenting Coordinator at the independent practice level. They will hold the credential of Nationally Certified Parenting Coordinator™(NCPC)

What is a Parenting Coordinator?

The use of Parenting Coordinators is a relatively new intervention to manage high-conflict custody cases. Parents retain and compensate a clinician to arbitrate ongoing child-related disputes either by private agreement or by Court Order. That clinician then becomes the Parenting Coordinator.

What does the Parenting Coordinator do?

The Parenting Coordinator works directly with the parents to help them communicate more effectively and avoid conflicts about child-related issues. Parents who are constantly in court about child-related issues (such as a holiday visitation schedule or the sharing of information about a child’s academic or medical developments) might benefit from opinions and guidance to help make communication more effective. In addition, the parenting coordinator mediates issues, and when the parents are unable to agree, the parenting coordinator is often given the power to arbitrate what the result should be.

Ultimately, the court has the final say over child custody and visitation issues, but a Parenting Coordinator can drastically reduce the need to go to court and therefore reduce conflict for the children in families involved in such disputes.

Members will have two documents to verify their certification. One is a license-sized certificate (8” X 5”) with special built-in security characteristics and the other is a full-sized certificate for your office. They both contain all of the relevant information and attest to the fact that the named recipient "has satisfied the requirements for education, training, and experience, contained in PACE’S Criteria for Practice at the Independent Practice Level and is therefore recognized as a Nationally Certified Parenting Coordinator."

Additionally, court personnel and prospective clients will be invited to visit a new website, being developed as both a registry and also to enhance the credibility and stature of the Nationally Certified Parenting Coordinator™(NCPC).

PACE, as a recognized professional organization, certifies qualified custody evaluators to practice the mental health specialty of Custody Evaluator at the independent practice level. They will hold the credential of Nationally Certified Custody Evaluator™ (NCCE).

Members will have two documents to verify their certification. One is a license-sized certificate (8” X 5”) with special built-in security characteristics and the other is a full-sized certificate for your office. They both contain all of the relevant information and attest to the fact that the named recipient "has satisfied the requirements for education, training, and experience, contained in PACE’S Criteria for Practice at the Independent Practice Level and is therefore recognized as a Nationally Certified Custody Evaluator."

Additionally, court personnel and prospective clients will be invited to visit a new website, being developed as both a Registry and also to enhance the credibility and stature of the Nationally Certified Custody Evaluator™ (NCCE).

Section 1: Frequently Asked Credentialing Questions
and
Section 2: Specific Questions About Parenting Coordination

A. Doctoral or Masters Degree in a mental health specialty from a university/college that is regionally accredited; and

B. At least ONE of the following three choices (B-1, B-2, or B-3):

B-1. Currently licensed by a State Board of Examiners to practice a mental health specialty at the independent practice level or;

B-2. Member of a recognized mental health professional association that has promulgated relevant standards of practice for a mental health specialty or;

B-3. Minimum of two years experience working with a family court system; and

C-1. If applying for Nationally Certified Custody Evaluator™(NCCE)
A minimum of two years custody evaluation experience, during which the applicant has independently conducted a minimum of five comprehensive custody evaluations; and

C-2. If applying for Nationally Certified Parenting Coordinator™(NCPC)
A minimum of two years experience working at a professional level with at least five sets of high conflict or litigating parents, providing services that have been described by various designations, including, but not limited to: parenting coordinator, family coordinator, mediator, reunification therapist, couples therapist, facilitator, etc. In general, we are seeking professionals who have experience working with men and women, husbands and wives, fathers and mothers who are involved in high conflict relationships with each other.

D. Two names (with contact information) of colleagues (mental health professionals, attorneys, judges, etc.) who we can contact to validate the information that you have submitted on your application.

The PACE Executive Operating Committee has been authorized to use a degree of flexibility in the handling of certain special situations that may arise during the application process without compromising the integrity of PACE’S Current Criteria.

FEES

Nationally Certified Parenting Coordinator™ (NCPC)

One-time application processing fee:$338 $169 during Grandfathering Period-YOU SAVE $169

Annual Certification Fee: $129

Total with this Application: $298 (One-time application processing fee of $169 and first Annual Certification Fee of $129.)

This covers ALL fees until your next Annual Certification Fee of $129 is due twelve months after your Approval Date.

NOTE: If an applicant is NOT accepted for certification ALL fees will be promptly returned.

Nationally Certified Custody Evaluator™ ™ (NCCE)

One-time application processing fee: $338 $169 during Grandfathering Period-YOU SAVE $169

Annual Certification Fee: $129

Total with this Application: $298 (One-time application processing fee of $169 and first Annual Certification Fee of $129.)

This covers ALL fees until your next Annual Certification Fee of $129 is due twelve months after your Approval Date.

NOTE: If an applicant is NOT accepted for certification ALL fees will be promptly returned.

BOTH CREDENTIALS AT THE SAME TIME:

Nationally Certified Custody Evaluator™(NCCE)
and
Nationally Certified Parenting Coordinator™(NCPC)

ADD UP THE TOTAL FEES FOR NCPC and NCCE FROM ABOVE AND
DEDUCT 25%

$298 + 298 = $596 DEDUCT 25% ($149) Your total for the two Certifications is $447.

(This covers ALL fees until the next Annual Certification Fees of $129 are due twelve months after your Approval Dates.)

NOTE: If an applicant is NOT accepted for certification ALL fees will be promptly returned.

TEN DAY TURN-AROUND SCHEDULE*

Your Certificates should be in the mail to
you within ten days after the receipt of
your application by PACE.

*This is based on our ACTUAL turn-around
time for the last 30 days.

I talk to mental health professionals every day---social workers, counselors, psychologists, etc. Here are some of their questions---and my answers.

What does it cost?
$298 covers EVERYTHING for the first year. That’s made up of $169 application processing fee and $129 for the first full year certification dues. Then it will cost $129 per year. The annual fee of $129 will never change for you as long as you stay certified. (Yes, it may go up for new applicants, but NEVER for you!) We think that it’s only fair that the early applicants should reap some special benefits for their early loyalty. Also, if your application is not approved you get the $298 promptly refunded.

What do I get?
You get two certificates---one licensed-sized and one full size for your office. You will be added to a directory where court personnel and the public will go to find out about NCCE’s and NCPC’s. You’ll get discounts on seminars, publications, and testing instruments. Most important, you’ll have the ability to add an income producing certification to your practice, (I won’t even discuss the positive implications of adding a national title to your name.)

How long does it take?
It takes less than 45 minutes to fill out the application. (You push the SEND button and we have it five seconds later.) Ten days from then you’ll have your certificates and welcoming materials.

Are positions available for Parenting Coordinators and Custody Evaluators?
Yes!, Yes!, and YES! Just let your local family court know that you are offering your services. In fact, we’ll do it for you:

This began by accident but has been so successful that we’re continuing it:

One of our new Parenting Coordinators asked us for a letter notifying her family court that she was now certified. We sent the letter directly to the Court with an insert describing the duties, etc. of a Parenting Coordinator. We even included a template for a Judge’s Order Appointing a Parenting Coordinator. IT WORKED! She got the job.

We’ll be happy to do the same thing for all new NCCE’s and NCPC’s. Just send us a list of up to six judges and we’ll take care of the rest. We can’t guarantee you a job but we’ll certainly do our part.

Questions? Call Howard at 800-633-PACE (7223) or email me at howard@vp411.com

Regards,

Howard/PACE ADMINISTRATOR