The Parenting Coordination Clinic (PCC) offers modest means and pro bono services to help resolve parental conflicts out of court, reducing the stress placed on children by contentious co-parenting relationships. By minimizing tension and harmful environments and shifting the focus to the children’s well-being and best interests, the PCC aims to improve the lifelong health and wellness outcomes for the children we serve.

Helping Children Through Parenting Coordination

Our goal is to assist Indiana children, families, and courts by reducing the adverse effects of contentious co-parenting relationships. Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) can negatively impact a child’s lifelong health and behavior. ACEs include child maltreatment, parental separation, and domestic violence. Severe co-parenting conflicts can lead to these detrimental factors.

According to the CDC, ACEs are linked to serious negative outcomes such as substance abuse, depression, financial difficulties, poor academic performance, increased disease risk, and early death. However, research shows that interrupting these experiences can improve outcomes for children.

The PCC aims to promote safety and stability by addressing high-conflict parenting situations and focusing on the child’s well-being. Our program helps reduce or eliminate harmful environments, benefiting children by lessening their exposure to adverse experiences.

About Parenting Coordination

Effective January 1, 2017, the Indiana Supreme Court established qualifications and roles for parenting coordinators. Parenting Coordination is a court-ordered, child-focused dispute resolution process. A Parenting Coordinator helps high-conflict parties manage conflicts, refocus on the child’s needs, and make decisions in the child’s best interest.

Signs that may indicate a need for parenting coordination include:

• Children suffering from intense or frequent hostility between parents
• Allegations or evidence of child abuse or domestic violence
• Children feeling pressured to choose sides
• One parent preventing the child from seeing the other parent (except in appropriate circumstances)
• Children being used as pawns or bargaining tools
• Parents who frequently litigate minor issues, have poor communication, or make ineffective parenting decisions

Parenting coordination provides a constructive path for communication and co-parenting focused on the child’s needs. Typical duties include:

• Initial meetings to address main issues
• Gathering information from external sources
• Establishing daily routines
• Assisting with adherence to court-ordered parenting schedules
• Improving communication and discipline strategies
• Coordinating medical care, extracurricular activities, and other matters affecting the child

Parenting coordinators encourage parents to resolve disputes independently but may issue recommendations or binding recommendations to the court if necessary.

About The Parenting Coordination Clinic (PCC) 

The PCC offers modest means and pro bono services. To qualify for modest means services, one or both parents must earn less than $575 per week. The rate for these services is $50 per hour. Pro bono services are available based on a case-by-case assessment of financial situations and other relevant factors.

PCC services can only be accessed through a court order. For more information, please contact Lisa Joachim at ljoachim@kidsvoicein.org. 

The Parenting Coordination Clinic is made possible by a generous grant from the Lilly Endowment.