What should I do

[reellis527]

My daughter is going to her behavorial specialist on Tuesday and I am hoping to get some documentation that states visiting with her father is detrimental and stressful for the child.  When the child comes home to me the CP she states all kinds of things that are going on, she has to sleep with her father's particular flavor that night (not her words of course) and that she isn't supposed to tell me things but she wants to tell.....

1) How do I let the specilist know I believe it is the visits with the father that are negatively affecting the child without stating please write a paper saying his visits affect her (not trying to seem revengeful)?

2) Will the doctor give me documentation on the spot? (I am hoping to use it for my emergency hearing)

3) Will I be in the room during questioning or how do behavioral specialist do "their thing"?

[socrateaser]

>1) How do I let the specilist know I believe it is the visits
>with the father that are negatively affecting the child
>without stating please write a paper saying his visits affect
>her (not trying to seem revengeful)?

I would simply tell the investigator that you are looking to rule out or confirm emotional or physical abuse of the child, and that your concern arises from your observation of the following behaviors immediately after the past X visitations: (name the behaviors). That's it. Write it down and give it to him/her and ask for an objective eval.

>2) Will the doctor give me documentation on the spot? (I am
>hoping to use it for my emergency hearing)

You need to tell the doctor that you intend to use his/her findings in court as evidence for an emergency restraining order, if those findings reasonably suggest abuse. This will make the evaluation considerably more precise, because you're asking the dr. to put his/her ass on the line in a public forum. It will also increase your costs substantially because you are looking for a forensic analysis.

>3) Will I be in the room during questioning or how do
>behavioral specialist do "their thing"?

I'm only a behavioral amateur, so you'll have to ask the specialist.

Good luck.

[reellis527]

Thanks and the costs is nothing, it is covered under my insurance for one but even if it wasn't I would handle the costs because this is important.
To be clear on what you said in the answer for my first question

1) I should write up all the symptoms and behaviors I have noticed and give to the evaluator?

[socrateaser]

>Thanks and the costs is nothing, it is covered under my
>insurance for one but even if it wasn't I would handle the
>costs because this is important.
>To be clear on what you said in the answer for my first
>question
>
>1) I should write up all the symptoms and behaviors I have
>noticed and give to the evaluator?

Yes, but DON'T state YOUR conclusions as to what you think these symptoms and behaviors mean, because that will prejudice the investigator. Leave the analysis to the expert.

PS. Your insurance company will refuse to pay for a forensic analysis to pay for an expert witness report, so if you intend to try to use your insurance, then you can't tell the investigator that you intend to use the report at trial. And, if you don't tell the investigator of your intentions, then, although the report will be good enough for an emergency ex parte hearing for the temporary order, you will need the testimony of the investigator at the final hearing, and then you'll have to pay the expert witness fees out of pocket, or the court will not admit the report, because the investigator's expert opinions are his/her intellectual property, not yours.

In other words, you ordinarily pay for an expert's diagnosis and advice, but not for the right to republish that diagnosis or for the expert's opinion at a legal proceeding. The court will protect the investigator's right to be compensated for his/her intellectual property.

[reellis527]

Thanks I think I have it.