There were red flags from the start. Ms. Love started by only communicating with my Ex. I called…read moreand left multiple messages over more than 2 months and received no response, however she corresponded with my Ex repeatedly sometimes more than 3 times in a day while failing to call me. She quickly jumped on the Reunification therapy bandwagon Even after being informed that RT was not ordered. "Attached please find the required court appointment language for reunification (multi-modal systems therapy) therapy. You can stipulate to agreed upon terms, and file with the court without using attorneys if you choose. Directions for filing your own documents are on most court web sites, but if you have questions, I'm happy to try to help if I can. Once the document has been filed and endorsed by the court, we can move forward."
After being told again that we had a stipulation and that RT hadn't been ordered, she responded that she would only provide Therapy if we adopted her stipulation, which could not be altered.
The language in the Stipulation is very concerning with how far reaching it is in terms of violating the rights of those involved, and giving unchecked power beyond that allowed even to a judge.
If you sign the "Required Court Appointment/Order for Multi-Modal Systems Therapy (Reunification Therapy) The Way Through Forensic Family Services" you give her complete control over: any psych/med treatments she decides are needed for you or your child to support the success of RT that you must comply with, physical custody, can't terminate 'treatment' even if seriously harming child unless she agrees or you fight her in court or if your Ex somehow agrees, allows for RT and intervention which is illegal in CA (piqui's law), makes the protective parent responsible for success with nebulous criteria, protective parent held financially responsible for session in full if they can't force the child to go in, forced contact for parent and child with their abuser.
12.
The MMST will have the authority to require that either parent individually engage in additional educational, therapeutic, or medical services deemed necessary and appropriate to facilitate reunification therapy including, but not limited to, parenting education, co-parenting education, psychiatric consultation, substance-abuse evaluation, or treatment and/or individual psychotherapy.
13.
The parents will promptly comply with all professionals' requests to provide informed consent so as to permit mutual collaboration in support of the child's needs.
14.
The MMST will have the discretion to dictate the timing, duration, media, and content of the child[ren]'s communication with either parent while apart for the duration of the therapy.
15.
Neither parent nor any among the parents' allies will alert the child to the proposed intervention unless and until the MMST instructs otherwise, at which time, parties will comply with the provider's instructions as to what should be said, when, and how.
16.
Each party will fully comply with the MMST's request in conducting counseling including, but not limited to, ensuring the child[ren] are transported to and from appointments in a timely manner and exercising parental authority to require that the child[ren] attend and cooperate with counseling treatments and interventions.
j.
If a parent cancels a counseling session less than 48 business hours in advance of the scheduled time, or fails to attend/bring the child[ren], that parent shall be responsible for 100% of the session cancellation fees.
18.
Neither parent may unilaterally terminate Multi-Modal Systems Therapy or fire the MMST therapist for any reason. However, both parents together may terminate the service and/or fire the provider by mutual consent. In addition, the court may terminate Multi-Modal Systems Therapy. The MMST may withdraw at her discretion by providing the court with written documentation of the circumstances and recommendations for next steps, if any.
