EVERY KID IS ONE CARING ADULT AWAY FROM BEING A SUCCESS HISTORY
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Josh Shipp
PRACTICE AREAS
Forensic Areas
CFI (Child & Family Investigations)
The Court may appoint a CFI in cases involving parental responsibilities, including parenting time and decision-making. The role of a CFI is limited, and it is defined by statute (C.R.S. §14-10-116.5.) As a CFI, my role is to investigate, report, and make recommendations to the Court, while following CFI Standards defined in CJD 04-08.
My experience as a CFI with pre-decree or post-decree cases include:
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Removal or Relocation cases: within U.S.A and international cases.
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Drug/alcohol issues: As a professional trained in SASSI (Substance Abuse Subtle Screening Inventory), I am able to provide a thorough drug/alcohol evaluation and testing, if ordered by the Court.
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Immigrant or Spanish-speaking families: Services in Spanish while respecting the family's cultural values.
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Domestic Violence: As a professional trained in the “SAFeR” methodology, I utilize this approach in cases with allegations of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV). This approach was published in the Family Court Review journal, and it was funded by the Department of Justice.
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Alienation: In alignment with current research, the focus is on the “alienated child”, rather than on parental alienation syndrome.
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Diverse families, including Same-sex parents, grandparents, families with strong religious beliefs, and children with special needs, including children diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder.
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Child Abuse or Neglect: A thorough investigation includes identifying risk factors, as well as distinguishing the family’s cultural child-rearing practices from child abuse or neglect.
CHILD & FAMILY INVESTIGATION
PRE (Parental Responsibility Evaluations)
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The Court may order a PRE in cases concerning the allocation of parental responsibilities, pursuant to C.R.S. 14-10-127. This type of evaluation usually addresses very complex issues, and it includes psychological testing of both parties (and sometimes the children.) Additional psychological testing for Intervenors or psychological parents may be conducted, if ordered by the Court.
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PC/DM (Parenting Coordinator/Decision Maker)
At any time after a Court makes an order concerning parental responsibilities, the Court may appoint a qualified professional to act in the role of a Parenting Coordinator, a Decision Maker, or both. My qualified training in both capacities allows me to assist parties in the resolution of disputes, including but not limited to the implementation of the court-ordered parenting plan. Critical to this role is my experience in conflict resolution, divorce dynamics, child development, domestic abuse, interviewing techniques, diversity, and substance abuse.
PARENTAL RESPONSABILITY EVALUATIONS
PARENTING COORDINATOR/DECISION MAKER
WORK PRODUCT REVIEW SERVICES
WPR (Work Product Review Services)
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A Work Product Review is an objective forensic analysis and in-depth review of a case file and its corresponding CFI or PRE report, which was previously submitted to the Court by a CFI or PRE professional. In making an objective analysis, both strengths and weakness identified in the report will be brought to light. A summary of the review is provided in a report, which can be presented in Court. Court testimony services to defend the WPR are also available, upon request.​ Ms. Troncoso may be retained for these services by a parent or by an attorney.
Mental Health Areas
MENTAL HEALTH EVALUATIONS
Mental Health Evaluations
As a licensed mental health professional with post-degree education, I provide mental health evaluations for a variety of reasons, including but not limited to:
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To assist the court in legal proceedings (by way of a referral by the court, a CFI, or an attorney.) These evaluations usually assist other professionals in identifying the presence and/or diagnosis of a person’s specific mental health symptoms. Formal psychological testing is part of these evaluations, including mental health screening tools to identify depression, anxiety, trauma, anger or aggression issues, substance overuse, or other mental health issues.
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To assess underlying mental health issues in the context of domestic violence, child abuse, or Parent-Child Resist/Refuse cases.
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To assist immigration attorneys in Homeland Security court cases.
SUPERVISED VISITS
Supervised Visits
If the Court has ordered supervised visits, very often these need to be done in the presence of a professional, and in a structured and safe setting. In providing this service to parents, I maintain an ethical standard of law, which focuses on maintaining and protecting the best interest of the child. Equally important, I value a parent’s cultural traditions, while respecting each parent’s right to be treated with dignity during their time with their children.
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Reunification Therapy
The primary goal of this type of therapy is to assist a parent and child, who have not been involved for some period of time, in re-establishing their relationship. As a licensed therapist, I follow a process of meeting with each party separately, prior to the first reunification session. This meeting allows me the opportunity to assess the parties’ ability to communicate their needs and/or feelings and to evaluate any safety concerns.
REUNIFICATION THERAPY
RATES & FEES
Child & Family Investigations (CFI):
The judge will decide whether you (and/or the other parent) should pay for this investigation. If the judge orders the State to pay, you do not have to pay anything. If the judge orders the parents to pay, he/she will order allocation of my retainer, which is $3,250. My hourly rate is $150 for CFI work.
Mental Health Evaluations
There are a variety of mental health evaluations, depending on the reason for the evaluation and the requesting institution. In general, the fee for a mental health evaluations is $1,200.
Parental Responsibility Evaluations (PRE)
These evaluations are always paid by the parties in the case, and the cost varies between $8,000-$10,000, depending on the issues involved or the number of people getting psychological testing..
Supervised visits
Due to COVID-19, Jeanette Troncoso is not providing this service at this time. Please check In 2023. Thank you.
Parenting Coordinator/Decision Maker (PC/DM)
These services are paid by the parents, and the fee is based on an hourly rate of $150.00 per hour, with a retainer of $2,000.
Work Product Review (WPR)
Cost: $150/hour with a $2,500 retainer required prior to the review.
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Court testimony services to defend the WPR are also available, upon request.