Category: Press Releases

NATIONAL PARENTS ORGANIZATION
PRESS RELEASE

September 3, 2015

BOSTON — National Parents Organization (NPO) backs the Massachusetts Child-Centered Family Law proposal that is receiving a great deal of support in the Massachusetts Legislature. NPO agrees with opponents that child custody reform should focus on the best interest of children. In doing so, the organization draws attention to the overwhelming amount of research showing shared parenting after divorce – a key provision of the proposal – is in the best interest of children.

“In recent years, the mounting evidence that children want and need both mom and dad in their lives after divorce now puts the matter beyond reasonable doubt. Simply put, the best interest of a child and shared parenting are one and the same in the average case,” said National Parents Organization Founder and Board Chair Ned Holstein, M.D., who served on the Massachusetts Working Group on Child-Centered Family Law – the group that drafted the legislation. “Given this research, I urge the Massachusetts Joint Committee on the Judiciary to move SB.834 and HB.1207 forward as soon as possible.”

There have been several recent comprehensive reviews of decades of research on the best interest of children after separation or divorce of their parents. Among the conclusions:

·       The Journal of the American Psychological Association published a paper titled “Social Science and Parenting Plans for Young Children: A Consensus Report” in 2014, and the conclusions were endorsed by 110 eminent authorities around the world. Authored by Dr. Richard Warshak at the University of Texas, the paper concluded, “…shared parenting should be the norm for parenting plans for children of all ages, including very young children.”

·       The Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC) published the recommendations of 32 family law experts in 2014, and the group concluded, “Children’s best interests are furthered by parenting plans that provide for continuing and shared parenting relationships that are safe, secure, and developmentally responsive and that also avoid a template calling for a specific division of time imposed on all families.”

Since the publication of these comprehensive review articles, additional research studies have continued to come in, showing the same conclusions. To give but one example in 2015:

·      The Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health published a 150,000-child study titled “Fifty moves a year: Is there an association between joint physical custody and psychosomatic problems in children?” in May, 2015, that concluded shared parenting after divorce or separation is in the best interest of children’s health because the arrangement lowers their stress levels.

The Massachusetts Child-Centered Family Law proposal responds to the evidence by encouraging family courts to award at least one-third of the parenting time to each parent after divorce. Currently, the state’s courts award sole physical custody to one parent, not shared parenting, a great majority of the time after divorce.
About 50 bipartisan Massachusetts legislators serve as sponsors and co-sponsors of the proposal. The proposal was born out of recommendations from the 18 distinguished stakeholders former Gov. Patrick appointed to the Massachusetts Working Group on Child-Centered Family Law. During a July hearing before the Joint Committee on the Judiciary,, dozens of parents detailed the negative impact the state’s child custody law has on their families and urged lawmakers to move the proposal forward. Only a few testified against the proposal, mainly representatives of the Women’s Bar Association of Massachusetts and the Boston Bar Association, who spoke against the measure, even though each organization had representatives on Gov. Patrick’s Working Group who, at that time, indicated approval of the proposed legislation..

“Opponents of the proposal have stated they’d like to see revisions to the state’s child custody statute that make children the top priority. The evidence shows shared parenting does exactly that. It is time Massachusetts enacts the Child-Centered Family Law so that our family courts can begin supporting what’s best for kids,” Dr. Holstein said.

MEDIA SOURCE

Ned Holstein, M.D., M.S.

A regular contributor to local and national media, Dr. Holstein is Founder and Chair of the Board of National Parents Organization. Dr. Holstein was appointed by the Governor of Massachusetts to the Massachusetts Working Group on Child-Centered Family Law, and he was previously appointed by a Massachusetts Chief Justice to a task force charged with reviewing and revising the state’s child support guidelines.

A graduate of Harvard College, Holstein also earned a Master’s degree in psychology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His medical degree is from Mount Sinai School of Medicine, where he later served on the faculty as a teacher and researcher. 

SINGLE PARENTING VERSUS SHARED PARENTING

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control, the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Census Bureau and numerous researchers have reported alarming outcomes for the 35% of children who are raised by single parents. Yet, until now, this factor has been largely ignored in the conversation about child wellbeing.

Children raised by single parents account for:

·  63% of teen suicides;

·  70% of juveniles in state-operated institutions;

·  71% of high school drop-outs;

·  75% of children in chemical abuse centers;

·  85% of those in prison;

·  85% of children who exhibit behavioral disorders; and

·  90% of homeless and runaway children.

Whether the problem is emotional disturbances of children, drug use, alcohol use, teen pregnancy, poor performance in school, trouble with the law or running with gangs, being raised by a single parent is a powerful risk factor. For many of these outcomes, single parenting is a stronger risk factor than race or poverty. Conversely, children on average do much better on all these measures if they have shared parenting. Children ardently desire shared parenting in most cases and are happier with it.

For parents, shared parenting significantly increases child support compliance, diminishes parental conflict and domestic violence and allows both parents to pursue their careers, social lives and other interests without the burden of singlehandedly raising a child.

ABOUT NATIONAL PARENTS ORGANIZATION

National Parents Organization, a charitable and educational 501 (c)(3) organization, seeks better lives for children through family law reform that establishes equal rights and responsibilities for fathers and mothers after divorce or separation. The Boston-based organization is focused on promoting shared parenting and preserving a child’s strong bond with both parents, which is critically important to their emotional, mental, and physical health. In 2014, National Parents Organization released the Shared Parenting Report Card, the first study to rank the states on child custody laws. Visit the National Parents Organization website at www.nationalparentsorganization.org

NATIONAL PARENTS ORGANIZATION
PRESS RELEASE

August 4, 2015

BOSTON – Dozens of Massachusetts parents detailed the negative impact the state’s child custody law has on their families and urged lawmakers to move forward with the Child-Centered Family Law proposal during a July 21 legislative hearing. Around 50 individuals, mostly parents, testified in favor of bills SB.834 and HB.1207 during the Joint Committee on the Judiciary hearing, and a few individuals, mostly members of state bar associations, spoke against the proposal.

During the five-and-a-half-hour hearing, parents, many of them members of Boston-based National Parents Organization, shared that their children are suffering as a result of the state’s child custody status quo of awarding one parent sole custody after divorce while reducing the other parent to a visitor in children’s lives. In addition, parents revealed the contentious and costly legal battles that have accompanied the parental inequality. The parents urged legislators to pass the reform, stressing that the revisions would work in children’s best interests by encouraging shared parenting after divorce and would benefit all family members by reducing conflict and legal costs.

Representatives of the Women’s Bar Association of Massachusetts and the Boston Bar Association spoke against the proposal, stating that the current law works well.

Several members of the Joint Committee on the Judiciary expressed support of the proposal during the hearing, and the committee’s pending vote will decide the proposal’s next step.

About 50 bipartisan Massachusetts legislators serve as sponsors and co-sponsors of the proposal. The proposal was born out of recommendations from the 18 distinguished stakeholders former Gov. Patrick appointed to the Massachusetts Working Group on Child-Centered Family Law. A key provision of the proposal encourages shared parenting after divorce. The Wall Street Journal story “Big Shift Pushed in Custody Disputes” revealed that nearly 20 other states are considering shared parenting legislation, and with South Dakota and Utah implementing shared parenting laws within the past year, Massachusetts could join the list of states leading the national trend by passing the reform.

Dr. Ned Holstein, who was appointed by former Governor Patrick to the Working Group and who is Founder and Board Chair of Boston-based National Parents Organization, testified in favor of the bill.

“I am encouraged by the overwhelming support voiced for the Child-Centered Family Law during the proposal’s first hearing. The proposal rightly overhauls the state’s outdated child custody law in a way that supports a more modern understanding of the best interests of children when parents divorce, and I hope Massachusetts families can soon experience these benefits,” Holstein said.

Proposal highlights include:

·Supports shared parenting by encouraging family courts to award at least one-third of the parenting time to each parent after divorce.

·Honors the best interest of the child. The shared parenting provision would improve on the family court tradition of awarding sole custody to just one parent, which deprives the child of the love and guidance of the other parent. The move is in line with a large amount of recent research on what is best for children. For example, just last month, the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health published a 150,000-person study that concluded shared parenting after divorce or separation is in the best interest of children by lowering their stress levels.. 

·Honors judicial discretion in child custody cases.

·Upholds laws that protect families from domestic violence. 

·Favors parents who seek to cooperate with the other parent as well as parents who support the child’s relationship with the other parent.

·Extends additional powers to family courts to punish parents who ignore its parenting time orders.

·Replaces harsh language with family terms. For example, “custody” is replaced with “parental responsibility.”

·Represents consensus among a broad group. The Massachusetts Working Group on Child-Centered Family Law included representation from the Massachusetts Bar Association, the Boston Bar Association, Massachusetts LGBTQ Bar Association, Academy of Matrimony Lawyers, The Women’s Bar Association, The Probate and Family Court, The Commonwealth’s Child Advocate, The House and Senate Co-Chairs of the Judiciary Committee, Governor’s Council to Address Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence, leading child development researchers and the National Parents Organization.

·Represents widespread legislative support. The Senate bill, sponsored by Senator Anne Gobi, D-Spencer, has gained 43 co-sponsors, and the House bill, sponsored by Representative Paul Brodeur, D-Melrose, is supported by 9 co-sponsors.

MEDIA SOURCE

Ned Holstein, M.D., M.S.

A regular contributor to local and national media, Dr. Holstein is Founder and Chair of the Board of National Parents Organization. Dr. Holstein was appointed by the Governor of Massachusetts to the Massachusetts Working Group on Child-Centered Family Law, and he was previously appointed by a Massachusetts Chief Justice to a task force charged with reviewing and revising the state’s child support guidelines.

A graduate of Harvard College, Holstein also earned a Master’s degree in psychology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His medical degree is from Mount Sinai School of Medicine, where he later served on the faculty as a teacher and researcher. 

SINGLE PARENTING VERSUS SHARED PARENTING

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control, the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Census Bureau and numerous researchers have reported alarming outcomes for the 35% of children who are raised by single parents. Yet, until now, this factor has been largely ignored in the conversation about child wellbeing.

Children raised by single parents account for:

· 63% of teen suicides;

· 70% of juveniles in state-operated institutions;

· 71% of high school drop-outs;

· 75% of children in chemical abuse centers;

· 85% of those in prison;

· 85% of children who exhibit behavioral disorders; and

· 90% of homeless and runaway children.

Whether the problem is emotional disturbances of children, drug use, alcohol use, teen pregnancy, poor performance in school, trouble with the law or running with gangs, being raised by a single parent is a powerful risk factor. For many of these outcomes, single parenting is a stronger risk factor than race or poverty. Conversely, children on average do much better on all these measures if they have shared parenting. Children ardently desire shared parenting in most cases and are happier with it.

For parents, shared parenting significantly increases child support compliance, diminishes parental conflict and domestic violence and allows both parents to pursue their careers, social lives and other interests without the burden of singlehandedly raising a child.

ABOUT NATIONAL PARENTS ORGANIZATION

National Parents Organization, a charitable and educational 501 (c)(3) organization, seeks better lives for children through family law reform that establishes equal rights and responsibilities for fathers and mothers after divorce or separation. The Boston-based organization is focused on promoting shared parenting and preserving a child’s strong bond with both parents, which is critically important to their emotional, mental, and physical health. In 2014, National Parents Organization released the Shared Parenting Report Card, the first study to rank the states on child custody laws. Visit the National Parents Organization website at www.nationalparentsorganization.org

NATIONAL PARENTS ORGANIZATION
PRESS RELEASE

July 15, 2015

MASSACHUSETTS PROPOSES HISTORIC REVISION OF CHILD CUSTODY LAW
FIRST LEGISLATIVE HEARING SET FOR JULY 22

BOSTON — About 50 bipartisan Massachusetts legislators are backing an overhaul of the state’s outdated child custody law that supports a more modern understanding of the best interests of children when parents divorce.

The Massachusetts Child-Centered Family Law, SB.834 and HB.1207, was born out of recommendations from the 18 distinguished stakeholders former Gov. Patrick appointed to the Massachusetts Working Group on Child-Centered Family Law. A key provision of the proposal encourages shared parenting after divorce. In light of The Wall Street Journal story “Big Shift Pushed in Custody Disputes” revealing that nearly 20 other states are considering shared parenting legislation, Massachusetts could lead the nation on this national trend by passing the reform. The proposal will be debated on July 22 when the Joint Committee on the Judiciary holds a hearing on SB 834.

Attorney Denise Squillante, a former President of the Massachusetts Bar Association, sat on the Massachusetts Working Group on Child-Centered Family Law and concluded, “This proposed legislation provides a workable and understandable framework for litigants to understand important considerations that the court will utilize when the needs of a child, which are paramount, are being considered in developing the parenting plan and parental responsibilities.”

Proposal highlights include:

Supports shared parenting by encouraging family courts to award at least one-third of the parenting time to each parent after divorce.

Honors the best interest of the child. The shared parenting provision would improve on the family court tradition of awarding sole custody to just one parent, which deprives the child of the love and guidance of the other parent. The move is in line with a large amount of recent research on what is best for children. For example, just last month, the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health published a 150,000-person study that concluded shared parenting after divorce or separation is in the best interest of children by lowering their stress levels..

Honors judicial discretion in child custody cases.

Upholds laws that protect families from domestic violence.

Favors parents who seek to cooperate with the other parent as well as parents who support the child’s relationship with the other parent.

Extends additional powers to family courts to punish parents who ignore its parenting time orders.

Replaces harsh language with family terms. For example, “custody” is replaced with “parental responsibility.”

Represents consensus among a broad group. The Massachusetts Working Group on Child-Centered Family Law included representation from the Massachusetts Bar Association, the Boston Bar Association, Massachusetts LGBTQ Bar Association, Academy of Matrimony Lawyers, The Women’s Bar Association, The Probate and Family Court, The Commonwealth’s Child Advocate, The House and Senate Co-Chairs of the Judiciary Committee, Governor’s Council to Address Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence, leading child development researchers and the National Parents Organization.

Represents widespread legislative support. The Senate bill, sponsored by Senator Anne Gobi, D-Spencer, has gained 43 co-sponsors, and the House bill, sponsored by Representative Paul Brodeur, D-Melrose, is supported by 9 co-sponsors.

Dr. Ned Holstein, who was appointed by former Governor Patrick to the Working Group and who is Founder and Board Chair of Boston-based National Parents Organization, praised the proposal.

“After spending more than 15 years listening to families tell heartbreaking stories as a result of our antiquated child custody law, I am grateful that the Massachusetts legislature is taking a serious look at reform that could lead to happier family outcomes,” Dr. Holstein said.

MEDIA SOURCE

Ned Holstein, M.D., M.S.

A regular contributor to local and national media, Dr. Holstein is Founder and Chair of the Board of National Parents Organization. Dr. Holstein was appointed by the Governor of Massachusetts to the Massachusetts Working Group on Child-Centered Family Law, and he was previously appointed by a Massachusetts Chief Justice to a task force charged with reviewing and revising the state’s child support guidelines.

A graduate of Harvard College, Holstein also earned a Master’s degree in psychology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His medical degree is from Mount Sinai School of Medicine, where he later served on the faculty as a teacher and researcher. 

SINGLE PARENTING VERSUS SHARED PARENTING

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control, the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Census Bureau and numerous researchers have reported alarming outcomes for the 35% of children who are raised by single parents. Yet, until now, this factor has been largely ignored in the conversation about child wellbeing.

Children raised by single parents account for:

• 63% of teen suicides;
• 70% of juveniles in state-operated institutions;
• 71% of high school drop-outs;
• 75% of children in chemical abuse centers;
• 85% of those in prison;
• 85% of children who exhibit behavioral disorders; and
• 90% of homeless and runaway children.

Whether the problem is emotional disturbances of children, drug use, alcohol use, teen pregnancy, poor performance in school, trouble with the law or running with gangs, being raised by a single parent is a powerful risk factor. For many of these outcomes, single parenting is a stronger risk factor than race or poverty. Conversely, children on average do much better on all these measures if they have shared parenting. Children ardently desire shared parenting in most cases and are happier with it.

For parents, shared parenting significantly increases child support compliance, diminishes parental conflict and domestic violence and allows both parents to pursue their careers, social lives and other interests without the burden of singlehandedly raising a child.

ABOUT NATIONAL PARENTS ORGANIZATION

National Parents Organization, a charitable and educational 501 (c)(3) organization, seeks better lives for children through family law reform that establishes equal rights and responsibilities for fathers and mothers after divorce or separation. The Boston-based organization is focused on promoting shared parenting and preserving a child’s strong bond with both parents, which is critically important to their emotional, mental, and physical health. In 2014, National Parents Organization released the Shared Parenting Report Card, the first study to rank the states on child custody laws. Visit the National Parents Organization website at www.nationalparentsorganization.org

NATIONAL PARENTS ORGANIZATION
PRESS RELEASE

June 17, 2015

FATHER’S DAY HITS AMID FAMILY COURT REFORM EFFORTS
NATIONAL PARENTS ORGANIZATION SUPPORTS LEGISLATION IN NEARLY 20 STATES

BOSTON — National Parents Organization encourages our friends in the media to recognize Father’s Day by highlighting the important need to reform our nation’s family courts, which continue to marginalize the role fathers play in the lives of their children by ordering sole custody, usually to mothers, in more than 80 percent of cases.

Father’s Day is an opportunity to highlight the gender inequality that presently exists in the family courts, as well as a chance to advance shared parenting as the new status quo in instances of divorce or separation. Presently, nearly 20 states are considering shared parenting and parental equality reform legislation that would not only recognize the value of both parents but more importantly, provide children what they most want and need — equal time with both parents in instances of divorce or separation.

“Fathers want to share the parenting time with mothers after separation, and research shows children want the same thing. Also, research overwhelmingly shows children greatly benefit when both parents play significant roles in their lives. With this in mind, I can’t think of a better gift for everyone this Father’s Day than moving shared parenting reform efforts forward,” said National Parents Organization Founder and Board Chair Ned Holstein, MD, MS.

The shared parenting movement is supported by recent child development research. The most recent of many examples appeared this spring in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health. This 150,000-person study found that shared parenting after divorce or separation is in the best interest of children’s health. The study, “Fifty moves a year: is there an association between joint physical custody and psychosomatic problems in children?” evaluated the mental health of children and concluded that children with shared parenting, spending substantial time with each parent, were significantly less stressed than children living mostly with one parent.

Not only do studies consistently show that shared parenting is best for children when parents divorce or separate, but also, federal statistics show the startling impact single parenting has on children. Consider that, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Census Bureau, the 35 percent of children raised by single parents account for:

• 63 percent of teen suicides
• 70 percent of juveniles in state-operated institutions
• 71 percent of high school drop-outs
• 75 percent of children in chemical abuse centers
• 85 percent of those in prison
• 85 percent of children who exhibit behavioral disorders
• 90 percent of homeless and runaway children

“Too many children have suffered when both parents aren’t actively involved in their lives. Please support the best interest of children on Father’s Day by joining me in supporting efforts to bring shared parenting and parental equality to family courtrooms nationwide,” Dr. Holstein said.

MEDIA SOURCE

Ned Holstein, M.D., M.S.

A regular contributor to local and national media, Dr. Holstein is Founder and Chair of the Board of National Parents Organization. Dr. Holstein was appointed by the Governor of Massachusetts to the Massachusetts Working Group on Child-Centered Family Law, and he was previously appointed by a Massachusetts Chief Justice to a task force charged with reviewing and revising the state’s child support guidelines.

A graduate of Harvard College, Holstein also earned a Master’s degree in psychology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His medical degree is from Mount Sinai School of Medicine, where he later served on the faculty as a teacher and researcher. 

SINGLE PARENTING VERSUS SHARED PARENTING

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control, the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Census Bureau and numerous researchers have reported alarming outcomes for the 35% of children who are raised by single parents. Yet, until now, this factor has been largely ignored in the conversation about child wellbeing.

Children raised by single parents account for:

• 63% of teen suicides;
• 70% of juveniles in state-operated institutions;
• 71% of high school drop-outs;
• 75% of children in chemical abuse centers;
• 85% of those in prison;
• 85% of children who exhibit behavioral disorders; and
• 90% of homeless and runaway children.

Whether the problem is emotional disturbances of children, drug use, alcohol use, teen pregnancy, poor performance in school, trouble with the law or running with gangs, being raised by a single parent is a powerful risk factor. For many of these outcomes, single parenting is a stronger risk factor than race or poverty. Conversely, children on average do much better on all these measures if they have shared parenting. Children ardently desire shared parenting in most cases and are happier with it.

For parents, shared parenting significantly increases child support compliance, diminishes parental conflict and domestic violence and allows both parents to pursue their careers, social lives and other interests without the burden of singlehandedly raising a child.

ABOUT NATIONAL PARENTS ORGANIZATION

National Parents Organization, a charitable and educational 501 (c)(3) organization, seeks better lives for children through family law reform that establishes equal rights and responsibilities for fathers and mothers after divorce or separation. The organization is focused on promoting shared parenting and preserving a child’s strong bond with both parents, which is critically important to their emotional, mental, and physical health. In 2014, National Parents Organization released the Shared Parenting Report Card, the first study to rank the states on child custody laws. Visit the National Parents Organization at nationalparentsorganization.org.

NATIONAL PARENTS ORGANIZATION
PRESS RELEASE

June 2, 2015

STUDY: SHARED PARENTING BEST FOR CHILDREN POST-DIVORCE
NATIONAL PARENTS ORGANIZATION ENCOURAGES STATES TO ACT ON RESEARCH

BOSTON – National Parents Organization celebrates the results of a study recently published by the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health and reported on by TIME magazine that found shared parenting after divorce or separation is in the best interest of children’s health.

The 150,000-person study “Fifty moves a year: is there an association between joint physical custody and psychosomatic problems in children?” evaluated the mental health of children living in both shared parenting and sole custody situations when their parents live apart and concluded the children with shared parenting – children spending substantial time with each parent – were significantly less stressed than children living with one parent a great majority of the time.

National Parents Organization Founder and Board Chair Ned Holstein, MD, MS, said, “I am pleased to see yet another study conclude that children need and want shared parenting, and I hope that legislators and governors in every state in the nation will react to the overwhelming research in favor of shared parenting by passing family court reform that allows more children to experience the constant love and care of both parents.”

While family courts award sole custody, typically to the mother, instead of shared parenting about 80 percent of the time, state legislatures in nearly 20 states are currently considering shared parenting proposals that seek to begin reversing the statistics.

The TIME story on the recent report, headlined “This Divorce Arrangement Stresses Kids Out Most,” featured Holstein’s expertise on the benefits of shared parenting.

“You’ll hear opponents say, ‘You’ll turn them into suitcase kids; they don’t want to be dragged back and forth,’” Holstein said in the April 27, 2015, TIME story. “Clearly, taking the suitcase back and forth once or twice a week so that you spend a lot of time with both parents is way better for the kids than the alternative of basically losing an intimate and closely loving relationship with one parent.”

MEDIA SOURCE

Ned Holstein, M.D., M.S.

A regular contributor to local and national media, Dr. Holstein is Founder and Chair of the Board of National Parents Organization. Dr. Holstein was appointed by the Governor of Massachusetts to the Massachusetts Working Group on Child-Centered Family Law, and he was previously appointed by a Massachusetts Chief Justice to a task force charged with reviewing and revising the state’s child support guidelines.

A graduate of Harvard College, Holstein also earned a Master’s degree in psychology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His medical degree is from Mount Sinai School of Medicine, where he later served on the faculty as a teacher and researcher. 

SINGLE PARENTING VERSUS SHARED PARENTING

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control, the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Census Bureau and numerous researchers have reported alarming outcomes for the 35% of children who are raised by single parents. Yet, until now, this factor has been largely ignored in the conversation about child wellbeing.
Children raised by single parents account for:

• 63% of teen suicides;
• 70% of juveniles in state-operated institutions;
• 71% of high school drop-outs;
• 75% of children in chemical abuse centers;
• 85% of those in prison;
• 85% of children who exhibit behavioral disorders; and
•  90% of homeless and runaway children.

Whether the problem is emotional disturbances of children, drug use, alcohol use, teen pregnancy, poor performance in school, trouble with the law or running with gangs, being raised by a single parent is a powerful risk factor. For many of these outcomes, single parenting is a stronger risk factor than race or poverty. Conversely, children on average do much better on all these measures if they have shared parenting. Children ardently desire shared parenting in most cases and are happier with it.

For parents, shared parenting significantly increases child support compliance, diminishes parental conflict and domestic violence and allows both parents to pursue their careers, social lives and other interests without the burden of singlehandedly raising a child.

ABOUT NATIONAL PARENTS ORGANIZATION

National Parents Organization, a charitable and educational 501 (c)(3) organization, seeks better lives for children through family law reform that establishes equal rights and responsibilities for fathers and mothers after divorce or separation. The organization is focused on promoting shared parenting and preserving a child’s strong bond with both parents, which is critically important to their emotional, mental, and physical health. In 2014, National Parents Organization released the Shared Parenting Report Card, the first study to rank the states on child custody laws. Visit the National Parents Organization at nationalparentsorganization.org.

NATIONAL PARENTS ORGANIZATION
PRESS RELEASE
Contact: Nancy Rigdon, nancyrigdon@nationalparentsorganization.org

May 18, 2015

UTAH’S NEW SHARED PARENTING LAW SERVES AS NATIONAL COURT REFORM MODEL
NEARLY 20 STATES CONSIDERING SIMILAR PROPOSALS

National Parents Organization applauds Utah for being one of the first states in the nation to pass shared parenting — the family court reform highlighted in The Wall Street Journal story, “Big Shift Pushed in Custody Disputes.”

Utah’s new law, which went into effect this week as a result of the passage of HB35 this legislative session, combats the outdated family court tradition of awarding sole custody to one parent — usually to the mother — about 80 percent of the time. Instead, it encourages the state courts to more equally award child custody following divorce or separation. As The Wall Street Journal story revealed, nearly 20 other states are actively considering shared parenting legislation.

“With research increasingly showing that children desperately want and need both parents after separation or divorce, I’m encouraged to see Utah lawmakers act on the evidence and bring state laws in line with what’s best for families. Now, it’s time for many other states to follow Utah’s lead and work to bring shared parenting and parental equality to more family courtrooms throughout the United States,” said National Parents Organization Founder and Board Chair Ned Holstein, M.D., M.S.

National Parents Organization of Utah was actively involved in efforts to pass HB35. Most importantly, the new law encourages the court to increase the child’s time with the noncustodial parent from the current level of 110 days per year up to at least 145 days, or 40 percent.

Dan Deuel of National Parents Organization of Utah, said, “On behalf of parents throughout the state of Utah, I’d like to extend a thank you to the Utah State Legislature for standing up to a broken system that harms children and parents and creating a historical change that will allow more children to experience the constant love and support of both parents in their lives. In particular, I’d like to recognize the outstanding efforts of chief sponsor Rep. V. Lowry Snow, R-St. George. He’s a champion for Utah families, and his hard work was crucial to the success of this bill.”

Utah’s new law is in line with recent child development research. The most recent of many examples recently appeared in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health. This study found that shared parenting after divorce or separation is in the best interest of children’s health. The study, “Fifty moves a year: is there an association between joint physical custody and psychosomatic problems in children?” evaluated the mental health of children living in both shared parenting and sole custody situations after divorce or separation and concluded that the children with shared parenting — children spending substantial time with each parent — were significantly less stressed than children living with one parent a great majority of the time.

“Given the data, Utah’s new shared parenting law is a step in the right direction, and National Parents Organization of Utah intends to work on further refining the statute in future years to further improve the state’s child custody law,” Deuel said. “I am proud that Utah is a national leader is this area.”
 
MEDIA SOURCE

Dan Deuel, Chair, National Parents Organization of Utah
  
SINGLE PARENTING VERSUS SHARED PARENTING

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control, the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Census Bureau and numerous researchers have reported alarming outcomes for the 35% of children who are raised by single parents. Yet, until now, this factor has been largely ignored in the conversation about child wellbeing.

Children raised by single parents account for:

• 63% of teen suicides;
• 70% of juveniles in state-operated institutions;
• 71% of high school drop-outs;
• 75% of children in chemical abuse centers;
• 85% of those in prison;
• 85% of children who exhibit behavioral disorders; and
•  90% of homeless and runaway children.

Whether the problem is emotional disturbances of children, drug use, alcohol use, teen pregnancy, poor performance in school, trouble with the law or running with gangs, being raised by a single parent is a powerful risk factor. For many of these outcomes, single parenting is a stronger risk factor than race or poverty. Conversely, children on average do much better on all these measures if they have shared parenting. Children ardently desire shared parenting in most cases and are happier with it.

For parents, shared parenting significantly increases child support compliance, diminishes parental conflict and domestic violence and allows both parents to pursue their careers, social lives and other interests without the burden of singlehandedly raising a child.

ABOUT NATIONAL PARENTS ORGANIZATION

National Parents Organization, a charitable and educational 501 (c)(3) organization, seeks better lives for children through family law reform that establishes equal rights and responsibilities for fathers and mothers after divorce or separation. The organization is focused on promoting shared parenting and preserving a child’s strong bond with both parents, which is critically important to their emotional, mental, and physical health. In 2014, National Parents Organization released the Shared Parenting Report Card, the first study to rank the states on child custody laws. Visit the National Parents Organization website at www.nationalparentsorganization.org

NATIONAL PARENTS ORGANIZATION

PRESS RELEASE

April 22, 2015

NATIONAL PARENTS ORGANIZATION OBSERVES PARENTAL ALIENATION AWARENESS DAY

LEGISLATION IN NEARLY 20 STATES SUPPORTS SHARED PARENTING AND PARENTAL EQUALITY

BOSTON — As Parental Alienation Awareness Day nears – Saturday, April 25, 2015 – National Parents Organization emphasizes that while our nation’s family courts continue to marginalize one of the parents following divorce or separation, the organization is encouraged by the fact that lawmakers in about 20 states are working to support shared parenting and parental equality in child custody cases.

“Winner-take-all custody battles are unnecessary, since shared parenting works best for children in most cases. Worse, custody battles often create permanent hostility between parents that can then turn into ‘parental alienation,’ a common situation in which one parent alienates the child from the other parent,” said Robert Franklin, Esq., who serves on National Parents Organization’s Board of Directors. “The most powerful way to prevent parental alienation is to have shared parenting from the first day parents separate. It’s very hard to alienate a child from a parent whose loving care the child experiences frequently. Unfortunately, it’s not hard to alienate a young child from a parent they rarely get to see. I’m encouraged by the current, nationwide family court reform effort to move away from parental alienation and towards parental equality.”

As The Wall Street Journal reported April 16 in the article, “Big Shift Pushed in Custody Disputes,” about 20 states are considering shared parenting legislation. The bills are similar in that they encourage family courts to more equally award child custody in instances of divorce and separation. Now, sole custody, usually awarded to the mother, is ordered more than 80 percent of the time, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The proposals seek to put parents on equal footing from the start, reducing conflict, parental alienation and legal costs.

This movement falls in line with recent research showing children thrive with significant time with both parents.

“There have been a lot of studies in recent years that show that when you share parenting duty – when both the mother and the father share at least 35 percent of the actual parenting responsibilities – the outcomes are very good for children,” The Wall Street Journal’s Ashby Jones stated in the Journal’s video on the issue.

In the past year alone, three groups of child development researchers and practitioners endorsed shared parenting in most circumstances. Among the endorsements is a report published by the American Psychological Association from prominent psychologist Dr. Richard Warshak, titled “Social Science and Parenting Plans for Young Children: A Consensus Report.” The paper was endorsed by 110 child development experts and concludes “shared parenting should be the norm for parenting plans for children of all ages, including very young children.” In addition, federal statistics show the devastating impact single parenting has on children. (See “Single Parenting Versus Shared Parenting” below.)

“Luckily, this crisis has a solution in shared parenting. I hope we soon see the day where parents are often considered as equal in divorce as they are in marriage – after all, it’s in the best interest of kids,” Franklin said.

MEDIA SOURCE

Ned Holstein, M.D., M.S.

A regular contributor to local and national media, Dr. Holstein is Founder and Chair of the Board of National Parents Organization.

Dr. Holstein was appointed by the Governor of Massachusetts to the Massachusetts Working Group on Child Centered Family Law, and he was previously appointed by a Massachusetts Chief Justice to a task force charged with reviewing and revising the state’s child support guidelines.

A graduate of Harvard College, Holstein also earned a Master’s degree in psychology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His medical degree is from Mount Sinai School of Medicine, where he later served on the faculty as a teacher and researcher. 
SINGLE PARENTING VERSUS SHARED PARENTING

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control, the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Census Bureau and numerous researchers have reported alarming outcomes for the 35% of children who are raised by single parents. Yet, until now, this factor has been largely ignored in the conversation about child wellbeing.

Children raised by single parents account for:

• 63% of teen suicides;
• 70% of juveniles in state-operated institutions;
• 71% of high school drop-outs;
• 75% of children in chemical abuse centers;
• 85% of those in prison;
• 85% of children who exhibit behavioral disorders; and
• 90% of homeless and runaway children.

Whether the problem is emotional disturbances of children, drug use, alcohol use, teen pregnancy, poor performance in school, trouble with the law or running with gangs, being raised by a single parent is a powerful risk factor. For many of these outcomes, single parenting is a stronger risk factor than race or poverty. Conversely, children on average do much better on all these measures if they have shared parenting. Children ardently desire shared parenting in most cases and are happier with it.

For parents, shared parenting significantly increases child support compliance, diminishes parental conflict and domestic violence and allows both parents to pursue their careers, social lives and other interests without the burden of singlehandedly raising a child.

ABOUT NATIONAL PARENTS ORGANIZATION

National Parents Organization, a charitable and educational 501 (c)(3) organization, seeks better lives for children through family law reform that establishes equal rights and responsibilities for fathers and mothers after divorce or separation. The organization is focused on promoting shared parenting and preserving a child’s strong bond with both parents, which is critically important to their emotional, mental, and physical health. In 2014, National Parents Organization released the Shared Parenting Report Card, the first study to rank the states on child custody laws. Visit the National Parents Organization website at www.nationalparentsorganization.org

NATIONAL PARENTS ORGANIZATION PRESS RELEASE

April 21, 2015

ALERT:THE WALL STREET JOURNAL SHINES LIGHT ON FAMILY COURT REFORM TREND

SHARED PARENTING BILLS OFTEN SEE BAR ASSOCIATION OPPOSITION

BOSTON – National Parents Organization was pleased to work with The Wall Street Journal on its in-depth coverage that reveals a national trend in which nearly 20 state legislatures have introduced shared parenting legislation to reform our family courts and encourage parental equality in instances of divorce or separation.

These states include:

“Prompted partly by fathers concerned that men for too long have gotten short shrift in custody decisions, about 20 states are considering measures that would change the laws governing which parent gets legal and physical control of a child after a divorce or separation,” The Wall Street Journal’s Ashby Jones reported in the April 16 article “Big Shift Pushed in Custody Disputes.” “The proposals generally encourage judges to adopt custody schedules that maximize time for each parent.”

The Wall Street Journal article includes comments from National Parents Organization Board Member Donald Hubin, Ph.D., who directed the research and publication of National Parents Organization’s inaugural Shared Parenting Report Card.

The national legislative trend is in line with recent social science research.

“There have been a lot of studies in recent years that show that when you share parenting duty – when both the mother and the father share at least 35 percent of the actual parenting responsibilities – the outcomes are very good for children,”The Wall Street Journal’s Ashby Jones stated in the Journal’s video on the issue.

National Parents Organization Founder and Board Chair Ned Holstein, M.D., M.S., said, “I’m encouraged to see legislators in one-third of our states acting on the research, and I urge lawmakers in all states to move shared parenting forward so more children can experience the constant love and care of both their parents.”

The Wall Street Journal article highlighted that many of these bills are being opposed by similar interests – family law attorneys and state bar associations. “Supporters maintain that the opponents, which include many family lawyers and bar associations, are trying to keep alive an adversarial culture that leads to lengthy—and often lucrative—court battles,” Jones reported. “They say the law should better reflect recent studies that show children are better off when both parents play a meaningful role in their lives.”

MEDIA SOURCE

Ned Holstein, M.D., M.S.

A regular contributor to local and national media, Dr. Holstein is Founder and Chair of the Board of National Parents Organization. Dr. Holstein was appointed by the Governor of Massachusetts to the Massachusetts Working Group on Child Centered Family Law, and he was previously appointed by a Massachusetts Chief Justice to a task force charged with reviewing and revising the state’s child support guidelines.

A graduate of Harvard College, Holstein also earned a Master’s degree in psychology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His medical degree is from Mount Sinai School of Medicine, where he later served on the faculty as a teacher and researcher.

SINGLE PARENTING VERSUS SHARED PARENTING

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control, the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Census Bureau and numerous researchers have reported alarming outcomes for the 35% of children who are raised by single parents. Yet, until now, this factor has been largely ignored in the conversation about child wellbeing.

Children raised by single parents account for:

• 63% of teen suicides;
• 70% of juveniles in state-operated institutions;
• 71% of high school drop-outs;
• 75% of children in chemical abuse centers;
• 85% of those in prison;
• 85% of children who exhibit behavioral disorders; and
• 90% of homeless and runaway children.

Whether the problem is emotional disturbances of children, drug use, alcohol use, teen pregnancy, poor performance in school, trouble with the law or running with gangs, being raised by a single parent is a powerful risk factor. For many of these outcomes, single parenting is a stronger risk factor than race or poverty. Conversely, children on average do much better on all these measures if they have shared parenting. Children ardently desire shared parenting in most cases and are happier with it.

For parents, shared parenting significantly increases child support compliance, diminishes parental conflict and domestic violence and allows both parents to pursue their careers, social lives and other interests without the burden of singlehandedly raising a child.

ABOUT NATIONAL PARENTS ORGANIZATION

National Parents Organization, a charitable and educational 501 (c)(3) organization, seeks better lives for children through family law reform that establishes equal rights and responsibilities for fathers and mothers after divorce or separation. The organization is focused on promoting shared parenting and preserving a child’s strong bond with both parents, which is critically important to their emotional, mental, and physical health. In 2014, National Parents Organization released the Shared Parenting Report Card, the first study to rank the states on child custody laws. Visit the National Parents Organization website at www.nationalparentsorganization.org

NATIONAL PARENTS ORGANIZATION

PRESS RELEASE

March 18, 2015

SINGLE PARENT APPRECIATION DAY REMINDS OF NEED FOR FAMILY COURT REFORM

17 STATE LEGISLATURES CURRENTLY CONSIDERING SHARED PARENTING LAWS

BOSTON – While the calendar calls Saturday, March 21, Single Parent Appreciation Day, National Parents Organization emphasizes that to truly appreciate single parents, we must reform our nation’s family courts in ways that encourage parental equality and shared parenting in instances of divorce or separation.

Fortunately, at least 17 states are currently considering shared parenting legislation that would reform a system that favors one parent over another in an overwhelming majority of instances – according to the U.S. Census Bureau, sole custody is awarded to one parent in about 83 percent of cases.

With active legislation in at least one-third of our nation’s states, communities across the nation are sending a message that the status quo in our family courts is no longer acceptable considering not only the negative impacts on parents of our modern families but more importantly, the negative impacts on our children (see below: Single Parenting Versus Shared Parenting).

While family courts routinely operate under a 1950s model that places parents on unequal footing, recent comprehensive reviews of child development research show that children thrive with shared parenting following separation or divorce.

For instance, the American Psychological Association recently published a report by prominent University of Texas psychologist Richard Warshak, titled “Social Science and Parenting Plans for Young Children: A Consensus Report,” which was signed by 110 child development experts and concludes “Shared parenting should be the norm for parenting plans for children of all ages, including very young children.” In addition, federal statistics show the alarming impact that single parenting has on children (see “Single Parenting Versus Shared Parenting” below).

Despite the research, parents seeking shared parenting after divorce or separation face an uphill battle. National Parents Organization recently published an inaugural Shared Parenting Report Card that issued each state’s child custody statutes a grade, A through F, and the results show most states’ laws work against shared parenting.

When President Ronald Reagan proclaimed the first National Single Parent Day in 1984, his proclamation read, “Single parents deserve our recognition and appreciation for their demonstrated dedication to their young.” This National Single Parent Day, National Parents Organization invites others to join efforts to reform family courts so that single parents have a true reason to celebrate.

MEDIA SOURCE

Ned Holstein, M.D., M.S.

A regular contributor to local and national media, Dr. Holstein is Founder and Chair of the Board of National Parents Organization. Dr. Holstein was appointed by the Governor of Massachusetts to the Massachusetts Working Group on Child Centered Family Law, and he was previously appointed by a Massachusetts Chief Justice to a task force charged with reviewing and revising the state’s child support guidelines.

A graduate of Harvard College, Holstein also earned a Master’s degree in psychology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His medical degree is from Mount Sinai School of Medicine, where he later served on the faculty as a teacher and researcher.

SINGLE PARENTING VERSUS SHARED PARENTING

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control, the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Census Bureau and numerous researchers have reported alarming outcomes for the 35% of children who are raised by single parents. Yet, until now, this factor has been largely ignored in the conversation about child wellbeing.

Children raised by single parents account for:

• 63% of teen suicides;
• 70% of juveniles in state-operated institutions;
• 71% of high school drop-outs;
• 75% of children in chemical abuse centers;
• 85% of those in prison;
• 85% of children who exhibit behavioral disorders; and
• 90% of homeless and runaway children.

Whether the problem is emotional disturbances of children, drug use, alcohol use, teen pregnancy, poor performance in school, trouble with the law or running with gangs, being raised by a single parent is a powerful risk factor. For many of these outcomes, single parenting is a stronger risk factor than race or poverty. Conversely, children on average do much better on all these measures if they have shared parenting. Children ardently desire shared parenting in most cases and are happier with it.

For parents, shared parenting significantly increases child support compliance, diminishes parental conflict and domestic violence and allows both parents to pursue their careers, social lives and other interests without the burden of singlehandedly raising a child.

ABOUT NATIONAL PARENTS ORGANIZATION

National Parents Organization, a charitable and educational 501 (c)(3) organization, seeks better lives for children through family law reform that establishes equal rights and responsibilities for fathers and mothers after divorce or separation. The organization is focused on promoting shared parenting and preserving a child’s strong bond with both parents, which is critically important to their emotional, mental, and physical health. In 2014, National Parents Organization released the Shared Parenting Report Card, the first study to rank the states on child custody laws. Visit the National Parents Organization website at www.nationalparentsorganization.org.