When parents decide to go their separate ways, they embark on a difficult life change fraught with hardship, grief, and heartache for themselves and their children. At this time of great stress, parents want to do what’s best for their children who are often confused and frightened about what this separation will mean for them and their parents.

Through its Family Rebuilding and Reorganizing Services, Catholic Charities provides help to adults and children during this transition to find hope, strength, and new ways to maintain peaceful family relationships.

Services are available before, during, and after break-up whether a marriage occurred (dissolution) or not (paternity). The goal is to help parents plan for their children’s future so conflict is minimized and the children maintain positive relationships with each parent and each parent ’s extended family.

Counseling
For adults and/or children regarding divorce adjustment. Fees are assessed on a sliding fee and are insurance and medical assistance reimbursable. See Clinical Counseling programs for more information.

Custody Study Evaluations
Catholic Charities provides court ordered custody study evaluations to establish first time permanent custody. Studies can be done by order of courts in Winona, Wabasha, Goodhue, Olmsted, Houston, Dodge and Fillmore counties. Studies are done within 90 days of the time the court order is received and arrangements for payment are made. Studies consist of interviews with parents, children, references; home visits in each parent’s home if within 225 miles of Rochester or Winona. (Extra fee is charged if home is more than 60 miles from evaluator’s office.) Fees must be prepaid in full before services can proceed.

Chemical dependency evaluations or psychological evaluations may be required and if so, are added to the financial responsibility of the parties.

Evaluators have been trained by the Minnesota Association of Custody Resolution Specialists and are licensed in social work.

Evaluations for Change of Permanent Custody
This is an impartial recommendation and evaluation that can be provided to the court. Services must be court ordered based on an agreement by the parents to use Catholic Charities staff as a neutral family expert.

Abreviated Custody Assessments are also available if requested by both attorneys attempting to help their clients reach an out of court settlement.

Catholic Charities staff will be an experienced Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker.

A pre-paid retainer will be collected. Extra time will be charged for, and unused time will be refunded.

Mediation of Custody and Parenting Time Issues
A neutral, trained, facilitative mediator can assist couples before or during court involvement to work out their own agreement for their children’s future. This is a voluntary service and no information from the mediation can be shared with the court unless agreed to by both parents.

The mediator is certified as a Rule 114 Alternative Dispute Resolution neutral and is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker. Mediation sessions are held in the Winona office.

A free orientation for this service is available. Subsequent time requires a pre-paid retainer.

For more information on Family Rebuilding and Reorganizing Services, contact Mary Chase Borgen at the Winona office, 507-454-2270.

All services, focused on the best interests of the children involved, will be provided in a fair, objective, and impartial manner.

Services are provided regardless of faith practice or ideological beliefs.

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