Allegations of substance misuse and/or abuse are increasingly common in contested divorce actions. This interdisciplinary panel will discuss how such allegations can be assessed and addressed in the context of family law disputes. Panel members will discuss the effects of cannabis and alcohol use on health and parenting; the current status of substance use disorder assessments; how assessments are best used in parenting plan evaluations and other dispute resolution venues; when and how to refer for substance use assessments; application of substance use data in case analysis and crafting recommendations; managing substance use disorders in litigation.
Learning Objectives:
- Participants will be able to describe the challenges for attorneys, custody evaluators and mediators trying to determine if a client has a substance use disorder.
- Participants will be able to demonstrate knowledge of ways that an alcohol use disorder can negatively impact direct parenting of children.
- Participants will be able to describe the efficacy and drawbacks of at least two means of testing for alcohol use.