Reunification

Reunification is a systemic process intended to rebalance the quality of the child(ren)’s relationship with each parent when one parent has not had contact with the child(ren) for at least 6 months. The hope of reunification is that it will result in the re-establishing of the parent/child relationship and that the family members will learn and practice skills leading to healthier functioning in the future.

 

At Ascend, reunification requires the following:

• • The active participation and support of both parents 
  • The willingness of the parents (in most situations) to attend joint sessions
  • Cooperation between a child therapist and parent therapist who work as a team
  • Releases of information signed by family members to allow full disclosure of information between all Ascend providers and both parents
  • Releases of information for Ascend to speak freely with other providers and individuals who can help us better understand the family situation
  • The agreement of the parents that the children’s information will only be shared with parents at the discretion of Ascend providers
  • Ability of the family to attend daytime appointments
  • A court order for reunification services at Ascend Family Institute (see Forms section for a copy of our Model Court Order for Reunification Services for your review)
  • $5,000 deposit

 

Reunification is not a forensic evaluation or a process that will result in custody recommendations. We may make recommendations regarding possible next steps likely to support the reunification goals, but legal recommendations or custody recommendations are outside our scope of competency when we are acting as providers of reunification services.

 

This reunification services model offers several advantages. Reunification services are structured, with expectations for frequency of attendance for all family members, so problems are addressed proactively before they escalate. Also, the entire family participates in reunification, so children feel that their whole family is working together and they are not left alone to tackle these difficult family issues.

 

NOTE: Ascend does not accept insurance for most of the charges associated with reunification services. Sometimes, one or more family members needs therapeutic support during the reunification process and might chose an Ascend provider. In this case, those services may be billable to insurance, but families should anticipate all reunification sessions and charges will be billed at a rate of $175/hour and deducted directly from the deposit.

 

Ascend is currently offering reunification services only to families (parents) that have first attended a parenting course designed to move parents to a child-focused pattern of co-parenting. These courses are offered through The Bridging Center in Bloomington.

 

Resist/Refuse Intervention Readiness

This course is provided by therapists from Ascend Family Institute and the Bridging Center for families in which one parent has not had contact with the child(ren) for 6+ months, and for whom reunification has been ordered by the court or a PC.

• • The reunification preparedness class will offer recommendations that either the family is ready to proceed to reunification, or give specific recommendation on what each parent needs to work on prior to reunification starting.
  • Once the program has been completed and both parents have either been deemed ready or have completed the recommended next steps, Ascend Family Institute will agree to a consultation for your family for reunification services to see how we would be able to assist you.

 

Although there are a variety of reasons that families begin reunification services, we have found that the underlying foundation for success in each of these family systems relies on a working relationship between the parents to accomplish aligned goals for the children. Without this foundation of child-focused parenting assessed, Ascend will not agree to begin work with a new family.