eNews

Following 3 years of collaboration, AFCC and ABA Family Section Task Force, under the leadership of Nancy Ver Steegh, JD, MSW, Chair; Stacy Heard, JD, Chair; Donna Erez-Navot, JD, BSW, Reporter, unanimously approved the 2025 Revisions of Model Standards for Family and Divorce Mediation. Below, Donna Erez-Navot shares a reflection of the Task Force's journey to the publication of the Standards through her foreword, and a link to review the final product.

I begin my term as AFCC president deeply impressed by the achievements of my predecessors and each of you, my colleagues. Each one of you brings something important to the table, and hopefully, takes something back. I am grateful to all of you for the work you have done, and for this amazing opportunity I have been given to assist in leading AFCC. Thank you.

Check out some shots of the Evening Celebration at AFCC's 62nd Annual Conference in New Orleans!

Stephanie Tabashneck, PsyD, JD offers practical guidance for family court professionals handling cases involving psychedelic use by parents. She emphasizes assessing the impact on parenting rather than relying on stigma, distinguishing between medical, spiritual, and recreational use, and staying informed about evolving legal and clinical contexts. Key recommendations include using evidence-based evaluations, avoiding overreliance on drug testing, creating individualized parenting plans, and maintaining cultural competence and professional humility throughout the process.

As AFCC prepares to welcome the insightful, deeply principled, and quietly formidable Hon. Dolores A. Bomrad as its next President at the upcoming conference in New Orleans, I find myself reflecting on a year of meaningful growth, collaboration, and transition. It has been an honour (with Canadian spelling 😊) to serve the AFCC community, a group that continues to lead with integrity and clarity in the ever-evolving field of family law and conflict resolution.