The Aug. 1 editorial about the new Family Resolutions Specialty Court (FRSC) in Hampshire County was appropriately laudatory in its support for this innovative program (“Putting children first in divorce cases”).
As a practitioner and researcher on family law issues who has worked in this field for 25-plus years, I write to underscore how effective the specialty court is and to encourage families to use it and the community to support it. I have seen far too many loving families eviscerated by the adversarial nature of the family court, no matter how well-intentioned to be collaborative and cooperative they start out when separating or divorcing.
The FRSC offers mediation and guidance from some of the most experienced professionals in this region, connection to counseling services if desired, and fair and caring judicial decision-making. These all occur in a manner that supports families while in transition, provides for the legal and well-being needs of all family members, and occurs at a fraction of the cost families will pay if they engage in the traditional legal system.
There are few examples of similar programs in the U.S., and the others cost 4 times as much to sustain. This program in Hampshire County can function and thrive on a small amount of public and private funding, and serves as an excellent investment in the long-term health of families, saving our social service agencies assets in the long run.
I urge individuals and businesses to make it a priority for charitable giving to the families of the Valley, and encourage families to use it. You are lucky to have such a resource.
The team approach demonstrated by FRSC is dedicated to increasing the efficiency and efficacy of the legal process. As past participants will tell you, moms, dads, and kids feel good about having the FRSC in their community, as they complete their divorces with minimum upheaval and set their sights on the next chapter of their life as a family.
Marsha Pruett
Northampton