Guide to Massachusetts Supervised Visitation Centers
A supervised visitation center is a designated location or arrangement where a parent can visit their children in the presence of a trained supervisor, ensuring the child(ren)’s safety and wellbeing. The children is always within eyesight or earshot distance of the supervisor at all times. Supervised parenting time also includes the supervised transfer of the child(ren) for parenting time.
Supervised visitation facilities offer a lifeline for parents seeking to maintain relationships with their children amidst challenging circumstances. These programs play a vital role in fostering healthy connections while prioritizing the safety and well-being of all involved.
Supervised visitation facilities tackle serious issues such as domestic violence, verbal abuse, and parental neglect, ensuring that families receive the support they require during difficult times.
Supervised visitation facilities offer comprehensive tools and services essential to addressing challenging family dynamics, ensuring a safe, controlled, and supportive environment for all involved.
Purpose of Supervised Visitation Facilities
Supervised visitation facilities play a crucial role in maintaining the delicate balance of child-parent relationships, particularly when circumstances are challenging. These facilities provide a safe and structured environment where parents can engage with their children.
Key Purposes of Supervised Visitation Facilities:
- Safety: Ensures a secure atmosphere for parenting time, safeguarding both the child and parent.
- Monitoring: A parenting time monitor is present to oversee interactions, ensuring visitation guidelines and visitation rights are upheld.
- Support: Provides access to visitation programs tailored to individual family needs, whether through physical or virtual visitation.
- Consistency: Helps maintain a history of visitation scheduling, promoting routine and stability in family visitations.
- Reunification: Aids in achieving visitation goals, facilitating a gradual restoration of relationships.
These centers serve as a bridge, allowing visitation for parents while ensuring the child’s well-being is prioritized. Whether through an intake interview to assess needs or a variety of visitation programs, these facilities work towards fostering positive interactions and healthy family dynamics.
Importance of Supervised Visitation
Supervised visitation serves as a crucial component in maintaining a safe and structured environment for family visitations. These facilities offer a neutral setting where children can engage with their parents under the supervision of trained professionals. This setup is essential for ensuring physical and emotional security, facilitating the rebuilding of child relationships without the risk associated with unsupervised interactions.
The benefits of supervised visitation are numerous. It helps protect the vulnerable party by offering safe visitation options, addressing potential risks related to mental illness, domestic violence, and other family conflicts. Additionally, the supervised setting provides an opportunity for parenting time monitors to observe interactions, assist in achieving visitation goals, and ensure compliance with visitation mandates and guidelines.
Addressing Domestic Violence
Domestic violence is a critical issue that supervised visitation centers address comprehensively. These centers serve as safe spaces where parents can visit their children without fear of domestic violence incidents. The structured environment prevents any form of physical harm and ensures that visits between parents and children are positive and enriching. The facilities’ emphasis on safety helps mitigate risks and provides a secure atmosphere for parenting time.
By focusing on domestic violence prevention, supervised visitation centers enable healthier interaction patterns. This controlled environment not only protects the child but also facilitates conflict-free parenting experiences, which can contribute to a healthier family dynamic and ultimately meet parenting goals.
Managing Verbal Abuse
Managing verbal abuse during visits is another key focus of supervised visitation centers. Trained staff are present to monitor conversations and intervene if any form of verbal hostility is detected. This helps maintain the goal of fostering a supportive and positive environment, which is crucial for the child’s well-being and helps build a constructive child-parent relationship.
A zero-tolerance policy for verbal abuse ensures that all interactions adhere to predefined visitation guidelines. This approach serves to protect children from harmful language and emotional distress while encouraging respectful communication and promoting healthy relationships.
Combating Parental Neglect
Supervised visitation facilities are vital tools in combating issues of parental neglect. They provide essential services that contribute to the rehabilitation of parenting skills and help ensure that the child’s needs are prioritized. The centers provide a framework for parents to demonstrate their commitment to their children, often including a variety of visitation programs tailored to suit individual needs.
The structured, supervised setting helps identify and correct neglectful behaviors, allowing parents to engage more effectively with their children. Through repeated, monitored interactions, parents can work towards fulfilling visitation rights while safeguarding the child’s welfare, thereby enhancing the overall family dynamic.
Qualified Supervision
At the heart of a supervised visitation program is the role of qualified supervisor. These facilities employ trained professionals known as parenting time monitors, who oversee interactions to ensure safety and compliance with visitation rights. These supervisors are highly skilled in managing a variety of visitation programs, adapting their approach to address each family’s unique needs and facilitating positive parenting goals. Through an initial intake interview, supervisors gather essential information to tailor the visitation experience, providing a reliable and consistent presence throughout the visitation services.
Safe Visitation Environments
These facilities often include comfortable, neutral spaces that foster an atmosphere conducive to positive interactions. The centers are also equipped to handle different types of visitations, including physical visitation and virtual visitation, ensuring access to visitation is possible under various circumstances. Measures are in place to address concerns related to Domestic Violence and other safety risks, further ensuring that each family visitation proceeds without incident.
Intake Process
The intake process is a crucial step in the engagement with a Supervised Visitation Facility. During this stage, both parents undergo an intake interview, which aims to gather vital information about the family’s situation. The interview is typically conducted by trained professionals who assess the family dynamics and any potential risks.
This process involves reviewing any visitation guidelines and history of visitation scheduling to tailor the visitation program best suited for the family’s needs. The intake interview is also an opportunity for parents to express their visitation goals and communicate any concerns they might have about the parenting time monitor or the atmosphere for parenting time.
Positive Outcomes of Supervised Visitation
Supervised visitation facilities play an essential role in fostering healthy child-parent relationships, particularly when complex circumstances such as custody disputes, Domestic Violence, or mental illness are involved. These facilities offer a safe and controlled environment, reducing stress and potential conflicts, thus focusing on strengthening the bond between parents and their children.
By ensuring access to visitation, supervised visitation centers allow for a history of visitation scheduling that respects the needs and rights of both the child and the parent. This atmosphere for parenting time ensures that visitation goals are met while maintaining the safety and well-being of all involved. With a variety of visitation programs ranging from physical visitation to virtual visitation options, these centers provide flexibility and accessibility.
Supervised Visitation Centers also serve as neutral grounds where family visitations can occur without the fear of confrontation, ensuring adherence to visitation guidelines and mandates. This structure helps in maintaining a positive experience for children, who can engage in person visitation time with their parents in a secure setting.
Types of Supervised Visitation Programs
Supervised visitation programs vary widely to address the unique needs of families. These programs are essential in providing tailored support and creating a safe environment for child-parent interactions. In Massachusetts there are several supervised visitation facilities, each of the centers listed below are a member of the Massachusetts Coalition for Supervised Visitation:
Barnstable County:
Family and Community Resources – Hyannis:
This is a court ordered visitation program. Located at 33 Winter Street, Suite 100B in Hyannis, MA 02601. Their contact number is (508) 584-2809.
Berkshire County:
This facility is typically Department of Children and Families referral, or court ordered visitation program. The facility generally only works with higher risk cases involving domestic violence and sexual abuse.
There is a $5-$30 fee per visit. The amount depends on the financial
situation of the paying parent.
They only do Saturday visits, for one hour only.
They are located at 43 Francis Avenue, Pittsfield, MA 01201. Their contact number is (413) 499-2425.
Bristol County:
Family and Community Resources – Raynham:
This center does not provide court ordered visitation. The center provides family time support and stabilization visitation services, only available through a Department of Children and Families referral.
They are located at 538 New State Highway, Unit 1, Raynham, MA 02301. Their contact number is (508) 584-2809.
Seven Hills Behavioral Health Safe Child Visitation Center:
This center accepts court orders, Department of Children and Families referrals, and agreements by parents. The facility requires both parents to reach out.
The visits are by appointment only and have staggered show up and leave times.
There is a $55 intake fee.
There is a $50 an hour fee per visit.
They have monitors that speak English, Spanish, Portuguese and Creole.
They are located at 1402 Pleasant Street, Fall River, MA 02723. Their contact number is (508) 646-3521.
Dukes County:
Martha’s Vineyard Community Services:
This center does not accept court orders or Department of Children and Families referrals, it is voluntarily visitation only. Both parties must reach
out and there must be a child intake.
There is a $35 deposit fee and a $35 first visit fee, making the total fee for first visit $70.
Every visit has a $35 visit fee that the visiting parent is required to pay.
Visits are permitted once a week, Monday through Friday at 5:00pm – 6:00pm. Wednesdays and Thursdays is when most staff are available.
They are located at 261 Upper Main Street, Edgartown, MA 02539. Their contact number is (508) 693-7192.
Nantucket County:
A Safe Place, Inc. Supervised Visitation Program – Braintree:
This center does not require a court order.
There are no fees, this is a free facility.
Visits are typically one-hour visits on any day of the week, by appointment.
They have monitors that speak English, Spanish, and Portuguese. Other languages are available via phone interpretive services.
They are located at 5B Windy Way, Nantucket, MA 02554. Their contact number is (508) 228-0561.
Norfolk County:
Family and Community Resources, Inc. – Braintree
This center does not provide court ordered visitation. The center provides family time support and stabilization visitation services, only available through a Department of Children and Families referral.
This facility is located at 150 Wood Road, Suite 605, Braintree, MA 02184. Their contact number is (508) 584-2809.
Franklin County:
Franklin County Children’s Visitation Program
This center does not require a court order but does give preference to cases that have court orders and gives preference to cases in their county.
There is an intake fee of $60.
There is a $20-$50 fee per visit. The amount depends on the financial situation of the paying parent.
Visits typically range from one to two hours, on Wednesday evenings from 5:00pm-7:00pm. Saturday visits are available from 9:00am – 5:00pm. There must be appointments for all visits.
They are located at 479 Main Street, P.O. Box 520, Greenfield, MA 01302. Their contact number is (413) 772-0806.
Hampden and Hampshire Counties:
This facility is located at 1 Clough Street, Springfield, MA 01118. Their contact number is (413) 732-3121 extension 122.
Middlesex County:
This center accepts court orders, Department of Children and Families referrals, and agreements by parents. The facility requires both parents to reach out.
There is no intake fee.
There is a $35-$65 fee per visit. The amount depends on the financial situation of the paying parent.
Visits typically range from one to two hours, on Tuesdays through Saturday, from 8:30am – 4:30pm. There must be appointments for all visits.
Their contact information is (978) 937-5777.
This center requires a court order and only works with families that have a history of domestic violence, sexual abuse, or sexual assault.
There are safe exchanges on Saturday during hours of operation, 10:00am – 4:00pm.
There is a $30-$80 fee per visit. The amount depends on the financial situation of the paying parent.
Visits typically range from one to two hours, on Thursdays 7:00pm – 9:00pm and Saturdays 10:00am – 4:00pm.
They are located at 12 Roxanna Street, in Framingham, MA 01702. Their contact number is (508) 834-0085.
This center accepts court orders, Department of Children and Families referrals, and agreements by parents. The facility requires both parents to reach out.
There is a $50 intake fee.
There is a $20-$100 fee per visit. The amount depends on the financial situation of the paying parent.
Visits are typically one hour long on Wednesday afternoons and Saturday until 12:45pm.
They are located at 117 Summer Street, Somerville, MA 02143. Their contact number is (617) 354-3911.
Plymouth County:
Family and Community Resources, Inc. – Brockton
This center does not provide court ordered visitation. The center provides family time support and stabilization visitation services, only available through a Department of Children and Families referral.
They are located at 370 Oak Street, Suite B, Brockton, MA 02301. Their contact number is (508) 584-2809.
Suffolk County:
Children’s Service of Roxbury Family Visitation Program
This center accepts court orders, Department of Children and Families referrals, and agreements by parents. The facility requires both parents to reach out.
There is a $25 intake fee.
There is a $20 – $70 fee per visit. The amount depends on the financial situation of the paying parent.
Visits are typically one hour long. Visits are scheduled on Thursday – Sunday at 6:00pm – 8:30pm and Sunday 11:30am – 5:00pm.
They are located at 520 Dudley Street, Roxbury, MA 02119. Their contact number is (617) 989-9484.
Worcester County
New Hope, Inc. MJ Leadenham Family Visitation Center
This center accepts court orders, Department of Children and Families referrals, and agreements by parents. The facility requires both parents to reach out. The facility does give domestic violence cases and court orders priority.
There is a $50 intake fee.
There is a $15-$75 fee per visit. The amount depends on the financial situation of the paying parent. Survivors of domestic violence have the opportunity to have their fees waived.
There are monitored exchanges for pickups and drop offs.
Visits are typically one hour long, once a week or once every two weeks. Visits are scheduled on Thursdays and Fridays at 5:00pm – 8:00pm and Saturdays at 9:00am – 2:00pm.