Travis County Commssioners Court
February 3, 2004
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Item 29
29 is to consider and take appropriate action on amendment to license agreements with kids exchange to allow parent is classes in the lavaca building. And I just want to make sure I know exactly what this is. And the language regarding the one indigent, I didn't quite understand that. That was in the backup memo.
>> judge, I'm see celia burke with the domestic relations office.
>> good morning.
>> good morning. We currently have a licensing agreement with kids exchange to allow kids exchange to use the precinct 3 constable and jp offices for neutral exchanges. And they use that facility on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday evening. In consideration for le ting them use that facility, they give services to two families a month free of charge. Enda jent feamgz. We have allowed kids exchange to use the dro premises to teach a new parenting classes that the district judges have requested. It's on parental alienation. And in consideration for letting them use the dro offices on Saturdays for the parenting classes, they are going to give so many families per month, free access to the classes, people who others are court ordered to take the class, but can't afford to pay for the class. They will provide the class free of charge to one indigent Travis County attendee every month.
>> so licensing exchange services at the precinct 3 building, two indigent Travis County families each month. That pertains to the precinct 3 building.
>> that's correct.
>> so downtown it would be one family a month.
>> that's correct.
>> and the service will be free admission to the class.
>> that's correct, sir.
>> and they were using the building on Saturdays when we oerwise were closed anyway.
>> that's correct. Well, we have our own parenting classes there on Saturdays too, but we have room for both or with haven't decided yet, we may do alternate Saturdays.
>> okay.
>> move approval.
>> second. > for the taxpayer and residents of Travis County, we believe these classes are important because they help the families in what ways, I guess, in terms of Travis County in what way.
>> well, I did exchange really, although it's a private nonprofit, is really a function of the courts. Many times when people divorce and there is high conflict, there may be unsubstantiated allegations of some sort of abuse. The court may order the parents to use kids exchange either for a neutral exchange, dropoff and pick up, or for supervised visits. Or they may court order the parents to take parenting classes to be the classes at Austin child guidance. It could be classes that dro offers, or if the judge senses there's a high degree of alienation going on, ie one parent is trying to turn a child against another parent, they may order them to take this new class offered by kids exchange. What we know, judge, from the research, is that children who have parents that are highly conflicted, whether it's in the marriage or out of the marriage, tend to have a lot more problems in school. They act out. They don't make as good of grades. They're more likely to end up having sex at an early age, which could result in a teen pregnancy out of wedlock. They're more likely to end up in the juvenile justice system they tend to be more depress and have more thoughts of suicide. So what we an the district courts are attempting to do is help people post divorce or post paternity establishment to be effective co-parents, to communicate with each other, put their own differences aside and put their children first.
>> and kids exchange is a nonprofit organization?
>> yes, sir. And they function entirely on behalf of the Travis County district courts.
>> so really this is our effort to facilitate divorced parents, I guess, sort of understanding the divorce process and hopefully live, I guess, as close as some sort of civil, harmonious relationship there after, but also our concern is the kids' ability to deal with that change.
>> yes, sir.
>> the change in the family structure.
>> the kids really are our number one concern. And our parenting classes are specifically designed for people with visitation problems or high conflict post divorce. This one deals more deeply with alienation behaviors. That's between the parents.
>> and what we know from previous divorce cases is this is a big issue for the kids after the parent divorce.
>> oh, absolutely. And there's a lot of research that backs all of this up.
>> okay. Any more discussion? Thank you very much. Move approval.
>> I already did.
>> and we have a second?
>> uh-huh.
>> everybody knows except the county judge. All in favor? That passes by unanimous vote. Thank you very much.
>> thank you.
Last Modified: Wednesday, February 4, 2004 6:25 AM