We provide comprehensive parental fitness evaluations in Salt Lake City for individuals involved in custody disputes, child welfare cases, or court-ordered assessments. In these situations, there are often questions about a parent’s ability to provide a safe, stable, and appropriate environment for a child. Concerns may involve mental health, substance use, parenting practices, or the overall capacity to meet a child’s needs.
A parental fitness evaluation is designed to help clarify these questions through a structured, objective assessment. These evaluations are commonly used to inform decisions related to custody, visitation, reunification, or child safety. Our role is to provide a careful, evidence-based evaluation that supports informed decision-making.
Parental fitness evaluations are typically requested in situations such as:
These evaluations focus on a parent’s capacity to meet a child’s physical, emotional, and psychological needs, rather than determining custody arrangements directly.
A parental fitness evaluation examines multiple areas to build a complete and accurate picture of functioning.
This typically includes:
The evaluation considers patterns across multiple areas, rather than relying on a single data point or test.
Detailed Clinical Interview
Standardized Psychological Testing
Review of Legal, Medical, and Mental Health Records, and Collateral Interviews
Parent Interview and Parent–Child Interaction Observations
Integration of All Data Into A Structured Report
We approach parental fitness evaluations with objectivity, depth, and clinical precision.
These evaluations are often used in high-stakes legal contexts, so it is essential that the process is thorough, balanced, and clearly reasoned.
Our role is to provide an objective evaluation that can be relied upon by courts, attorneys, and other professionals.
Insurance does NOT cover the cost of parental fitness evaluations.
Cost: $4,000
Add violence risk component: $750
Please see our Fees & Insurance page for more information.
If you have been referred for a parental fitness evaluation in Salt Lake City or need additional information, we are available to discuss your situation and next steps.
Schedule a parental fitness evaluation or contact our office to learn more.
These evaluations are commonly requested by courts, attorneys, guardians ad litem, or child welfare agencies.
No. The evaluation provides information to the court, but custody decisions are made by the judge.
Most evaluations involve multiple components and may take several hours, depending on the complexity of the case. Typically, these evaluations take 4 to 6 weeks.
No. Parental fitness evaluations focus on one parent’s functioning and capacity, not custody determinations between parents.
