Access to Visitation
Access to Visitation Grant Program
The Judicial Council is charged with administering and distributing California's share of the federal Child Access and Visitation Grant funds from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Office of Child Support Enforcement.
These grants, established under section 391 of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (Pub.L. 104–193, 110 Stat. 2258)—title III, section 469B of the Social Security Act—enable states to establish and administer programs that support and facilitate noncustodial parents' access to and visitation with their children.
The use of the funds in California is limited by state statute to three types of programs:
- Supervised visitation and exchange services;
- Education about protecting children during family disruption; and
- Group counseling services for parents and children.
Standard 5.20 and Family Code Section 3200.5 Trainings
The Standard 5.20 training (Uniform Standards of Practice for Providers of Supervised Visitation) is a [a] three-day, in-person training for new and existing professional providers of supervised visitation and exchange services. Attendees will be required to complete prerequisites, prior to the training date.
Effective August 2023, the training was been divided into two separate parts:
- Part 1 - Learning Standard 5.20—the Legal Duties and Responsibilities of the Professional Provider; and
- Part 2 - Implementation of Best Practice Considerations for Program Policies and Procedures.
This is an introductory course with practical information for parents, the courts, providers of supervised visitation and exchange services, and other multidisciplinary professionals regarding the role and duties of [a] provider of supervised visitation and exchange services in the state of California. The E-learning Module is divided into Five parts: Overview of supervised visitation and exchange services; discussion of the role of the provider—both professional and nonprofessional providers; outlines legal duties and obligations of a provider; and includes an FAQ, and resources for parents and providers. Complete Parts 1, 2, 4, and pass Part 4 Quiz—you must pass with a score of 80% or higher to earn .75 hours of education credit.
Learning Objectives – Participants will be able to:
- Define the various terms for supervised visitation and exchange processes;
- Identify key requirements for both nonprofessional and professional providers; and
- Learn best practices for the operation of supervised visitation and exchange services for family law cases.
Learn about supervised visitation, when a judge orders that a neutral third person be present during a parent’s time with his or her children.
Program Administration
The Judicial Council is charged with administering the federal Child Access and Visitation Grant Program. The grant program also receives guidance from the Judicial Council’s Executive and Planning Committee and the Family and Juvenile Law Advisory Committee, the state Legislature, and the federal Administration for Children and Families. The Center for Families, Children & the Courts (CFCC) has primary responsibility for administering and managing the grant program.
Eligibility
Under California’s Access to Visitation Grant Program, grant funding is awarded to the family law division of the superior courts through a statewide request-for-proposals grant application process. Applicants are strongly encouraged to involve multiple courts and counties in their proposed programs and to designate one court as the lead or administering court. While the superior courts may contract with local community-based nonprofit agencies to provide the direct services on behalf of the court, contract agreements are made only with the designated superior court. Grant funds may be used to expand or augment existing programs but funds may not be used to supplant existing funding for those programs.
Program Monitoring
States are required to monitor, evaluate, and report on programs funded through the grant—on an annual basis—in accordance with regulations prescribed the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (45 C.F.R. 303.109). California’s Access to Visitation Grant Program monitoring of grantee programs draws on multiple sources and methods, with feedback from the courts, clients, community stakeholders, and service providers at the local, regional, and state levels. Methods also include site visits, questionnaires, focus group and roundtable meetings, and data collection and document analysis. Many of the grantees use client feedback surveys and questionnaires to assess their own service delivery. Additionally, grant recipients are required to submit monthly statistical data reports and quarterly progress summary reports.
The Judicial Council of California, Center for Families, Children & the Courts (CFCC), is pleased to announce the availability of grant funds for California’s Access to Visitation Grant Program. The Access to Visitation Grant Program seeks to ensure accessible and available professional supervised visitation services statewide for low-income families with children whose custody and visitation issues are before the family courts.
Courts are invited to review and respond to the grant application for a three-year period, from federal fiscal years 2024–25 through 2026–27. Approximately $655,000 annually will be allocated for statewide distribution through this grant program.
Judicial Council program staff will offer two grant applicant webinars for interested applicants (see grant application instructions). Courts and interested community-based justice partners will have an opportunity to ask questions regarding the application and grant requirements. Participants may attend both webinar session dates and select just one to attend. Register here.
Completed applications must be received through Submittable by 5 p.m., Monday, November 13, 2023. Please submit your application online using this link. For instructions on how to submit your application using Submittable, please visit How can I submit? Applications that are late will not be accepted for grant review.
Grant Application Materials
- California’s Access to Visitation Grant Program Application Instructions
- California Access to Visitation Attachment B: Court/Subcontractor Budget Form (excel)
- California’s Access to Visitation Grant Application Reviewer Rating and Scoring Sheet
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Shelly La Botte at shelly.labotte@jud.ca.gov.
Grant Applicant Webinar Questions and Responses for Fiscal Years 2024–2027
Court and Subcontractor Budget Form
Grant Application Webinar Sessions for Fiscal Years 2024-25 Through 2026-27, Applicant Questions
Legislative Reports
California’s Access to Visitation Grant Program (Federal Fiscal Years 2020–21 and 2021–22) (March)
California’s Access to Visitation Grant Program for Fiscal Years 2010–2011 and 2011–2012 (March 2012)
California's Access to Visitation Grant Program (Fiscal Year 2009-2010) (March 2010)
Ten Years of Access to Visitation Grant Program Services (Fiscal Years 1997-2007) (March 2008)
California's Access to Visitation Program: Fiscal Year 2005-2006 (July 2007)
California's Access to Visitation Grant Program: Fiscal Years 2004-2005 and 2005-2006 (March 2006)
California's Access to Visitation Grant Program: Fiscal Years 2003-2004 and 2004-2005 (March 2005)
California's Access to Visitation Grant Program: Fiscal Year 2002-2003 and 2003-2004 (March 2004)
Research & Publication
Supervised Visitation - An Annotated Bibliography
A Guide for the Non-Professional Provider of Supervised Visitation (English) (Spanish)
Supervised Visitation and You (English)
Supervised Visitation and You (Spanish)
Supervised Visitation Services in California
Standard 5.20
In 1998, the Judicial Council adopted standards for supervised visitation providers. Family Code section 3200 defines the term “provider” as including any individual or supervised visitation center that monitors visitation. Supervised visitation contact is contact between a noncustodial party and one or more children in the presence of a neutral third person.
All supervised visitation and exchange programs funded by California’s Access to Visitation Grant Program must comply with all requirements of the Uniform Standards of Practice for Providers of Supervised Visitation as set forth in Standard 5.20 of the California Standards of Judicial Administration.
Family Code section 3200.5
Effective January 1, 2013, Assembly Bill 1674 (Stats. 2012, ch. 692) added Section 3200.5 to the Family Code, relating to qualifications and training for supervised visitation providers. Family Code section 3200.5(a) requires that any standards for supervised visitation providers adopted by the Judicial Council to conform to the new provisions of the bill (i.e., Standard 5.20 of the California Standards of Judicial Administration). In 1997, Family Code section 3200 required the Judicial Council to develop standards for supervised visitation providers. The Judicial Council adopted, effective January 1, 1998, the Uniform Standards of Practice for Providers of Supervised Visitation as section 26.2 of the California Standards of Judicial Administration. Section 26.2 was changed (superseded), effective January 1, 2007, and became Standard 5.20. Family Code section 3200.5 codified, in part, some of the existing provisions under Standard 5.20 of the California Standards of Judicial Administration.
California Standard 5.20 and Family Code section 3200.5 Training: Understanding the Uniform Standards of Practice for Providers of Supervised Visitation
The Standard 5.20/FC section 3200.5 training will provide multidisciplinary professionals with a framework for comprehending, conceptualizing, and developing policies and best practice requirements to assist with implementation of Standard 5.20. This training can enhance ethical professionalism, quality of service delivery, and provider’s accountability for best practices.
Participants will learn:
- Required duties and obligations as a professional supervised visitation provider;
- Key requirements and concepts of Standard 5.20;
- Five key approaches in thinking about (and understanding) the general role of a provider;
- Steps to consider for decision-making process;
- Strategies for balancing neutrality; and
- Best practice considerations for documentation and writing visitation reports.
2023 Standard 5.20 and Family Code Section 3200.5 Trainings
Post the COVID-19 pandemic, the Standard 5.20 training (Uniform Standards of Practice for Providers of Supervised Visitation) will revert back to [a] three-day, in-person training statewide for new and existing professional providers of supervised visitation and exchange services. Attendees will be required to complete prerequisites, prior to the training date.
Fall Standard 5.20 Training
- (August) Registration for Southern CA providers; click here.
- (September) Registration for Northern CA providers; click here.
Winter Standard 5.20 Training
- (November) Registration for Southern CA providers; click here.
- (December) Registration for Northern CA providers; click here.
If you have questions, please email to California’s Access to Visitation Grant Program Coordinator at shelly.labotte@jud.ca.gov.
Training Information
For more information, please email to California’s Access to Visitation Grant Program Coordinator at shelly.labotte@jud.ca.gov.