Members in the News

2011
Geri Fuhrmann and Bob Zibbell have written a book, entitled Best Practices in Forensic Mental Health: Evaluation for Child Custody, published by Oxford University Press 2012. It is one of a series of books edited by Kirk Heilbrun, Tom Grisso and Alan Goldstein on different types of forensic mental health assessments that combines various standards, professional guidelines, and current research to propose a "best practice" model of evaluation. The first 3 chapters set the foundation including: giving a history of standards used to determine child custody, describing psycho-legal concepts that direct mental health professionals to know what to address, and reviewing relevant research. The final 4 chapters focus on the application including the “how-to” of evaluations, interpretation, report writing, and testimony. The appendices include a summary of the statutory factors in the 50 states, updating one done in a 1989 text, Solomon's Sword.

Dr. Robin Deutsch will launch a new Center of Excellence for Children, Families and the Law at the Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology (MSPP) in West Roxbury, MA.  Click here for more information.

Hon. Gail L. Perlman received the Sixth Annual John Adams Fiske Award for Excellence in Mediation. Read more about the award and Judge Perlman on page 21 of Family Mediation Quarterly by clicking here.
  
2010
Hon. Jay D. Blitzman
Wrote an article entitled, "Access to Justice in Juvenile Court" in Massachusetts Law Review, a quarterly publication of the Mass Bar Association.   Volume 93, No. 1, Pages 230-243.  Read the article. 

David Medoff, Ph.D.
David is the new MA AFCC President and his member profile was featured in AFCC News.

16 MA Chapter members presented at the 47th Annual AFCC Conference on, "Traversing the Trail of Alienation: Rocky Relationships, Mountains of Emotion, Mile High Conflict" in Denver, CO during June 2 - 5, 2010. 

In reverse alphabetical order:

Bob Zibbell, Ph.D.
Peggie Ward, Ph.D.
Amy Tishelman, Ph.D.
Harry Somers, Ed.D.
Marsha Kline Pruett, Ph.D.
Hon. Gail Perlman
Alex Jones, J.D.
Geri Furman, Psy.D.
Hon. Linda Fidnick
Mary Ferriter, J.D.
Paul Duffly, Ph.D.
Robin Deutsch, Ph.D.

Beth Crawford, J.D.
Hon. Paula Carey
Jane Appell, Ph.D. 

 

Anne Cremonini, LICSW 
Anne is the Assistant Chief Probation Office (ACPO) at the Norfolk County Probate and Family Court Department and is a Board Member of MA AFCC.  She recently received the Justice Edward Ginsburg Service award from the MA Chapter of the American Association of Matrimonial Lawyers at a dinner held on February 24, 2010.  Congratulations Anne!

Alexander Jones, Esq.
Congratulations to MA AFCC member Alex Jones for making Partner at the law firm of Looney & Grossman.

2009
Hon. Linda Fidnick
Was the keynote speaker at the 5th World Congress on Family Law and Children's Rights which took place in Halifax Nova Scotia during August 23-26, 2009.

13 MA Chapter members presented at the 46th Annual AFCC Conference on, "Children, Courts and Custody: Back to the Future or Full Steam Ahead?" in New Orleans during May 27-29, 2009. 

David Medoff, Ph.D.
Mary Ferriter, J.D., M.P.A
Joseph McGill, M.S.W
Marsha Kline Pruett, Ph.D., M.S.L
Robin Deutsch, Ph.D.
Peggie Ward, Ph.D.
Hon. Paula Carey
Hon. Arline Rotman
Joanna Bunker Rohrbaugh, Ph.D.
William M. Levine, J.D.
Jinanne S. Elder, J.D.
Hon. E. Chouteau Merrill
Hon. Linda Fidnick

Hon. Paul M. Carey
Was named Chief Justice of the Probate and Family Court by Chief Justice of Administration and Management Robert A. Mulligan.

2008
Peggie Ward, Ph.D. and Robin Deutsch, Ph.D.
Designed, funded and conducted an innovative and intensive clinical approach to work with families called, "Breaking Barriers Camp".