• Date Due: November 01, 2026
  • Author: Board of Psychology
  • Enabling Authority: Chapter 1116 Enactment Clause 2. (Regular Session, 2026)
  • Description:
    Report on the findings and recommendations of the stakeholder advisory group convened to study and make recommendations regarding the availability of qualified mental health professionals willing to serve as court-appointed experts in family law proceedings, including in custody evaluations, and shall (i) examine the extent to which licensing board complaints and investigation processes deter qualified professionals from accepting court appointments, (ii) review regulatory approaches adopted by other states to address this issue, and (iii) assess whether regulatory or statutory action is warranted in Virginia to provide appropriate protections for mental health professionals serving as court-appointed evaluators while maintaining adequate standards of professional accountability, and shall develop specific recommendations to increase the number of qualified mental health professionals willing to perform court-appointed custody evaluations and provide expert testimony in child custody and other domestic relations cases in Virginia's courts, including any training, certification, compensation, liability, or regulatory reforms that would expand the pool of available evaluators and improve access to expert testimony.