AFCC -the Greediest Trade Association; Abusing Parental Alienation Aids $50B Family Conflict Industry

The Association of Family and Conciliation Courts [AFCC] is a trade “association of professionals dedicated to the resolution of family conflict.”

Perhaps it is the greediest cast of associates outside organized crime. Perhaps it is organized crime.
 
AFCC professionals earn their living from families who opt to settle their disputes in family court.
The AFCC says these are types of members.
AFCC members include many of the leading practitioners, researchers, educators and policymakers in the family court arena.
The difference between a quick resolution of a family conflict and an extended conflict can be hundreds of thousands in billings. Most professionals bill by the hour.

Most AFCC members make money based on the duration of family conflicts. This is in itself an inherent conflict.

According to the AFCC, the trade association members are:
  • Judges
  • Lawyers [including Guardians ad litem]
  • Mediators
  • Psychologists
  • Researchers
  • Academics
  • Counselors
  • Court Commissioners
  • Custody Evaluators
  • Psychiatrists
  • Parenting Coordinators
  • Court Administrators
  • Social Workers
  • Parent Educators
  • Financial Professionals
The AFCC is largely in existence for networking.
AFCC provides training and education, and does not license, certify or regulate the practice of its members.

AFCC members who are judges have been a matter of controversy. Judges get training and education on family conflict resolution from a trade organization comprised of those who bill by the hour.

A family conflict not easily resolved equals cash.

Cases often start with two attorneys, one for each parent – and a judge. Perhaps an AFCC judge.

The judge then appoints an AFCC GAL for the children. The GAL recommends an AFCC custody evaluator to determine which parent should have custody. The AFCC custody evaluator finds that AFCC therapists are needed.

Families who never had a therapist will find they are paying for several AFCC therapists, one for each — mother, father, each child, and one for the family.

AFCC members recommend each other.

In CT, the AFCC board members included Judge Gerard Adelman, Judge Holly Wetsone and Judge Linda Munro. The CT AFCC disbanded under a cloud after it was learned they formed their legal association in Illinois.

Judge Gerard Adelman
 
Other members of the CT board included:
 
Linda Smith, (custody evaluator), was president of the AFCC. She is also appointed reunification therapist. 
Robert Horwitz, psychologist, reunification therapist, parental visitation supervisor, or Gal. 
Sue Coussineau, GAL
 
Thomas Esposito – family law attorney

Bruce Freedman, psychologist and leading advocate for parental alienation syndrome.

Parental alienation often leads to flipping custody of children to the parent with whom they do not want to live. Parental alienation is adult-centric. Children’s preferences are not considered.

Children are removed from their homes and sent to live with the parent they are uncomfortable with, based on a sole opinion of an AFCC member.

A prescription of no-contact with the primary attachment figure for children is a shock to most children.  But the remedy is that an AFCC reunification therapist and an AFCC parental visitation supervisor are employed to bring the “alienator” parent back into the lives of the children.

This typically requires one or more AFCC therapists.  Because the children are traumatized by the loss of the closer parent, they are also provided with court-ordered AFCC therapists to counsel them on why this is all for their own good.

Since the good words of AFCC counselors sometimes cannot undo the heart sickness children feel from losing the parent one is closest to in life, AFCC psychiatrists are recommended or appointed. These can prescribe psychotropic medications that help mask the trauma of losing their primary attachment figure and being required to live with a parent with whom they – rightly or wrongly – do not want to live.

The determination of parental alienation ensures many billable hours. And that’s what this greediest of all trade associations is about – billable hours.

While they prey on children.

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Frank Parlato

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Anonymous
Anonymous
7 months ago

The Dishonorable, Judge, Linda Fidnick destroyed my family. She was or is current president. She violated my American disability rights. She put things in the order. She’s not even allowed to do like telling me to stay out of a city during exchanges. She ignored 175 page guardian ad Litem report that wanted me to have custody and broke the law ordering us to pay it. She is a criminal. When I retaliated an email to her Judicial Assistant, she moved my case to her bench buddy, who is just as corrupt the dishonorable Barbara Hiyland. Now she is destroying my children with a no contact order that is unwarranted as the DA closed a BS investigation for the fourth false accusation of sexual abuse that my ex coerced our daughter to make. My ex made 3 others before that all that were not supported. The system is a shit show! Linda Fidnick is a criminal!
🔥🌪⚖️

Anonymous
Anonymous
7 months ago

Add another monster “judge” to the list Allan K. Cassidy of Stanislaus County.

Anonymous
Anonymous
10 months ago

Add Lynda Munro to the list.

Derek
Derek
11 months ago

Stamford Superior Family Court kidnapped my daughter 3 1/2 years ago. Haven’t seen her since. She’s 7 now. And that damn Courthouse continues to force me away from her. I have been out in jail because of the corruption and influence of robes to robes. This over common law justice. Screw my 14th amendment. Just let me see her. Once. Talk to her. Just one more time. I need to tell her I didn’t leave her. But, I’m worried her mother has already conditioned her to repeat phrases of hate for me. That’s ok. I know she doesn’t understand what she is saying. I need help. Help. Help ME.

Anonymous
Anonymous
1 year ago

Carroll County NH is guilty as well!You don’t need evidence,hearsay goes,nothing is verified.Mentally ill,violent,unstable,alcoholic,drug abusers,win in court with the shiesty lawyer that is favored by the bias/unethical judge and they will make false statements to give the child to the abuser your escaping to get further abused and nobody will help you?It truly is disgusting!legal child trafficking at its best with these shiesty judges and lawyers in this broken system that needs to be completely rewritten!

Anonymous
Anonymous
1 year ago

An accurate analysis

Anonymous
Anonymous
1 year ago

it’s so unfair when in a court case the plaintiff loses…sometimes the defendant loses!!!!

It’s clear that only evil far-right or maybe near-left conspirators could be behind this psychological warfare…with the approval of satan!!! Please how can we stop this! Nobody should ever lose.a court case ever, for the love of god!

Kara gates
Kara gates
1 year ago

Someone needs to investigate this same exact fraud and corruption going on in multiple counties in Pennsylvania!!
Check into psych Dr Arnold Schienvold and his son Kasey!!
Collusion w/ judges, attorneys and reunification therapists and camps (Overcoming Barriers)!!
Sick vile trafficking of kids

Could FOIA help?
Could FOIA help?
1 year ago
Reply to  Kara gates

Did Lynda Munro step down from the bench in Connecticut “for personal reasons”? Or did the FBI tell her she had to step down because of her involvement with CT AFCC, Inc. activity in the state and across state lines?

Is that info available via FOIA?

After that, she joined the “Overcoming Barriers” project to “re-unify” abused children with abusers (sometimes known as “grooming” when that word is allowed)

Anonymous
Anonymous
1 year ago

All judicial systems need to be looked into!! How do people who pay taxes feel about this money scheme?

How can we help
How can we help
1 year ago

Something needs to be done. This is sickening.

Anonymous
Anonymous
1 year ago

Frank Parlato s true dedication to the truth and his boundless courage has saved countless victims from incredulous abuse. There is absolutely no doubt that he will not also help save children from this horrific “ family “ court system.

Anonymous
Anonymous
1 year ago

They say blood is thicker than water, but money is thicker than all…

So sad
So sad
1 year ago

Family and childrens dependency courts are the most nefarious cult to date.
Imagine how many people have suffered.
Where are the adult victims of this weapon against humanity?

Anonymous
Anonymous
1 year ago

This is exactly the story and timeline my grandchildren and my son has gone through for the past 2-3 years and thousands of $ just to be allowed to be together. He has paid enormous sums of money not only in child support but to allow them to participate in sports. He makes sure they are fed because their mother chooses not to cook only to be told he cares too much (is this possible)
The stories are incomprehensible but they are many. Fathers desperate to see their children are basically blackmailed, they lose homes , jobs, as well as children
The children are not happy. The system destroys families and there is no end to it till the children age out

An abomination
An abomination
1 year ago

If children were protected, ALL of these clowns would be out of a job. THINK ABOUT IT. What do we do to help this situation? Please write about ways to help. I feel so powerless, I’m sure many others do too. An abomination.

Applause for covering this story
Applause for covering this story
1 year ago

Incredible that Hollywood never makes movies about this, huh?
Hollywood and Washington DC are completely interchangeable. It’s infuriating to say the least.
Looking forward to reading more as you cover this topic.

Sally Donovan
Sally Donovan
1 year ago

Stop this WAR ON CHILDREN. Speak out against child abuse. Most people stand by and do absolutely nothing when they know someone else’s children are being abused. But these “ people” are actually making immeasurable profit from their abuse. It must be stopped.

Anonymous
Anonymous
1 year ago

Blasphemy.
It’s like a used car business.

Thank goodness the truth is coming out
Thank goodness the truth is coming out
1 year ago

Children need to be taught in school about the predators in the system and child and domestic violence.
This is an international pandemic that is rarely discussed.
Frank Parlato is doing Gods work.

Anonymous
Anonymous
1 year ago

Why are children treated like little liars? Children who come out and say they are abused, out of the blue, are not the same as children who have been isolated for a period of time with their alleged abuser and then, suddenly have a different story.
Due to the brainwashing and emotional and possible physical blackmail.

Anonymous
Anonymous
1 year ago

50 BILLION?!! I’m in the wrong industry.
It’s literally a crying shame to humanity.
Anyone who is in the business of legally kidnapping children, should be legally prosecuted with a jury.

Anonymous
Anonymous
1 year ago

Vampires. Real monsters.

Evil
Evil
1 year ago

Kidnapping our children and soiling the innocence of our nation.

Anonymous
Anonymous
1 year ago

Dead end.

Anonymous
Anonymous
1 year ago

Bruce Freedman tells children their brains are disturbed when children report abuse or discomfort with their father.

Children of 12-15 are wholly ignored by Freedman and pal Robert Horwitz. The court gives them and custody evaluators like quackster Jessica Caverly- immunity.

And gals are not mandated reporters! Talk about a scam! You have a gal who isn’t legally required to report abuse – told to them by the children, or parents.

Children can take to drinking, cutting, prescription meds, express fear and anxiety and the gal buries it without repercussion.

So the gal, the custody evaluator, and the court appointed psychologist – and the judge- all have immunity.

Zero accountability. This is a set up for fraud and abuse.

Anonymous
Anonymous
1 year ago

Corporate America. Save the Children.

Handmaid’s tale.
Handmaid’s tale.
1 year ago

“ married” to the state.

Anonymous
Anonymous
1 year ago

Heartbreaking. Children should be taught about the possible ramifications of bringing up a family in this country. Shameful.

ShadowState1958
ShadowState1958
1 year ago

AFCC is stuffed with greedy Psychologists like the avaricious Allison Mack hopes to be.

Anonymous
Anonymous
1 year ago

You forgot GAL Attorney Mary T. Bergamini At least at some point was a member.

Paul Anderson
Paul Anderson
1 year ago

So what does the author believe should happen when a child is brainwashed into saying what the alienating parent wants? He has no answer to this question and he cant say that a chldren will not lie or cannot be manipulated as it is cited in countless peer reviewed scientically researched papers – even the Minister of Justice cites that “We know that Parental Alienation generally refers to a process through which a child becomes estranged from a parent as the result of the psychological manipulation of the other parent. “It may also refer to situations where one parent is wrongfully influencing their child or children against the other parent..” So how should this be approached as this manipulation that is often coercive is child abuse – should the child go back to the alienating mother or father? No I do not think so!

Anonymous
Anonymous
1 year ago
Reply to  Frank Parlato

Frank correct you are very correct just take a look at the DiRubba case in Connecticut unilateral decisions even with the facts presented and intentionally and deliberately ignored

Anonymous
Anonymous
1 year ago
Reply to  Paul Anderson

Parental alienation is what the courts are doing by vilifying one parent and removing them from the lives of children.

A single custody evaluation by a hired gun psychologist- which is to be sealed because it is fraudulent- should not flip custody.

They don’t allow the medical profession to be involved. The court actors make it worse and empower one parent while disregarding the other parent and the children.

In divorce there has always been resistance and refusal. This is common. Psychiatrists have known about it forever. To create a condition of “child abuse” by Richard Gardner – which is used as a weapon to traffick children is insane.

Families that have been together for decades go to family court and one parent loses everything. Hundreds of thousands of dollars spent.

With that much money spent where is the positive outcome to have two parents successfully involved in the lives of children?

With all of the experts, surely they could create an effective intervention which helps the family.
Instead, they eliminate the parent- who happens to have no access to the family bank throughout litigation and deliver the kids to the paying parent.

Total isolation from a parent is not endorsed by any medical institution because that is child abuse

The evidence is clear. The players are the same. The game is known. How you can think it’s healthy for a parent to be eliminated from the kids lives when there is zero finding of being an unfit parent is troubling.

Dcf has no interest in these cases. None.

Anonymous
Anonymous
1 year ago
Reply to  Paul Anderson

So a parent should be eliminated from the kids lives when there is no finding of being unfit?

Many going through divorce have stressful times- do you kill off a parent? What conduct do you believe is exhibited that warrants children being cut off from a parent they love?

The court actors alienate the vilified parent. When you disparage one parent in a bs evaluation not supported by medical professionals, isolate the children from the same parent who the court and gal are publicly trashing, and then portray innocent parents- who have no history of any complaints as crazy and dangerous- that is parental alienation.

This is what ct court actors do. Jen Dulos was suddenly crazy? It’s total bullshit. These people coordinate and play the game. Attorneys are working on the same side with the gal.

The monied parent is protected. And it’s dragged out to take the mothers money. They drag it out so long, to make it permanent. The damage to childhoods by these attorneys and quackster psychologists is criminal.

Anonymous
Anonymous
1 year ago
Reply to  Paul Anderson

Mr. Anderson, Mr. Gardner’s shadow?

Elizabeth O'Leary
Elizabeth O'Leary
1 year ago

This article needs to go viral. Pass it on.

Ron Rodriguez
Ron Rodriguez
1 year ago

Biggest legal human trafficking right in front of your eyes. IT IS MUCH WORSE THAN YOU CAN POSSIBLY IMAGINE.

Debbie Salinger
Debbie Salinger
1 year ago

Broken system

Debirage
Debirage
1 year ago

Very often therapists are extremely damaged people themselves, that is why they were drawn to the field in the first place. Judges and lawyers are frequently level 4 narcissists. Dcfs can be INEPT and corrupt.
Children are stolen from their parents every single day.

Evil incarnate
Evil incarnate
1 year ago

Just sign on the dotted line….

Don't trust family court
Don't trust family court
1 year ago

Lawyers do NOT work for YOU. They are advocates for the court.

Family Court is a SCAM
Family Court is a SCAM
1 year ago

The Family Court system is a racket.

Preying on the vulnerable. Any normal parent would do anything they could to help protect their children. Lawyers & their associates count on that. You WILL go through your life savings, end up putting a mortgage on your house, or the lawyers will put a lien on your house, you will be demoralized, bullied, gaslighted and traumatized.

There is no guarantee you will see your children. If you do see your children, if you are not careful, you will be so beaten down you might feel like you have nothing to give. This is called legal abuse.

It is a system that will not only effect you and your children, but also your grandchildren, because they will also be affected by the repercussions on their parents, your children.

This system is meant to dumb you down by scaring you so much, you become frozen in fear, powerless.

It caters to the elite. The government does not want you to be a free thinker. They make sure you will sacrifice what is most dear to you in the world if you even try.

Afcc killer
Afcc killer
1 year ago

Lynda Munro is correct spelling- she now does ADR where no record exists, noting to appeal and knows how to access funds for male abusers to abuse via injustice system for free

Peaches
Peaches
1 year ago

And people think the Italian mob is bad. Scarface has nothing on these influential members of society. These people look like, “enemy number one”. Frank, I hope you shake that apple tree until all the bad apples are shaken down and shaken to the core.

Anonymous
Anonymous
1 year ago
Reply to  Peaches

Peaches, that’s a lot of applesauce.
Agreed. One bad apple at a time.

About the Author

Frank Parlato is an investigative journalist.

His work has been cited in hundreds of news outlets, like The New York Times, The Daily Mail, VICE News, CBS News, Fox News, New York Post, New York Daily News, Oxygen, Rolling Stone, People Magazine, The Sun, The Times of London, CBS Inside Edition, among many others in all five continents.

His work to expose and take down NXIVM is featured in books like “Captive” by Catherine Oxenberg, “Scarred” by Sarah Edmonson, “The Program” by Toni Natalie, and “NXIVM. La Secta Que Sedujo al Poder en México” by Juan Alberto Vasquez.

Parlato has been prominently featured on HBO’s docuseries “The Vow” and was the lead investigator and coordinating producer for Investigation Discovery’s “The Lost Women of NXIVM.” Parlato was also credited in the Starz docuseries "Seduced" for saving 'slave' women from being branded and escaping the sex-slave cult known as DOS.

Additionally, Parlato’s coverage of the group OneTaste, starting in 2018, helped spark an FBI investigation, which led to indictments of two of its leaders in 2023.

Parlato appeared on the Nancy Grace Show, Beyond the Headlines with Gretchen Carlson, Dr. Oz, American Greed, Dateline NBC, and NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt, where Parlato conducted the first-ever interview with Keith Raniere after his arrest. This was ironic, as many credit Parlato as one of the primary architects of his arrest and the cratering of the cult he founded.

Parlato is a consulting producer and appears in TNT's The Heiress and the Sex Cult, which premiered on May 22, 2022. Most recently, he consulted and appeared on Tubi's "Branded and Brainwashed: Inside NXIVM," which aired January, 2023.

IMDb — Frank Parlato

Contact Frank with tips or for help.
Phone / Text: (305) 783-7083
Email: frankreport76@gmail.com

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