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Ritchie (HB 421) Act No. 333
Existing law requires one or more parents to complete a treatment program prior to awarding
custody or allowing visitation when there is a history of family violence.
Prior law defined "treatment program" as a course of evaluation and psychotherapy designed
specifically for perpetrators of family violence. Further required the treatment program to
be conducted by a licensed mental health professional.
New law changes prior law by defining a "treatment program" as used in the Post-Separation
Violence Relief Act as a treatment program comprised of a minimum of 26 in-person
sessions that follows a model designed specifically for perpetrators of domestic abuse.
Requires the provider of the program to have all of the following:
(1)Experience in working directly with the perpetrators and victims of domestic abuse.
(2)Experience in facilitating batterer intervention groups.
(3)Training in the causes and dynamics of domestic violence, characteristics of
batterers, victim safety, and sensitivity of victims.
Effective August 1, 2014.
(Amends R.S. 9:362(7))