Will Child Support Pay for Counseling in Atlanta?

Children may require counseling or mental health treatment after a divorce in Atlanta. For many children, the breakup of their parents is the most traumatic event in their lives. Even if children do not seem interested in counseling, it might be in their best interests. However, counseling is not cheap. How can you pay for their treatment as a single parent? Could a child support lawyer in Atlanta help you get the necessary funds?

Counseling Could be a Medical Expense

Child support is supposed to cover necessary living costs for children. These include shelter, food, clothing, and health care. Since counseling is a legitimate form of health care, child support could cover this expense. As a result, parents who feel their children need counseling might want to determine whether child support will cover this expense.

Does Your Insurance Cover Counseling?

Most health insurance policies cover mental health costs, such as counseling. As a result, the most logical first step is to determine whether the insurance plan of either parent currently covers child counseling. If so, the only requirement may be to maintain this insurance coverage as the child ages. You might not need to organize additional child support payments if insurance already covers counseling. 

Child Support May Cover Counseling in High-Net-Worth Families

If existing insurance plans do not cover child counseling, families may struggle to facilitate a child support agreement that pays the necessary costs. Counseling can be expensive, especially over an extended period of time. Parents may be better able to cover these costs after high-net-worth divorces. Those with lower incomes may not be able to access child counseling. After all, child support cannot create money out of thin air where it does not exist.

You Might Need to Negotiate With the Other Parent

If you feel that it is important for your child to have counseling, you may need to negotiate with the other parent. If you express your concerns clearly, the other parent might agree that this type of medical care is necessary. As a result, they may be willing to create a personalized child support plan with a certain amount of money set aside for counseling.

You Can Spend Your Child Support Any Way You Like

With all that said, it is important to remember that the court does not oversee exactly how you spend your child support. If you feel that it’s worth spending a certain portion of this money on counseling for your child, you are free to do so. You do not need anyone else’s permission, although you may need to budget for other costs like education, shelter, and food.

Can a Child Support Lawyer in Atlanta Help Me?

While child support could cover the cost of counseling after divorce, parents may need to take certain legal steps to ensure they have enough to pay for this type of medical service. Insurance is an obvious first step, and child support could cover the remaining, uninsured costs. Parents who are serious about protecting the mental health of their children may need to make specific provisions in their child support agreements in Atlanta. Contact Buckhead Family Law to learn more.

Source:

 pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6313686/