been found to have perpetrated abuse to pay all or a portion of
the fees, costs and expenses incurred by the other party,
including attorney fees, costs relating to any counsel for the
child and treatment expenses incurred relating to the abuse.
Section 6. Title 42 is amended by adding a section to read:
§ 1908. Child abuse and domestic violence education and
training program for judges and court personnel.
The Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts may develop
and implement an ongoing education and training program for
judges, including magisterial district judges, and relevant
court personnel, including guardians ad litem, regarding child
abuse, including child sexual abuse and trauma, domestic
violence and the impact of child abuse and domestic violence on
children. The education and training program shall include the
latest best practices from evidence-based and peer-reviewed
research. The education and training program shall be designed
to improve the ability of courts to recognize and respond to the
impact of child abuse, domestic violence and trauma on all
victims, specifically children, and make appropriate custody
decisions that are in the best interest of the child.
Section 7. Section 5983(a) of Title 42 is amended to read:
§ 5983. Rights and services.
(a) Designation of persons to act on behalf of children.--
Courts of common pleas may designate one or more persons as a
child advocate to provide the following services on behalf of
children who are involved in criminal proceedings as victims or
material witnesses[:] or children who are the subject of custody
proceedings and who are alleged to have been abused by a party
in the custody proceedings or have been impacted by domestic
violence perpetrated by a party in the custody proceedings:
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