Getting a divorce presents a slew of unique challenges. If you have children, one of these challenges may involve negotiating a custody agreement that best suits your child's needs. While often difficult in its own right, constructing an appropriate co-parenting plan can become increasingly complicated when alcohol is involved.
Alcohol abuse when parenting can put a dependent child at risk for physical and psychological harm. For this reason, it is not uncommon for a concerned parent to have reservations about potential co-parenting plans. To address these concerns, Soberlink provides remote alcohol monitoring technology. When used properly, this technology can help settle disputes and calm fears surrounding custody and alcohol use.
What is Soberlink?
Soberlink provides a comprehensive alcohol monitoring system, designed to help people successfully document sobriety for custody cases. Soberlink combines a professional breathalyzer with wireless connectivity, giving parents on both sides of the custody case the ability to test for sobriety remotely and get results instantly. To do this, the device transmits the Monitored Client’s alcohol level plus verification of identity directly to Soberlink's cloud-based management software in real-time. The results are made immediately available to all involved parties.
Soberlink devices also have certain unique features to further promote successful alcohol monitoring. These features include:
• Facial recognition technology
• Proprietary tamper detection
• Automated Advanced Reporting™
• Artificial intelligence
• Customizable scheduling to meet individualized needs
• Multiple plans, including two Family Law testing plans
• Text message and alert reminders
Other forms of alcohol monitoring
There are a few other forms of alcohol monitoring available for co-parenting. Traditional options, for example, include urine testing and ignition interlock devices for automobiles. While these technologies can be helpful, they often lack convenience and efficiency. Sobriety tests that utilize urine samples, for example, often involve prolonged waiting periods, since their results depend on lab testing. Ignition interlock systems, while useful when it comes to preventing drivers from operating vehicles while intoxicated, cannot address other harms caused by excessive alcohol use when parenting.
Why Soberlink is the best option for co-parents
Unlike traditional methods of alcohol monitoring, Soberlink provides clients with a reliable, flexible, and convenient way to test for sobriety. The facial recognition and tamper detection features ensure Concerned Parties that a Monitored Client's results are reliable. The ability to test remotely, coupled with individualized testing schedules, promote flexibility not found in other alcohol testing devices. Automated and immediate reporting options provide clients with a quick and convenient way to monitor alcohol use. Combined, these benefits make Soberlink the best option for co-parents seeking to ensure the safety of their children.
Benefits of Using a Soberlink Alcohol Testing Device in Child Custody Cases
Failing to effectively manage alcohol use can be dangerous, especially when there are children involved. For this reason, alcohol abuse claims are a common challenge when arranging child custody agreements. However, such claims can be difficult to corroborate and effectively address. Soberlink's expert technology provides innovative solutions to these problems.
Benefits for the monitored client
Soberlink's devices are specifically designed to support restorative, rather than punitive, alcohol monitoring. Soberlink recognizes that alcohol use is extremely common and can be successfully managed with the right tools. Instead of punishing parents who allegedly abuse alcohol, Soberlink's alcohol testing devices allows parents to prove their sobriety 7 days a week or simply during parenting time.
Benefits for the concerned party
Alcohol abuse is a valid reason to question potential co-parenting plans. However, the biggest worry for concerned parents typically stems from the level of uncertainty involved with the alcohol use. Will the monitored parent have their alcohol use in check while the child is in their custody? Can they rely on the other parent to consistently provide a safe environment?
Soberlink gives concerned parents peace of mind by eliminating this guesswork in real-time. To accomplish this, Monitored Clients can submit test results remotely. Soberlink provides two program plans to accommodate scheduling decisions about when and how often to submit these results. Both daily testing and testing while parenting plans are available.
Addressing the best interests of the child
In most cases, it is in a child's best interest to spend time with both parents after a divorce. However, if alcohol abuse poses a risk to a child's safety and wellbeing, a co-parenting plan may not be feasible. In this situation, neither alternative seems totally compelling.
By helping a parent document their alcohol use, Soberlink helps bridge the gap between a child's best interests and the interests of each parent. Quick and efficient sobriety tests can keep a child safe, a concerned party satisfied, and a precarious parent-child relationship intact.
Soberlink in These Changing Times
During these uncertain times, it is important to note the effect of COVID-19 on sobriety testing and custody arrangements. At this point in the year, the ongoing coronavirus outbreak has already disrupted many areas of everyday life. Children have felt this disruption as schools and daycare centers remain closed across the country. At the same time, parents have also undergone schedule changes as businesses have shut down, and remote work has become the norm.
The remote testing capabilities of Soberlink's devices can help parents uphold custody agreements, perhaps now more than ever. Parents who monitor with Soberlink do not need to leave home to undergo testing or obtain lab results. This means that testing can continue undisturbed while also keeping clients and their families safe from excessive risk. When looking ahead to a future free of the coronavirus, Soberlink will continue to provide remote functionality and flexible test scheduling options, keeping sobriety testing quick and convenient for clients.
It is also important to note that Soberlink offers at-home set up and customer support services to help clients successfully navigate their devices at this time. These services will help clients activate and use their devices while still observing social distancing protocols.
Soberlink Client Reviews
The Koons Fuller case study revealed that data collected by Soberlink alcohol testing devices is permissible in court as evidence. This is good news, as many alcohol abuse claims devolve into he-said-she-said situations. This is because testimony alone is often not enough in child custody cases and additional evidence can be difficult to obtain. Since data collected by Soberlink devices is admissible as evidence, users now have the chance to refer to solid data in support of their claims.
When negotiating custody arrangements, Soberlink clients can count on their devices for consistent and effective alcohol monitoring. To get a first-hand account of their experiences, check out what clients are saying about Soberlink.
Comments