Collaboration can happen

even when people are not getting along

video message board | our online courses

Online collaboration is a process that is quickly becoming a staple of internet communication. Services provided by behavioranalytics.net provide ways for people to collaborate and communicate when circumstances are difficult and when people are not getting along. Moderated online communication offers many advantages to people who are not communicting well:

1. Since it is moderated, communication is made accountable to a neutral third party, who where cases require it, has access to the Court.

2. In many moderated environments the moderator can re-frame or restructure communiucation so that the intent of the communication remains accurate, but insults, inflammatory language and hostile commentary are taken out of the communication. More appropriate types of communication can be modeled by the moderator. The content of the participants communications can form the basis for productive intstruction from the moderator.

3. Many cues for conflict laden communication (eye rolling, 'harumphing', sarcastic non-verbal behavior) are elimintated.

4. Threat sensitivity is reduced because people are not in the same room.

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Here is a list of behavioranalytics.net products and services along with privacy considerations, benefits and costs:

Moderated Message Boards - a moderated message board is like a running conversation. Two co-parents and a moderator have access to a massword protected message board. Co-parents exchange information by filling out a simple form. After the form is filled out the contents of the form are posted to a webpage and an email is sent out to both participants to alert them that the board is updated. The moderator's posts contain suggestions on how to clarify communication. Best for: low to medium conflict. Not appropriate for emergency communications. Privacy: all comments are logged directly to a webpage. Webpage is only viewable to individuals with a username and password for that board which are the two co-parents and moderator. Each family who uses this system has their own private board. All messages are archived and can be copied and pasted into another document from the webpage with the co-parent's password. Why it works: The message board itelf is private, however, the fact that the co-parents can copy the entire series of conversation threads will enhance civility in communication. Also, moderator always has access to all conversation threads and can use the content as a means of teaching better communication. Costs: $10 per month for a minimum of six months. $100 per year if sign up is for one year.

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Moderated Emails - a moderated email system is a standard, high quality, feature rich email system which includes calendars, contact lists, attatchments and many other features. Participants are instructed to copy the moderator with any email which they want reviewed by the moderator. The moderator enhances communication between the parties by making suggestions on how to optimize communication between the parties. Best for; low to very high conflict families, where in the latter, if there is an order of protection, emails between the parties can be screened by the moderator and moderator can act as an intermediary between the parties. High level features such as the calendaring system assist in information sharing and aid organization and efficiency. This system can be configured to be used with cell phones that have email checking programs. Should not be relied on for emergency communicatiions. Privacy: This is a private system, accessible through the internet with username/password security on a secure server. This can be used in place of or in addition to the parties regular email system. Administrator does have access to emails, but this is consistent with how most internet based email services work. Why it works: This sysem works because it is moderated and because users can rely oin the moderator to forward or receive forwarded messages. The moderator can archive some or all of the communications he or she receives to document good or bad communication habits or to use in the context of his or her teaching interactions with the parties. Costs: Initial set up is $50 and monthly costs are $20 per month for each user.

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Moderated Chats - a moderated chat is a real time conversation which is a like a "telephone conversation on paper." The "moderated" part of the chat is what makes this system appropriate for low to very high conflict co-parents. Before a snippet of conversation is allowed into the chat room it must be approved by the moderator. The moderator either re-frames or rejects inappropriate chat responses, making sure only the relevent content is submitted, and that nothing that might obviously escalate a conflict is entered into the discussion. This is an ideal way to hash out agreements or to make sure important information is shared. The moderated chat room comes with additional add on items including a system for counting behavioral issues and charting behavior over time. Video conference is also available. Privacy: Chats are held in password protected rooms. There is no assurance that the person who says they are chatting is the person who is chatting, so it would be impossible, for instance to validate the indentity of the actual chatter, unless in video conference mode. This is rarely the case but it is a possibility. Video conference eliminates this as an issue. Why it works: Moderated chats work because they are moderated and because poor communication habits are not reinforced. With a good moderator difrficult issues can be discussed at length without insulting either party. Costs: Professionals who want their own chat room where they can provide service to multiple clients can have their own chat room, branded with their professional information for a $500 set up fee which includes branded website, with chat installation for up to 50 simultaneous chatters. Monthly charges are $95.00 per month to maintain the site and provide technical support. Video conference capabilities are available at additional costs. Rental of an existing chat room is $55 for one time use max time for usage is three hours. Reservations must be made 24 hours in advance. In New York State, moderated chats with Dr. Favaro [click here for Dr. Favaro's credentials] can be scheduled. Parties must submit a description of their issue and a moderated chat will be scheduled for a maximum of two hours. Cost for this moderated chat is $200. There is no assurance that your issue will be resolved in a single session.

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Co-Parenting Log Books - Best for very young children whose habits and routines have not been well established and parents really need to communicate about health, well being and behavior on an almost daily basis. Privacy: Log books are password protected and can only be looked at by individuals with a valid account for that log book (two co-parents and moderator).Why it works: Written communication that is moderated by a third party gives the people the opportunity to share information in an environment where civility and neutral to positive commnication is prioritized. Costs: $10 per month for a minimum of six months.

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Collaborative Document Sharing - Using Microsoft's award winning SharePoint software parents are broken up into "Teams" where a moderator can assign tasks, create common calendars and share documents. Privacy: Team information is protected by username and password: Why it works: Best for cases where a lot of "hands on" interaction is necessary. This product is only available to professionals in mental health, law and/or mediation. Two Hour online training seminar is required prior to purchase. Costs:Initial set up is $125 (This provides you with your own SharePoint environment.) Monthly fees are $85 per month ongoing. Support assistance is $25 per incident.

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.Shared Calendars - Setting your visitation schedule up for a year or more in advance reduces the amount of bickering there will be over what holidays are actual holidays, when vacation begins and ends, and so forth. Low conflict couples can use a shared calendar for keeping track and organizing, as well as communicating important events. You can moderate the calendar by using it in conjunction with the moderated message board or email system by permitting only the moderator to make entries into the calendar that are already agreed to. This way the schedule is "set in stone" as the saying goes. Privacy: Access to your calendar is password protected, but either parent can enter or delete calendar entries so there must be trust that the other parent will not falsify information. To moderate the calendar only the moderator would be permitted access to change information, but the parties themselves can view what they have agreed to with the moderator. Costs: An unmoderated shared calendar is $15 per person one time cost. A moderated calendar is $150 set up cost to build a full year's calendar that is agreed to by both parties. If moderation is required on a monthly basis the cost s $25 per month:

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Conflict Analysis Using the CCAT (Custody Conflict Analysis Tool) - The CCAT is an online custody conflict analysis tool. It is a "smart survey" or expert system which analyzes and describes the attitudes of people who are fighting over custody and makes suggestions on how to reduce their conflicts. The CCAT was developed for the purposes of bringing good information to referring judges and lawyers without putting litigants through the expensive process of a full on psychological or custody evaluation. The data that the CCAT provides is descriptive. It does not judge and makes assumptions based on whether conflict appears to be high or low, escalating or de-escalating. Most importantly, the CCAT provides information on whay people are willing to do to resolve their conflicts by assessing willingness to concede to "offers of good faith." Privacy: Once the CCAT is completed, the results are stored on a secured server, accesible only through username and password. CCAT reports can be distributed to any approved email address, or faxed or mailed for a $10 fee. Costs: The cost of a CCAT account is $175 per person for a years worth of use. CCAT information is stored by person and time the test was taken. This way individuals can take the CCAT as many times as they want to give their most recent opinions. Since people's attitudes and feelings about their co-parent are often fluid and dynamic, it is helpful to see how and if people's responses change over time. The CCAT produces two kinds of reports: An individual report to summarize what a person's attitudes and beliefs are about their situation and a comparative report to see what ways conflict is seen and described by each party in relationship to one another.

Virtual Visitation - a video conference facility that can be set up for long distance visitation or when real visitation is not possible. These visits can be set up to be supervised/monitored or unsupervised. Document sharing for homework help is avaiilable. Privacy: videoconferences are private to the extent that only particpants can attend. Cameras on the computer will "see" everything they are focused on behind each individual. Costs: Costs for an unmonitored video conference are $75/hr. Monitoring costs $125 an hour (special accomodations are made for hardship cases). Please note: parents who use this service must have a laptop computer with an internet camera. Quality of the service varies with the type of internet connection you have (must be DSL connection or better, not recommended for dial up service). Written chat is always available on the same screen if video connection is too slow. Costs for slow connections are non-refundable since it is outside the providers control.

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Video Message Board - this facility is used primarily in reconcilliation cases as a beginning step in establishing communication between parents and children who have been estranged from one aother. Parent and child do not interact in real time, but leave messages on a video board that are moderated by a third party (i.e, a professional). This service only comes in monitored form and can be set up through Dr. Favaro or through your own practitioner who uses and moderates the service. Moderator will delete or prevent transmission of inappropriate content on both sides of the interaction. Privacy: access to the board is username/password controlled. Anyone with access to the board will be able to see all archived communications. Costs: $75 per month. Users must have web cameras connected to their computers.

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Online Courses- This site will host online courses in parenting (children and teens courses are individualized), anger management and co-parenting. All courses are free to take part in. To take a test and earn a certificate of completion there is a one time fee of $15 to $25 per course. Certificate of completion can be printed, a record of participation is maintained for showing compliance (testing option only).

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