Bill H.36 aims to enhance the availability of family forensic evaluators in Vermont's Family Division of the Superior Court, particularly for complex cases involving child welfare and parenting matters. The bill recognizes the critical role that family forensic evaluators play in providing essential information to attorneys, judges, and state agencies, and highlights the current shortage of such evaluators as a barrier to effectively resolving cases in the best interests of children.

To address this issue, the bill requests that the Chief Superior Judge, the Director of the Office of Professional Regulation, and the Executive Director of the Vermont Psychological Association collaborate to assess the need for family forensic evaluators, identify barriers to their availability, and develop strategies to increase their numbers in the state. The recommendations from this collaborative effort are to be submitted to the General Assembly by November 1, 2025. The act is set to take effect upon passage.