Dear Members,
We are excited to bring you the latest updates and events from the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC) Indiana Chapter. AFCC is the premier interdisciplinary and international association of mental health and legal professions dedicated to the resolution of family conflict.
Attention Hendricks County AFCC Members!
Please join us on Thursday, July 24 (07/24/25) at BRU Burger Bar at 2499 Perry Crossing Way, Plainfield from 4pm – 6pm for a mix and mingle. Please bring a colleague who is not currently a member so that we can share all that AFCC has to offer. We want to build membership in Hendricks County across all disciplines – judges, attorneys, GALs, PCs, and mental health professionals. Spread the word! Appetizers are on us!
A Little Bit About Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)
In recent years, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives have become a cornerstone of efforts in workplaces, educational institutions, and various organizations. These initiatives aim to foster environments where every individual, regardless of their background, has an equal opportunity to thrive.
Diversity is meant to ensure representation of different groups based on race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and other characteristics. Equity is meant to provide fair treatment, opportunities, and advancement while striving to identify and eliminate barriers that have prevented full participation. Inclusion is intended to create environments where any individual or group can be and feel welcomed, respected, supported, and valued.
Information pulled from Wikipedia and Notre Dame articles summarize the evolution of DEI:
- 1957:
- The Civil Rights Act of 1957 establishes the Civil Rights Commission and the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division.
- 1960:
- The Greensboro sit-ins begin, sparking a wave of nonviolent protests against segregation in the South.
- 1961:
- The Freedom Rides begin, challenging segregation in interstate travel.
- 1963:
- The Equal Pay Act is passed, prohibiting sex discrimination in pay. The Equal Pay Act was enacted on June 10, 1963, when President John F. Kennedy signed it into law. This landmark legislation, aimed at prohibiting wage discrimination based on sex, was part of Kennedy’s New Frontier program and amended the Fair Labor Standards Act.
- 1964:
- The Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin in public accommodations and facilities, employment, and education.
- 1965:
- The Voting Rights Act of 1965 prohibits discrimination in voting on the basis of race, color, or language minority status.
- 1968:
- The Fair Housing Act of 1968 prohibits discrimination in housing on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.
- 1969:
- The Supreme Court case Alexander v. Holmes County Board of Education rules that all schools must be desegregated “at once.”
- 1971:
- The Supreme Court case Swann v. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education rules that school districts can use busing to achieve racial desegregation.
- 1972:
- Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in education programs and activities receiving federal financial assistance.
- 1973:
- The Supreme Court case Roe v. Wade legalizes abortion in the United States.
- 1974:
- The Supreme Court case Milliken v. Bradley rules that school districts cannot be required to desegregate across district lines.
- 1978:
- The Supreme Court case Regents of the University of California v. Bakke rules that affirmative action programs can be used to achieve Diversity in higher education.
- 1989:
- The Supreme Court case Wards Cove Packing Co. v. Atonio rules that employers are not liable for discrimination unless they can show that they have a “business necessity” for their discriminatory practices.
- 1990:
- The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is passed, prohibiting discrimination against differently abled persons in all areas of public life, including employment, education, transportation, and public accommodations.
- 1991:
- The Civil Rights Act of 1991 amends the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and provides for monetary damages in cases of intentional discrimination.
- 1996:
- The Supreme Court case Adarand Constructors, Inc. v. Pena rules that affirmative action programs must be “narrowly tailored” to achieve a “compelling government interest.”
- 2003:
- The Supreme Court case Grutter v. Bollinger upholds the use of race as a factor in admissions decisions at the University of Michigan Law School.
- 2005:
- Hurricane Katrina devastates the Gulf Coast, disproportionately affecting African Americans.
- 2009:
- The Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act is signed into law by President Barack Obama. The act expands the 1969 United States federal hate-crime law to include crimes motivated by a victim’s actual or perceived gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability.
- 2013:
- The Supreme Court case Shelby County v. Holder case ruled that a key part of the Voting Rights Act (VRA) of 1965, requiring certain areas to get approval for voting changes, was unconstitutional. This weakened the VRA’s ability to prevent racial discrimination in voting.
- 2014:
- The Supreme Court case Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin upholds the use of race as a factor in admissions decisions at the University of Texas at Austin.
- 2015:
- The Supreme Court case Obergefell v. Hodges legalizes same-sex marriage in the United States.
- 2020:
- The Supreme Court rules in the case of Bostock v. Clayton County, which expands the definition of employment discrimination to include discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
- 2021:
- The Biden administration announces a new initiative to address racial disparities in the criminal justice system. The initiative includes $350 million in funding for community-based programs and $1 billion for research on racial bias in policing. The House of Representatives passes the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act again, with some changes. California passes a law that prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity in public accommodations, housing, and employment.
New York passes a law that requires all public schools to teach about the history of racism and discrimination in the United States.
- 2022:
- The House of Representatives passes the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, which would restore key provisions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. President Joe Biden signs an Executive Order on Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities.
The Emmett Till Antilynching Act is signed into law by President Biden, making lynching a federal hate crime punishable by up to 30 years in prison. The Supreme Court rules in the case of Vega v. Tekoh, holding that police officers can be sued for violating a person’s Fourth Amendment rights even if they did not intend to do so. The Supreme Court case Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization overturns Roe v. Wade, eliminating the constitutional right to abortion.
The Supreme Court rules in the case of Brnovich v. Democratic National Committee, upholding Arizona’s law that restricts early voting and same-day voter registration.
Just when it seemed DEI initiatives were being well received, a backlash against them has arisen. Despite the positive intentions behind DEI initiatives, they have faced significant opposition from various quarters. Critics argue that these programs can be divisive, overly prescriptive, and even discriminatory against majority groups.
The backlash against DEI can be attributed to several factors, including perceived threats to meritocracy, political opposition, economic concerns, and legal and regulatory challenges.
The consequences of efforts to roll back DEI initiatives affect marginalized groups who rely on programs for support and advancement. It’s not always clear who has directly or indirectly benefited from DEI efforts.
Those who wish to target beneficiaries of DEI efforts do not always understand that their intended targets are not the actual individuals/groups harmed by the rollback of DEI initiatives. When that happens, we should all fee the danger. If you are not among the intended targets, you could still feel the blows indirectly.
GET INVOLVED
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Become a member of the Indiana Chapter of AFCC today by visiting our website at https://indianaafcc.org
Email us at [email protected] to be included in our member spotlight!
UPCOMING EVENTS
2025 Child-Informed Mediation Training
August 22, 2025
Get More Info & Register
Indiana Chapter Annual Conference
October 24, 2025
Get More Info & Register
Sept 18th – 20th, 2025
AFCC AAML Advanced Issues in Child Custody: Evaluation, Litigation and Settlement
San Francisco, CA
Member Spotlight: Victoria Dalton
Wow! What an honor to be highlighted by this group.
As a forensic and clinically trained psychologist, I have always had a passion for working with families. Very early on in my 25 year career, I discovered that some of the toughest cases were the families in active litigation. And most therapists don’t want to work with families during these times.
So nearly 20 years ago I started exploring and training in “High Conflict Families” and quite frankly, it fit in nicely with my earlier trainings with criminal profiling, correctional facilities, addictions training and my work with troubled adolescents! HCF are typically people in crisis but fearful to express accountability or to be vulnerable enough to ask for help.
While I have spent years providing Reunification Therapy, I primarily now only provide Co-Parent Coaching and Directive Therapy for HCF through Bloom Psychology Services in Fishers -where I work with an amazing group of highly skilled Psychologists.
However, I have recently launched a website for my LLC in which I provide Executive Coaching and Seminars to business entrepreneurs, Law groups and
High Achieving professionals consulting on conflict management, improved efficiency and navigating a healthy work-life balance.
Years ago – during an intensive PC training workshop – one of the presenters (I believe it was Dr. John Ehrmann) shared that HCF work is “really hard work and if you are going to work this hard, you have to find some way to play hard too.” I have tried to take that to heart over the years. So, my downtime involves a lot of traveling, hiking, kayaking, camping (really glamping though), spending time with my family and hanging out in my chicken coop. I really, really love my chicks! There is something strangely calming about watching them move and interact. Thank you again for this opportunity.
Member Spotlight: Katie Meek
I am the Supervising Custody Attorney at Kids’ Voice of Indiana, where I oversee the organization’s Guardians ad Litem (GAL) and custody programs. I began my career as a family-law attorney in Portland, Maine. After a break to raise my children, I returned to practice at a small family-law firm in Carmel, Indiana. That experience—combined with along-standing commitment to pro bono service—made Kids’ Voice a natural next step.
What I find most rewarding about my role is giving children a voice in litigation where adult motivations can overshadow their best interests. When serving as GAL, I conduct comprehensive investigations that help courts make more informed decisions about children’s welfare. In addition to my casework, I also train and serves as a mentor for new volunteer Guardians ad Litem, helping to build a strong, informed network of child advocates.
I hold an undergraduate degree in Environmental Science and say that if I weren’t an attorney, I’d be working on national park trail preservation. I enjoy hiking, reading, and puzzles of all kinds—and this summer, I am going hiking along Minnesota’s North Shore. A lifelong music lover, I once got on stage with David Byrne of the Talking Heads to play Scrabble using marquee letters—a moment Byrne turned into song lyrics on the spot.
A first-year member of Indiana AFCC, I value the insights the organization brings to the intersection of family law and mental health. I appreciate the focus on improving outcomes for families and look forward to building friendships and mentorships within the AFCC community.
If you’re interested in becoming a volunteer Guardian ad Litem for Kids’ Voice, the next training will be held in August. Sign up for an info session at https://www.kidsvoicein.org/events/ to learn more!