The Family courthouse is a unique environment. The courts cannot talk to the families outside of the legal proceedings and attorneys often do not provide families with emotional support they need. Therefore, families often feel isolated, confused, angry, hurt, and sometimes helpless. The system seems unfriendly.

The idea of NewDay came to Randy Thomas as he volunteered three mornings a week to help families in crisis at the Family Law Center. In 1997, after nearly a year, he left the secure position at a local church and launched NewDay as a faith-based nonprofit.

Since that time Don Mansfield has stepped into Randy’s shoes and continued to offer comfort and support to hurting families as the Family Law Center Senior Advocate. Under his guidance, NewDay has launched a series of programs for the Family Law Center. Judges, seeing the families in distress, now have some alternatives and can either court order or recommend the classes.

• Accessed Without Conflict assists parents in making the difficult transition into shared parenting. This three-hour course is designed for both custodial and noncustodial parents.
• FOCUS is an interactive class designed to assist men with challenges they face as noncustodial fathers. More on this class can be seen under the fatherhood service program.
• FOCUS Mother’s Orientation is a three-hour class specifically designed for the former spouses or partners of fathers who attend the FOCUS Class for Men.
• Time To Take Control is an interactive class designed to assist women facing the unique challenges of being a noncustodial mother, providing a framework of influence in life’s challenges and with their children.
• Dealing With The Feeling is an intense interactive class designed to understand and resolve anger in a productive manner. This class is held once a week for 12 weeks.
• Kids Quest is designed to help children and teenagers whose parents are going through divorce and family breakup. See more about this workshop under the Kids Quest service program.