RENDERED: JANUARY 27, 2023; 10:00 A.M.

NOT TO BE PUBLISHED

Commonwealth of Kentucky

Court of Appeals

NO. 2021-CA-1233-MR

AARON J. HAUBNER APPELLANT

APPEAL FROM BOONE CIRCUIT COURT

v. HONORABLE JENNIFER R. DUSING, JUDGE

ACTION NO. 20-CI-00728

JAMIE E. HAUBNER APPELLEE

OPINION

VACATING AND REMANDING

**   **  **

BEFORE: EASTON, ECKERLE, AND GOODWINE, JUDGES.

EASTON, JUDGE: The Appellant contests a decision of the Boone Family Court 

affecting the custody of his two minor children, specifically an order regarding 

counseling. Upon review, we are compelled to vacate and remand for required 

written findings of fact. 
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This is an appeal arising from a dissolution of marriage action in 

Boone Family Court. Most of the issues were resolved by the parties pursuant to a 

partial settlement agreement, which the family court incorporated into its decree on 

September 23, 2021. The sole issue before us involves an issue the parties did not 

address in their partial settlement agreement, whether and to what extent therapy or 

counseling would be appropriate for their two minor sons, S.J.T.H. (born 2010) 

and H.W.H. (born 2013).

The issue of therapy and counseling was not raised by the family 

court.

1

 The parents raised the issue, which they had reserved in their partial 

settlement agreement as an ancillary custody issue. The parents share joint custody 

of the children. The children’s mother, Appellee (“Jamie”) believed counseling 

would be beneficial. The children’s father, Appellant (“Aaron”) objected to 

counseling as unnecessary. Having reached an impasse as to counseling, they 

asked the family court to resolve their disagreement.

1 When addressing the issue of custody, a trial court must consider all relevant factors, which 

may include “[t]he mental and physical health of all individuals involved[.]” Kentucky Revised 

Statute (“KRS”) 403.270(2)(e). Thus, with or without the approval or a motion from the 

involved parents, the trial court has discretionary authority to order the parties (including the 

minor children) to undergo psychological evaluations and counseling during the proceedings. 

See Family Court Rule of Practice and Procedure (“FCRPP”) 6(2). Moreover, the trial court may

condition granting a final hearing in a dissolution proceeding upon the completion, by everyone 

in the family, of divorce counseling or a divorce education program. See FCRPP 6(4). Nothing 

to that effect occurred below, nor was it required. In any event, in exercising any such 

discretionary authority, the overriding principle in custody matters is, as always, that the best 

interest of each child must be served by the family court’s decision. Burchell v. Burchell, 684 

S.W.2d 296, 300 (Ky. App. 1984).
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On September 14, 2021, the family court held a two-hour evidentiary 

hearing on this matter. The only evidence offered for consideration by the court 

was the testimony of Aaron and Jamie, who each explained why, in their respective 

lay opinions,2the children should or should not attend counseling. Thereafter, the 

family court ruled in Jamie’s favor. Its findings to that effect, as set forth in a 

“supplement to decree” order of September 27, 2021, were in relevant part as 

follows:

The Court, having heard and carefully considered the 

testimony and evidence presented; and being in all ways 

sufficiently advised, makes the following:

1. The minor children shall attend counseling with Abby 

at Brightside Counseling[3] or another agreed upon child 

therapist.

2. The children shall attend at a frequency of two (2) 

times per month, or less as agreed upon by the parties or 

recommended by the counselor.

3. Counseling shall continue until recommended by the 

counselor that the children no longer need counseling or 

as agreed upon by both parties.

4. Both parties shall be involved in the counseling and 

may participate, as recommended by the counselor.

2 Aaron and Jamie each testified they had no training or experience with therapy or counseling.

3 The qualifications of any counselor were not presented at the evidentiary hearing. And, while 

the parties were apparently aware of the identity of “Abby at Brightside Counseling,” nothing of 

record indicates her last name.
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5. The cost of counseling shall be divided by the total 

percentage of incomes as set forth in the Child Support 

Worksheet attached to the Property Settlement and 

Custody Agreement, with Father paying 73% and Mother 

paying 27%.

On appeal, Aaron argues the family court’s order directing the 

children to attend therapy made insufficient findings to justify its order, and the 

specifics of the family court’s counseling directive were vague and overbroad. 

Upon review, we agree the findings are insufficient requiring remand. Generally 

speaking, 

Issues concerning educational decisions and medical 

decisions are matters of custody. Keeton v. Keith, 511 

S.W.3d 918, 921 (Ky. App. 2017). “A significant and 

unique aspect of full joint custody is that both parents 

possess the rights, privileges, and responsibilities 

associated with parenting and are expected to consult and 

participate equally in the child’s upbringing.” 

Pennington v. Marcum, 266 S.W.3d 759, 764 (Ky. 2008). 

Where the parties “are unable to agree on a major issue 

concerning their child’s upbringing, the trial court, with 

its continuing jurisdiction over custody matters, must 

conduct a hearing to evaluate the circumstances and 

resolve the issue according to the child’s best interest.” 

Burchell v. Burchell, 684 S.W.2d 296, 300 (Ky. App. 

1984) (emphasis added).

Warawa v. Warawa, 587 S.W.3d 631, 636 (Ky. App. 2019).

Like educational and medical decisions, mental health decisions (e.g., 

whether to order counseling or therapy for minor children) are matters of custody. 

Moreover, there is no dispute between the parties that the mental health decisions 
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at issue were major ones. Here, as required, the family court conducted a hearing 

on the issue after the parties reached an impasse. However, it was not enough for 

the family court to conduct a hearing and reach a documented decision. Rather, 

the family court was required “to evaluate the circumstances and resolve the issue 

according to the child[ren]’s best interest.” Id. (citation omitted).

This paramount basis for custody decisions requires findings of fact. 

The family court’s order does not contain findings to explain why counseling was 

warranted, why the frequency was chosen, or why it was consistent with the 

children’s best interests. As such, it does not comply with Anderson v. Johnson, 

350 S.W.3d 453 (Ky. 2011), and Keifer v. Keifer, 354 S.W.3d 123 (Ky. 2011), 

which require written findings of fact in all matters affecting child custody –

regardless of whether an aggrieved party requests such findings.4

Jamie asserts on page 2 of her appellate brief, without citation to the 

record, that the family court did make a “best interests” determination. Having 

reviewed the recorded hearing, this Court found no exposition on this subject. The 

family court stated nothing on the subject in its post-hearing, handwritten calendar 

order of September 14, 2021, or in its written order of September 27, 2021, or at 

any point in time from the bench during the two-hour evidentiary hearing. 

4 As Jamie points out, Aaron did not request findings of fact pursuant to Kentucky Rule of Civil 

Procedure (“CR”) 52.04. While such a failure would generally waive an objection about 

insufficient findings, custody, including counseling decisions, is an exception under the 

precedents cited here by the Court. 
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Jamie points out that in Benton v. Sotingeanu, 450 S.W.3d 714 (Ky. 

App. 2014), the court held findings of fact and conclusions of law were 

unnecessary in an order resolving an impasse between joint custodians involving 

whether their child should have a passport. Id. at 717-18. But the Benton Court’s 

decision in that regard was founded upon its conclusion that the mere issuance of a 

passport, standing alone, was not a matter affecting timesharing or custody, or one 

that modified a final order affecting those issues. Id. Here mental health decisions

for children are matters of custody. Additionally, by its plain terms, the family 

court’s “supplement to decree” order of September 27, 2021, supplemented and 

thus modified the family court’s dissolution decree of September 23, 2021, 

regarding a custody issue.

The overriding principle in custody matters is that the best interest of 

each child must be served by the family court’s decision. Burchell, 684 S.W.2d at

300. “As to what constitutes the best interest of the child, this Court reviews any 

factual findings under the clearly erroneous standard; any decisions based upon 

said facts are reviewed under an abuse of discretion standard.” Burch v. Lipscomb, 

638 S.W.3d 460, 463 (Ky. App. 2021) (citations omitted). However, absent any

written factual findings or an oral recitation that the family court’s decision 

comports with the children’s best interests, this Court cannot properly review the 

family court’s order.
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Accordingly, we VACATE the family court’s decision, as set forth in 

its order, to require the children to participate in counseling. On REMAND, the 

family court shall render an order consistent with the requirements of Anderson, 

350 S.W.3d 453, and Keifer, 354 S.W.3d 123. In compliance with this mandate, 

the family court may rely upon the evidence that was presented at the hearing 

previously held, or it may conduct any further proceedings it deems necessary.

Because we are remanding the case and to avoid any future appeal 

issues, we counsel against even unintended delegation to any third party the 

responsibility for resolving issues affecting the best interests of the children. 

Warawa, 587 S.W.3d at 637. This would include any determination of when any 

such counseling or therapy should end. See Burchell, 684 S.W.2d at 300 

(explaining, “Once the parents have abdicated their role as custodians to the trial 

court, its decision is binding on the parties until it is shown [to the trial court] that 

the decision is detrimental to the child physically or emotionally, or is no longer in 

his best interest.”). A schedule for a court review of the counseling may replace an 

open-ended continuation of therapy until a counselor feels it is no longer needed. 

Finally, we note Aaron’s primary complaint throughout the September 

14, 2021, evidentiary hearing was that there was no objective assessment from any 

qualified professional that the children would benefit from counseling, or what 

amount of counseling they would benefit from, or what the duration of the 
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counseling should be. Aaron testified during the evidentiary hearing that he was 

“not against” the family court invoking its permissive authority to order a 

psychological assessment of the children to consider counseling. The family court 

may now have information available about counseling already undertaken or being

considered to support specific written findings of fact.

For the reasons stated, the order of the Boone Family Court is 

VACATED, and this case is REMANDED for proceedings consistent with this 

Opinion. 

ALL CONCUR.

BRIEFS FOR APPELLANT:

Brandy K. Lawrence

Fort Wright, Kentucky

BRIEF FOR APPELLEE:

Jessica L. Beauchamp

Cincinnati, Ohio