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3. Divorce & Custody Mediation Training
4. FAQ

Divorce and Custody Mediation Training

Frequently Asked Questions

• What does your 40-hour course include?
• Will this course enable me to become a mediator?
• Will this course enable me to apply for membership in the Family Section of the Association for Conflict Resolution (formerly Academy of Family Mediators)?
• If I want to be a divorce mediator in Michigan, what qualifications do I need to be listed on court rosters?
• How do I get the Domestic Violence Screening Training required by the Michigan State Court Administrative Office?
• Can I get Illinois MCLE credits, Professionalism credits and Social Work CEU’s?
• Who are the faculty for the course?
• What is the cost of your program?
• How do I register?
• What readings would you recommend to help me prepare for the workshop?
• Do any restrictions for attendance in the workshops exist?
• What about accommodations and meals?
• What is the attire of the workshop?
• Do you have a cancellation policy?

What does your 40-hour course include?

The course is organized to cover the basic areas of divorce mediation. (See the Sample Workshop Agenda for more details.) Both experiential and didactic, the course will not only cover the basic content areas of a divorce settlement, i.e., property division, support and parenting arrangements, etc., but will also include components on the nature of the divorce process and its relationship to mediation, mediation as a form of dispute resolution, the role of professional mediators vis-a-vis attorneys and therapists, ethics and standards of practice for mediators, getting started as a mediator, marketing, continuing education, writing a memorandum, and related issues involved in acquiring the knowledge and skills to become a competent mediator. One distinctive feature of this training is the inclusion of videotapes of actual mediations. Our 369 page manual includes many of the forms you'll need to start a divorce mediation practice.

Will this course enable me to become a mediator?

At present, there is no licensing of mediators and no system of national certification. Some states or county courts have requirements for mediators who receive referrals from the courts. If you have any questions regarding certification requirements in your area, contact your nearest state or municipal court. Also, see approvals page for states that accept this training.

This training meets 40 of the 60 hour training requirement for Practitioner Membership in the Family Section of the Association for Conflict Resolution, the only national organization which sets standards for mediators. A certificate will be issued upon satisfactory completion of and full attendance at the training course. If for any reason you are unable to attend the full forty hours, you must consult your trainer in advance to make alternate arrangements.

Will this course enable me to apply for membership in the Family Section of the Association for Conflict Resolution (formerly Academy of Family Mediators)?

Yes. The Association has formally approved our program as part of its requirements for membership as follows:

"This program has been approved by the Family Section of the Association for Conflict Resolution and fulfills 40 of the 60 hours of training required for Advanced Practitioner membership in the Association."

If I want to be a divorce mediator in Michigan, what qualifications do I need to be listed on court rosters?

Under the Court Rule 3.216, domestic relations mediators in Michigan need the following qualifications to be put on a roster in any circuit court that has an approved ADR plan:

G. Qualification of Mediators.

1. To be eligible to serve as a domestic relations mediator under this rule, an applicant must meet the following minimum qualifications:
   1. The applicant must
      1. be a licensed attorney, a licensed or limited licensed psychologist, a licensed professional counselor, or a licensed marriage and family therapist; or
      2. have a masters degree in counseling, social work, or marriage and family therapy; or
      3. have a graduate degree in a behavioral science; or
      4. have 5 years experience in family counseling.
   2. The applicant must have completed a training program approved by the State Court Administrator providing the generally accepted components of domestic relations mediation skills. [Currently a 40-hour basic domestic relations mediation training plus a 4 hour domestic violence screening training approved by the State Court Administrator.]
   3. The applicant must have observed two domestic relations mediation proceedings conducted by an approved mediator, and have conducted one domestic relations mediation to conclusion under the supervision and observation of an approved mediator.
2. An applicant who has specialized experience or training, but does not meet the specific requirements of subrule (G)(1), may apply to the ADR clerk for special approval. The ADR clerk shall make the determination on the basis of criteria provided by the State Court Administrator. [Currently the degree requirements above may be waived upon demonstration of completion of 80 hours or 20 cases in domestic relations mediation(Training Standards 7.2.5).]
3. Approved mediators are required to obtain 8 hours of advanced mediation training during each 2-year period. Failure to submit documentation establishing compliance is grounds for removal from the list under subrule(F)(4).

How do I get the Domestic Violence Screening Training required by the Michigan State Court Administrative Office?

The Michigan State Court Administrative Office requires that Domestic Relations Mediators wishing to be listed on court rosters take an approved Domestic Violence Screening for Mediators Training. This training includes an overview of domestic violence issues in mediation, an overview of the Michigan Domestic Violence Screening Protocol (which can be found on the SCAO's Office of Dispute Resolution web site), and training in the use of the Screening Protocol. Michigan is the first state to approve a Domestic Violence Screening Protocol for private mediators. This 8-hour training is given regularly in Ann Arbor following Michigan 40-hour domestic relations training classes, and can be set up to be given at any location by contract.

Can I get Illinois MCLE credits, Professionalism credits and Social Work CEU’s?

For Illinois attorneys, the course is approved for 36 MCLE credits and 36 Professionalism credits. Social work CEU's also are available for Chicago programs.

Who are the faculty for the course?

The workshop is led by Zena D. Zumeta, JD. Ms. Zumeta is a practitioner member and past president of the Academy of Family Mediators, and co-founder of the Ann Arbor Mediation Center. Our primary trainer, Ms. Zumeta holds a Juris Doctorate from the University of Michigan Law School, and is a member of the State Bar Committee on Alternate Methods of Dispute Resolution. Ms. Zumeta is a past-president of the Michigan Council for Family and Divorce Mediation, and former national board member of the Society of Professionals in Dispute Resolution.

Visit our faculty page to learn more about Ms. Zumeta and our Associate Trainers, Gary Marsh and Zenell Brown.

What is the cost of your program?

Costs for workshops held in Ann Arbor or Chicago only: If your registration and deposit are received less than 30 days in advance of the first day of the session you wish to attend, our course fee is $1,500. If we receive your registration and deposit 30 days or more in advance of the first day of the session you wish to attend, our course fee is $1,420. In either instance, a minimum deposit of $850 is required to secure placement in the workshop. The balance is due and payable no later than 14 days prior to the first day of your session. Payment may be made by check, money order, Visa, MasterCard, American Express, or by purchase order with special arrangements. Your deposit is refundable, less a $150 service fee, when you cancel up to two weeks prior to the session; after that, half of the fee is non-refundable.

Costs for workshops held in other locations are determined by the local host. Please see the calendar for contact information for the particular workshop of interest, and contact the local host directly.

How do I register?

To register for a Divorce & Custody Mediation Training workshop held in Michigan or Chicago, please visit the registration page, and select one of the options there. If you're paying with a credit card (Visa, Mastercard or American Express), you may use our secure online registration form. If you'd prefer, you also may print out our mail/fax registration form, complete it by hand and mail or fax it with payment to us.

For all other workshops held in other locations, registration is handled by the local host. Please see the schedule for contact information for the particular workshop of interest.

What readings would you recommend to help me prepare for the workshop?

We recommend that you read Getting to Yes by Roger Fisher and William Ury with Bruce Patton (Second edition, Houghton Mifflin, 1991), and Divorce and Family Mediation: Models, Techniques, and Applications edited by Jay Folberg, Ann L. Milne, Peter Salem (Guilford Press, 2004) to make the best of the workshop.

Do any restrictions for attendance in the workshops exist?

Persons who have either recently undergone a divorce or those presently involved in a divorce are encouraged to wait before taking training in divorce mediation. Please call us if you are in this category.

What about accommodations and meals?

Each attendee is responsible for his or her accommodations and meals. (Please see the schedule for directions and accommodations information for the Ann Arbor or Chicago workshops, as well as who to contact for further details about workshops in other locations.)

We encourage our attendees to dine together for lunch during the workshop. Some of our locations offer facilities in-house while others are located near local restaurants that offer ample space for the course participants to get acquainted with one another. Feel free to contact the Center for information regarding accommodations and/or any specific dietary requirements you may have at least 2 weeks prior to the commencement of the training.

What is the attire of the workshop?

As our workshops are rather intense and somewhat lengthy, we recommend you wear comfortable, casual clothing. Since temperature needs vary from person to person, you are encouraged to bring several layers of clothing.

Do you have a cancellation policy?

Full deposit minus $150 will be returned if you cancel 14 days in advance. After that, half of the deposit is non-refundable. If MTCI must cancel a program, the full deposit will be returned.

Mediation Training & Consultation Institute

330 East Liberty, Suite 3A, Ann Arbor, MI 48104

(800) 535-1155 or (734) 663-1155 | info@learn2mediate.com