CMUS offers free mediation services to anyone, regardless of referral source. Mediation is a way for people to sit down and make a plan. To find out more and see if mediation may be right for you, please call our office at (410) 810-9188.
Some types of conflicts that can be addressed/ plans that can be made in mediation are:
Family Based
Elder Care
When making plans for how medical decisions, finances, and other aspects of elder care will be managed, all involved loved ones can come to mediation to sit down, talk it through, and have an agreement written up by mediators.
Parenting Plans
Self-referred, returning, or court-referred parenting plan mediations can be used to make and update your plans for you and your children. Co-parents (together or separated) and others involved in the children’s lives can request a mediation to discuss topics related to custody (living arrangements, decision-making), visitation (schedule, time-sharing), and other topics.
If anyone has been away for an extended period of time for any reason (work, military, recovery, incarceration), plans can be made about their return: living arrangements, finding (new) work, updating the schedule with the kids, and so on. Make a plan for a seamless transition home.
School Based
mediation
Mediation in a school setting can be used whenever conflict arises (student/ student, student/ teacher, parent/ teacher conflicts). Mediators are on-site in participating schools to mediate as conflicts occur.
Attendance mediation
Parents, students, or schools can refer a student struggling to make it to class. In mediation, the underlying problem can be discovered, and services can be put in place to break the barrier keeping the student from going to school.
IEP Facilitation
Parents, school administration, and occasionally the student themselves all meet to discuss the terms of the student’s Individualized Education Plan while facilitators assist in making an agenda, taking notes, tracking action items, building understanding, and organizing the conversation.
Workplace / Business Based
work peer mediation
Small groups or pairs of work peers (co-workers or employer/employee relationships) can go to mediation! Mediation is an informal process that can be used to address concerns or grievances in the workplace, make new or update policies, outline expectations, etc.
consumer / business mediation
Debt, contracts, and other business-related conflicts can come to mediation. Trying mediation first does not prohibit you from taking the matter to court in the future. It is a free, confidential, and effective first step that has the potential to avoid costly legal measures and lead to a timely resolution.
LARGE GROUP conflict
Facilitators can support a meeting you have underway (facilitate a staff meeting, board meeting, etc.), host a meeting specific to addressing an event or conflict that is affecting the workplace, or plan a customizable workshop aimed to build rapport and teach about constructive ways to address conflict.
Residential / Community Based
Landlord/ Tenant, Roommate, or Neighbor Disputes
Rent, noise complaints, parking, fencing, lawn care, housework, you name it! Mediation can help. It is a free, confidential, and effective first step that has the potential to avoid costly legal measures and lead to a timely resolution
Owed dues? Disagreement about decisions for the neighborhood? An HOA representative and resident, a board member/ board member mediation, or any other conflict that stems from the organization can come to mediation. Refer any other types of disputes you see happening in the neighborhood.
community conferencing
When a community is ready to address a wide reaching community unrest (conversations around race, law enforcement / community dialogues, for example), facilitators can host meetings for the groups who have been affected to come and address concerns shared by the community with facilitators serving to help everyone feel heard. Community Conferencing can also address concerns between students & parents around school system policies, for example.
Court Based
District Court
With pre-trial programs in both Kent and Queen Anne’s counties, matters that are already in District Court can be brought to mediation ahead of your court date. Day-of-trial mediation may also be available upon request in Kent County District Court. District Court matters that may be appropriate for mediation include landlord / tenant, small claims, and peace orders.
Circuit Court often refers parents to a parenting plan mediation. Agreements reached in mediation can be sent to the court for the court’s consideration. Mediation can also be used prior to going to court or after a court decision has been made (to discuss how to implement the court’s decision or to update the plan as time goes on).
state's attorney
If you’ve been charged with a misdemeanor through the State’s Attorney’s Office, ask if you can be referred to mediation. At the recommendation of the State’s Attorney’s Office, CMUS mediates cases of minor assault, harassment, destruction of property, theft, etc. between family members, neighbors, friends, and others who may want to resolve their conflict outside of court. If the participants reach an agreement in mediation, the State’s Attorney may either agree not to prosecute the criminal case or to place the case on the stet docket until the terms of the agreement have been met.
conflict awareness in the workplace, school or other group setting
Conflict styles/ approaches, understanding emotion and conflict, restorative practices and approaches, and so much more can be put into a completely customizable workshop to promote teambuilding and hone skills that allow conflict to be productive, not destructive! This type of workshop can be used as a one-off activity or an ongoing curriculum for professional development, team building, classroom learning, and so much more! It is customizable based on the area of focus and intended audience.
CONFLICT RESOLUTION AND ARTS FOR TEENS & TOTS (CRAFT-T)
Similar to other CMUS workshops, CRAFT-T focuses on understanding conflict. Using the arts (drawing, acting, music), youth can work with one another to think about what conflict is, how to handle conflict, and how to prevent conflict from festering into something harmful. Activities can be tailored for the needs, ages, and interests of the group, as a one-off activity or an ongoing curriculum. An 11 session curriculum designed for middle school students can be offered in a school or after-school setting upon request.
gettin' ahead in a just getting' by world
Gettin' Ahead is a 15 week group workshop aimed to guide low and no income participants to investigate the causes of poverty, their resources, how to build those resources, and self-advocacy to move toward self-sufficiency. Investigators create their own plan for a sustainable life.
