Wayne Mediation Center

The Wayne Mediation Center is a non-profit organization serving residents and businesses throughout Wayne County. The Center assists those involved in dispute situations find confidential results through mediation sessions, education, training and specialized outreach programs.

Description:
Wayne Mediation Center volunteers help mediate many kinds of disputes. The majority of the disputes are referred by courts and schools, and others contact us on their own. The most common disputes we resolve are contract disputes, school and student disputes (including truancy and special education), domestic/family disputes, probate disputes, landlord/tenant disputes, neighbor disputes and property disputes.

All mediators volunteer their time after completing at least 40 hours of state-mandated general civil mediation training as well as an internship. Some of our mediators also have completed the state mandated domestic mediation training and other specialized training. Our diverse roster of highly skilled volunteer mediators numbers nearly 150, with fully half of them being attorneys.

Since 2005, the Wayne Mediation Center has been conducting mediator training in conjunction with the University of Detroit-Mercy School of Law twice a year and providing scores of recently trained mediators the opportunity to work with more seasoned mediators in delivery of much needed assistance to parties in disputes.

History:
In 1987, the Southwest Detroit Neighborhood Reconciliation Center was founded to provide peaceful dispute resolution for the residents of the 3rd and 4th police precincts in southwest Detroit. Originally under the umbrella of New Detroit, Inc., early funding and equipment was provided by the Hudson Webber Foundation, the Neighborhood Opportunity Fund of the City of Detroit, Detroit Edison, Aetna Insurance Company and New Detroit, Inc.

By 1990, the areas of service expanded beyond southwest Detroit so the name was changed to the Detroit Neighborhood Reconciliation Center. The Center also joined in the statewide network of community dispute resolution centers provided for in the Community Dispute Resolution Act of 1989.

In October, 1993, the Neighborhood Reconciliation Center became legally independent of New Detroit, Inc. The Center began to serve not only the City of Detroit, but also the suburbs of Wayne County, with the 18th (Westland) and 23rd (Taylor) courts sending cases to mediation, as well as the Taylor Police Department and Canton Township Department of Public Safety.

With the adoption of new court rules governing court-ordered mediation, a contract was signed with the Wayne County Probate Court, which became one of the Center’s earliest and largest sources of court-referred cases.

In late 2004, the name was changed to the Wayne Mediation Center to reflect and encompass the expanded work being done in the area of mediation throughout Wayne County. Two offices were consolidated and relocated to Dearborn, more in the center of the County.

Funding is currently provided from the State Court Administrative Office, United Way of Southeastern Michigan, Wayne County Department of Children and Family Services other donors and fees collected from the mediation participants based upon their ability to pay.

The Center continues to focus many of its efforts on children. Recent initiatives include expanded special education mediation, truancy and permanent placement for children who are victims of abuse and neglect.

Contact person: Bernard Dempsey, Executive Director, (313) 561-3500, (email)

Office fax number: (313) 561-3600

Address:

19855 West Outer Drive, Suite 206E Dearborn, MI 48124 (See a map)

Web Site: http://www.mediation-wayne.org

Directions:

We are in Garrison Place, East Building, at the northeast corner of Michigan Avenue and Outer Drive.

Last updated on February 10, 2010