Family Dispute Resolution

Family Dispute Resolution Certificate of Completion

Family Dispute Resolution Certificate of CompletionThrough hands-on training, students will build resolution skills useful for professionals working in private, government, and court-connected programs and organizations addressing marital and family, child protection, probate, guardianship, conservatorship, and elder-care disputes.

Skills to be gained include methods of communication most effective in dealing with differences, requirements for certification under the California Dispute Resolution Programs Act, methods of marital and family dispute resolution, and collaborative law.

Professionals in or aspiring to the following positions would benefit from this program:

  • family mediator
  • child protection mediator
  • probate mediator
  • elder-care mediator
  • parent coordinator

 

Enrollment for all courses in the certificate requires the approval of the program director.

 

NCR 508 — Communication and Conflict (3 Units)

NCR 508 — Communication and Conflict (3 Units)

Emphasizes human communication in the context of conflict. Addresses challenges to effective communication caused by interpersonal, intrapersonal, intergroup, or intragroup conflict, and the role of communication in resolving such conflicts. Concentrates on methods of communication most effective in dealing with differences.

Goal: To provide students with the opportunity to learn the stages, steps, and skills involved in the practice of mediation as a conflict resolution process, including certification requirements.

Learning Objectives

Students will learn:

  1. basic stages, steps, and skills of mediation, with a focus on the facilitative process
  2. practical techniques for identifying and convening parties, creating and maintaining a productive environment, interest identification, consensus building, issue framing, agenda setting, and option generation and evaluation
  3. when mediation is and is not appropriate, and the ethical issues involved in such assessments

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, the successful student will demonstrate the following and evaluate the ability to:

  1. identify and convene parties;
  2. understand when mediation is and is not appropriate, and the ethical issues involved in such assessments;
  3. prepare and deliver a simple opening statement introducing mediation’s ethical parameters to parties;
  4. create a productive climate for conflict resolution through:
    • negotiating and asserting process ground rules
    • establishing and maintaining rapport
    • active and empathetic listening
    • reframing
    • interest and commonality identification
    • collaborative framing of issues
    • agenda setting
    • facilitating option generation
    • guiding option evaluation
    • observing and evaluating process dynamics and intervention (reflective practice)
  5. meet certification requirements
  6. compare and contrast different styles of mediation, including facilitative problem-solving, transformative, and narrative approaches

 

NCR 525 — Mediation (3 Units)

NCR 525 — Mediation (3 Units)

Theory and skills including requirements for certification under the California Dispute Resolution Programs Act, especially agreement procedures, case development, consensus building, issue framing and prioritizing, orientations toward conflict, and record keeping.

Goal: To provide students with the opportunity to learn the stages, steps and skills involved in the practice of mediation as a conflict resolution process, including certification requirements.

Learning Objectives

Students will learn:

  1. basic stages, steps and skills of mediation, with focus on facilitative process;
  2. practical techniques for identifying and convening parties, creating and maintaining a productive environment, interest identification, consensus building, issue framing, agenda setting, and option generation and evaluation;
  3. when mediation is and is not appropriate, and the ethical issues involved in such assessments.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, the successful student will demonstrate the following and evaluate ability to:

  1. identify and convene parties;
  2. understand when mediation is and is not appropriate, and the ethical issues involved in such assessments;
  3. prepare and deliver a simple opening statement introducing mediation’s ethical parameters to parties;
  4. create a productive climate for conflict resolution through:
    • negotiating and asserting process ground rules,
    • establishing and maintaining rapport,
    • active and empathetic listening,
    • reframing,
    • interest and commonality identification,
    • collaborative framing of issues,
    • agenda setting;
    • facilitating option generation;
    • guiding option evaluation;
    • observing and evaluating process dynamics and intervention (reflective practice);
  5. meet certification requirements;
  6. compare and contrast different styles of mediation, including facilitative problem-solving, transformative and narrative approaches.

 

NCR 531 — Marital and Family Mediation (3 Units)

NCR 531 — Marital and Family Mediation (3 Units)

This course is an overview of methods of dispute resolution. Introduction to and history of dispute resolution for traditional and nontraditional families, emphasizing mediation. The mediation process as it has evolved. Families in and out of the court system. Simulations of family mediations.

Goal: To provide students with an opportunity to evaluate the methodology of using mediation approaches in marital and family disputes, especially divorce.

Learning Objectives

To be able to:

  1. distinguish between litigation, arbitration, and mediation, as well as other applicable forms of conflict resolution
  2. understand the anatomy of marriage, family, separation, and divorce
  3. understand how the law and equity relate to family and marital disputes, the division of property, child custody issues, and the setting of spousal as well as child support
  4. become familiar with the forms used in dissolving a California marriage
  5. understand the respective points of view of parties in marital and family conflict, as well as the roles of mediators, lawyers, and courts
  6. be able to use skills and techniques such as active listening, contracting with the parties, framing/reframing issues, gathering information, negotiating a settlement, and resolving the usual issues (including ethical questions) found in marital and family disputes (including divorce and separation), along with other communicating and connecting skills and techniques that will be presented.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, the successful student will be able to: 

  1. distinguish between litigation, arbitration, and mediation, as well as other applicable forms of conflict resolution
  2. describe the anatomy of a marriage, family, separation, and divorce
  3. describe how both the law and equity relate to family and marital disputes, the division of property, child custody issues, and the setting of spousal as well as child support
  4. describe the forms used in dissolving a California marriage
  5. understand the respective points of view of parties in conflict as well as the roles of mediators, lawyers, and courts
  6. use skills and techniques such as active listening, contracting with the parties, framing/reframing issues, gathering information, negotiating a settlement, and resolving the issues (including ethical questions), along with other communicating and connecting skills and techniques that have been presented

 

NCR 542 — Collaborative Law (3 Units)

NCR 542 — Collaborative Law (3)

Lawyers’ and clients’ cooperative voluntary conflict resolution process. Emphasizes shared belief that it is in the best interest of parties to avoid adversarial proceedings. Commitment to resolving differences with minimal conflict and working together to create shared solutions to the issues.

Learning Objectives and Outcomes

  1. Develop training methods for dispute resolution that encourage mutual respect, allow for open communication, utilize a problem-solving approach, as well as identify and address the interests and concerns of all parties, including children, in family and related cases.
  2. Discover the dynamics of interpersonal conflict, negotiation theory, and how to create safe, respectful, and proactive processes for resolving disputes. Cover the 4 principles of collaborative practice:
    • a pledge not to go to court
    • an honest exchange of information
    • good faith negotiations
    • a solution that considers the highest priorities of all parties
  3. Discuss ethical issues, how to screen and advise clients, and the role of lawyers and the law. Understand and explain the participation agreement.
  4. Help clients commit to the collaborative process and practices.
  5. Learn to work with fellow professionals, including lawyers, accountants, family coaches, and property appraisers, to help clients develop mutually satisfactory agreements.
  6. Develop coaching skills for clients in family mediation and related contexts.

 

 

Family Dispute Resolution Digital Badges & Certificate

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  Getting Registered

Professional practitioners are welcome!

To get started in and receive department consent for the NCRP Certificate programs, please submit a 500-word Statement of Purpose and a current CV/Resume highlighting your prior relevant practice, occupational, and professional experience for consideration for enrollment. The Statement of Purpose should address the following questions:

  1. What in your background indicates this subject matter is appropriate for you?
  2. Why are you interested in this certificate program? 
  3. What do you plan to do with this certificate once it is obtained?

Please reach out to Dr. Brian Jarrett in the NCRP Program Office to obtain department consent by submitting the above-required documents to:
bjarrett@csudh.edu | 310-243-3237

Have questions about the program? Call 310-243-3237, email learn@csudh.edu, or use our LiveChat ↘ to ask questions or leave a detailed message about this program.

When you're ready to register, call 310-243-3741 (Option 1).

 

NCRP Program Information