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Registration of Mediators from Other States
GODR frequently receives questions about registration from
people who have received mediation training in another state.
Those individuals fall into two categories: (1) those who have
actually been serving as mediators in another state for at least a
year; and (2) those who have received training in another state
but have not been actively mediating in that state. In order to be
considered for registration in Georgia, applicants in both
categories will need to submit detailed information about their
training. GODR must make a determination about whether the out
of state training was substantially similar to the training
approved in Georgia. In order to do this, we need a detailed
syllabus/course outline of the training that reflects topics, time
spent on each topic, including role plays, and information about
the qualifications of the trainer(s).
For general mediation training, any training taken after July
1, 2003, must have been at least 28 hours. In order to be
considered "substantially similar", a training outline
must demonstrate that pedagogical methods include a combination of
lecture, role play, discussion and individual and participatory
exercises and that the following substantive areas were included:
1) an overview of ADR processes
2) mediation theory/history; role of the mediator
3) the mediation process
4) communication skills, including listening, questioning, note
taking, body language
5) conflict resolution techniques
6) agreement writing
7) ethics and professionalism
8) court process
9) handling escalating tension and violence in the mediation
context (not domestic violence)
10) diversity awareness
For domestic relations mediation training, applicants must have
completed a 42-hour training that was approved by the Academy of
Family Mediators (now merged with the Association for Conflict
Resolution). If the training certificate or materials do not
confirm this approval, you may contact the Association for
Conflict Resolution at www.acresolution.org
to seek information confirming whether your training was approved.
For those who have been actively mediating court cases in
another state, Appendix B (II) of the Georgia Supreme Court ADR
Rules sets forth the requirements to apply for a waiver of the
regular Georgia registration requirements:
"Mediators from other states: A mediator from another
state who (1) has received training which meets that state’s
qualifications and, at the discretion of the Director, has had
substantially similar training to that approved in Georgia; (2)
has mediated for one year; (3) has completed a minimum of five
mediations or ten hours of mediation during that time; and (4)
meets the educational requirements of Appendix B may ask to be
waived in for Georgia registration on the basis of that training.
A mediator from another state who is waived in must be observed by
a staff member of the court in which he or she intends to serve or
submit a letter from the office of dispute resolution or director
of the court program for which he or she served in the other state
before applying for registration by the Georgia Office of Dispute
Resolution. A mediator from another state who applies for registration
will be required to take and pass a test on Georgia ethics provided by
the Georgia Office of Dispute Resolution as a prerequisite to registration."
If you are seeking the waiver based on your mediation work in
another state, you will need to gather the information to document
that you meet the above criteria (certificate of training
completion, detailed information about the training as set forth
above, copies of certification or registration in the other state,
confirmation of the required number of completed mediations,
letter from ODR or director of a court program in the other state,
etc.) You will need to submit all of these documents with your
application for registration.
For those who have had training in another state but do not
meet the above requirement, you may submit the information
regarding your training to GODR with your application. If the
training is determined to be "substantially similar",
you will still need to meet the other requirements for
registration in Georgia including observations and letter(s) of
recommendation. You can find the requirements for registration by
clicking on Appendix B to the ADR Rules or by clicking on the
"Application for Registration" form and reviewing the
instruction page.
Please understand that while we welcome neutrals from other
states, GODR is responsible for ensuring that every registered
neutral has had training equivalent to that approved in Georgia.
There are many very worthwhile training programs throughout the
country, but we are simply unable to be as flexible as many
applicants would wish.
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