8-hour Domestic Violence Screening Protocol Training

The Michigan State Court Administrative Office (SCAO) requires that domestic relations mediators wishing to be listed on court rosters take an approved Domestic Violence Screening for Mediators Training (see Court Rule 3.216 on the Michigan Court of Appeals web site).

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. Video and role play are included. It can be taken on its own or as part of our 48-hour training that combines the 8 hours of Domestic Violence Screening Training with our 40-hour Divorce and Custody Mediation Training.

Michigan is the first state to approve a Domestic Violence Screening Protocol for private mediators. The screening protocol "is designed to identify parties involved in divorce or child custody actions for which mediation may be inappropriate because of domestic violence or child abuse, and to maximize safety and fairness in the mediation process."

8:15 a.m. Registration

8:30 a.m. Check in and Introductions and Overview

8:45 a.m. Discussion of Self-Assessment Tool

9:15 a.m. Why Intimate Partner Violence Issues Are Important for Mediation Four Principles/Appropriateness Why victims/Survivors do or don’t want to mediate; Why Abusers do or don’t want to mediate

9:45 a.m. Nature and Dynamics of Intimate Partner Abuse/Violence

10:30 a.m. Break

10:45 a.m. Abuser behavior: (1) strategic, deliberate, cost-benefit; (2) engaging, charming, seeks allies or to disarm survivor’s possible allies; if that fails, may seek to intimidate

11:15 a.m. Video: “It’s Not Like I Hit Her” and 1st scenario of Female Abusers (Cynthia)

12-1:00 p.m. LUNCH

1:00 p.m. Fish Bowl Role Plays

2:15 p.m. Discussion of role plays

2:45 p.m. Break

3:00 p.m. Exploring Safety Options, Facilitating Safe Termination, Creating Specialized Process

3:45 p.m. Triads – Practicing safety options, safe termination, specialized process

4:45 – 5:15 p.m. Discussion and evaluation

5:30 p.m. Adjournment