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The Mental Health Center of North Iowa offers two services that share the same goal—finding ways to resolve disputes through voluntary decision-making of the participants. Mediation and family group decision-making venues seek to build on strengths and solution finding in the context of problems and conflict. Both share a philosophical basis where the individuals are encouraged to build on their options and strengths in a non-adversarial process.
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| Mediation | |
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Mediation provides for a facilitator to meet with the affected parties to address solutions for a defined conflict. Mediation is a voluntary process where the parties agree in advance to meet and enter into a facilitated dialogue on how to address the issues and the conflict. Often, mediation can be handled in one or two sessions lasting several hours each time. Mediation is not intended to be on-going or extended. It is important to know that the mediator will be neutral and will not advocate or take sides. Mediation will draw on the participants to identify and arrive at their own desired outcomes.
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| Family Group Decision-Making | |
| Family group decision-making is sometimes referred to with slightly different terminology such as family group conferences. This service starts with a person with a conflict. A trained facilitator arranges to work with the person and their family and other interested parties. A meeting is planned that will bring everyone together. Those who agree to participate are expected to come with the best interests of the person involved and to offer their best thinking. Other resources and professionals may be invited to be present, but serve only as resources to the family. The issue or conflict is defined and the family is asked to follow a process to address the conflict and build a safe and sustainable plan with all the resource people, including the facilitator stepping out. The family is given as much time as they need and can re-invite the facilitator or resource people back in for specific assistance to them as they do their work. Eventually, the family completes its work towards a plan and the facilitator returns to discuss the details of the plan. Once a plan can be developed and committed to by the participants, it is then reduced to writing for those involved to follow. |