Divorce and Family Mediation Services...

DRC provides the following services: 

Custody and Visitation
Divorce
Family Decision Making
Marital Disputes
Parents Apart Program
Parent Child Mediation
Prenuptial Agreements
Parenting Plans
Elder Mediation

The First Step…
Simply call the DRC at 845.294.8082 for more information or to set up an appointment.  You can also contact us by e-mail by clicking here.

A B O U T   M E D I A T I O N (program details follows this section)

Getting Your Life Back On Track…
Dealing with family conflict can be extremely stressful.  Let DRC's professionally trained mediators help you to effectively resolve the issues in dispute.  Tailored to the needs of you and your family, the DRC provides services that are discreet and individualized in a neutral and confidential setting.   

Why You Should Consider Mediation...
Avoiding costly and time consuming litigation is the most cited reason used for choosing mediation.  Mediation helps the parties in dispute reach a mutually beneficial resolution based on their interests and needs.  The mediator has no authority to impose a decision on the parties.  Instead the mediator helps the parties reach an acceptable and durable agreement that helps them get back on "track" and moving forward.          

Benefits of Mediation
In addition to saving time and money, using mediation for family disputes and divorce contributes to building mutually agreeable and enduring resolutions.

How It Works...
At your first appointment, DRC staff will explain the process and answer all your questions about mediation.  Then, with the mediator's help, you make your own decisions about what is important to you.  Our professional mediators will not tell you what to do.  They help you to identify issues and to make sound decisions about your concerns and your family.  See below for specific program details.

Fees...
Most mediations done through the DRC are free. Some programs have a nominal administrative fee and some of the more specialized programs have a fee schedule available by calling the DRC.

O U R  P R O G R A M S

Custody/Visitation Program
Available in all four counties, the Custody/Visitation Mediation Program is an alternative to the adversarial court system.  It provides parents the chance to create or modify a custody agreement or parenting schedule.  Upon petition to Family Court, judges refer appropriate cases to the program.  Cases are carefully screened for domestic violence substance abuse, and serious mental health issues.  Extensively trained volunteer mediators provide the service.  Although most referrals to this program come from Family Court, self-referrals and those from human service agencies, schools and other sources are welcome.  Other than a modest administrative fee, service is provided at no cost.

Divorce Mediation
Currently available in Orange, Putnam and Ulster Counties, DRC provides mediation services for parties seeking a separation or divorce.  Professionally trained mediators assist the parties to reach mutually acceptable resolutions regarding custody/visitation and support, personal/marital property, business and/or partnership property, debts, and any other issues relative to the process.  The mediation process can help parties to either facilitate or minimize court involvement while potentially saving both time and money.  Mediation fees are moderate and affordable. The cost of mediation is significantly less than that of litigation.

Parents Apart Program
The Parents Apart Program (formerly P.E.A.C.E.) is designed to help separating, divorced and never married parents focus on the special needs of their children during the reorganization of their family.  Parents will learn how parenting apart affects children and adults, how parents can emotionally support their children during this transition, effective parenting apart strategies, and legal information.  While most referrals come from Family Court, the program is open to the public for a $60 registration fee.  The program is available in Orange County, Sullivan, Putnam and Ulster Counties.

Parent Child Mediation
Available in all four counties, Parent Child Mediation helps parents and adolescents resolve family conflict with the assistance of a professionally trained mediator.  The objective of the program is to prevent out-of-home placement of the child by assisting the family to work through differences and disagreements, resulting in a contract or agreement that they find mutually acceptable.  Mediation is an alternative to the traditional methods of resolution and will, in many cases, eliminate the need for possible foster care placement or future Family Court involvement.  This Program is available to all families with adolescents 12 to 18 years of age who are willing to sit down together and discuss their differences.  Families are referred from the Department of Social Services, Family Court, Probation, schools, community agencies, or are self-referred.  Service is provided at no cost.

Elder Mediation
The Elder Mediation program assists Seniors in decisions that affect the quality of their lives.  It is available to Seniors, their families and caregivers who might experience conflict in the following areas: siblings disagreeing over the care of an elderly parent; disagreement with healthcare providers about medical treatment or quality of care; tensions among a multi-generational family living together; tenant/management disputes and disputes between neighbors.  There is no cost to seniors for this service.  (If transportation is an issue for the older adult, the mediator will travel to where it is convenient to meet.)