Child Permanency Mediation Program
The Child Permanency Mediation Program (CPM) addresses cases involving child abuse and neglect by using mediation to hasten permanent living arrangements for children.  Cases are usually referred to mediation by the court at the request of any of the involved parties.  A co-mediation model of specially trained mediators is used to assist the parties involved (parents and their attorneys, Department of Social Service caseworkers, law guardians, foster parents if applicable, CASA advocates, County attorneys, any necessary service providers, extended family if appropriate, and sometimes the child) to develop mutually acceptable plans for ensuring children’s safety and meeting their physical and emotional needs, as well as taking steps to preserve and strengthen the families whenever possible.

Early Intervention Mediation
In partnership with NYSDRA and the NYS Department of Health, the program addresses issues raised by the parents/guardians of those receiving early childhood intervention services due to developmental problems.

Lemon Law Arbitration
In partnership with the New York State Dispute Resolution Association (NYSDRA), DRC accepts Lemon Law Arbitration cases.  When a consumer files a complaint concerning a recently purchased new or used vehicle, DRC is notified by NYSDRA to hold an arbitration hearing.  The DRC hearing adheres to the Attorney General’s guidelines.  The arbitrator’s ruling is binding.  The parties pay a filing fee to the Attorney General, but DRC does not charge a fee for the arbitration. 

Manufactured Housing Mediation
In partnership with NYSDRA and the NYS Division of Housing and Community Renewal, this program addresses disputes involving residents and the management of manufactured housing (mobile home) communities.

Managing Anger and Aggression Program (MAAP)
MAAP is an anger management program  which incorporates basic principles to explain the purpose and origins of anger as well as teach appropriate replacement behaviors.  In order to help participants learn to modify behavior, the program focuses on helping the individual build awareness of the triggers and physical cues which precede the anger reaction, develop anger reduction techniques, and improve their communication skills in order to restore personal power.  The program is taught to a group of 5 to 10 adults using input, discussion, role playing and interactive activities to heighten awareness of the destructiveness of simply reacting to anger producing situations as opposed to responding in a thoughtful, deliberate manner.  The fee is $100.00 with scholarships available on request.

Navigator Program
The NAVIGATOR serves a coordination/case managment function and follows a family focused, strength-based wraparound model. The NAVIGATOR's primary role is to assist the parent in resolving the issues that caused the placement of their child(ren) into foster care

NY State Agricultural Mediation Program
The NY State Agricultural Mediation Program (NYSAMP) can be used as an alternative to appealing an adverse determination by the US Department of Agriculture, or as an alternative to litigation when a dispute exists between a producer or borrower and private or public parties.  The program gives agricultural producers, creditors, and others directly affected by actions of the USDA a non-adversarial way to resolve disputes.  NYSAMP is part of a nationwide network certified and funded in part by the USDA.

Parents Apart Program
The Parents Apart Program 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 and for referrals from other county sources.  There is a $60 registration fee although scholarships are available. The program is offered in Orange, Sullivan, Putnam and Ulster Counties, and is certified by the New York State Parent Education and Awareness Program. For further information, you can review their website at www.nycourts.gov/ip/parent-ed/.

Probation Parent Program
A three hour Orientation session is given each month to parents who have teens in the probation system. The purpose is to explain the Probation process, helping parents have realistic expectations of the system and to encourage parents to understand and support their teens. Monthly seminars are also offered at the Dispute Resolution Center in Goshen for ANY parent who is dealing with a challenging teenager, which offers information about adolescence and skills for parenting this age group.

Special Education Mediation
In partnership with NYSDRA and the NYS Education Department, the program addresses disputes involving school districts and the parents/guardians of students identified as having special needs.

Strengthening Families Program
This is a program for families who have children aged 12-16 in the Probation System. This national model is an evidenced based program which provides 14 weeks of skills training for parents and their teens to strengthen the entire family. ART (Aggression Replacement Training) will also be provided for teens on probation.

VESID Mediation
In partnership with NYSDRA, the program addresses issues raised by those receiving NYS Vocational and Educational Services for Individuals with Disabilities.

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.

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