The Ohio Supreme Court’s Dispute Resolution Section added six new mediation courses offered through the end of the year, including a prerequisite for a pilot program for probate courts.

Ohio last year joined four other states to pilot a dispute resolution option for cases involving the care, safety, and well-being of older adults. The program, Eldercaring Coordination, was created by the Association for Conflict Resolution to address the expected increase of court cases related to the elderly. The association anticipates the elder population to double from 2008 to 2030 as more baby boomers reach age 65.

Montgomery County Probate Court started Eldercaring Coordination last year, and Stark, Delaware, and Trumbull counties joined the program this year. The program is available for guardianship and probate cases where “high-conflict family dynamics interfere with the safety of elders and impede court processes.”

Starting today, Elder Mediation Training is being offered as a prerequisite for Eldercaring Coordination. The three-day training session will focus on adult guardianship and family caregiver mediation. Course faculty will explain the differences between elder mediation and other types of mediation and will focus on the mediator’s responsibility to include the older person’s voice in the mediation process.

“The application of a coordination process to high-conflict cases reflects the advancement of conflict resolution options in court-connected programs,” Cathy Geyer, Dispute Resolution manager, said. “Eldercaring coordination, much like parenting coordination, offers Ohioans access to dispute resolution professionals with advanced training and experience to assist in identifying and coordinating the resources needed to help resolve conflicts and improve relationship dynamics. Eldercaring coordination is intended to complement and enhance, not replace, other services such as provision of legal information or legal representation, individual/family therapy, medical, psychological, or psychiatric evaluation or mediation.”

Probate courts interested in joining the pilot program can contact Geyer at 614.387.9420. The next Eldercaring Coordination Training is scheduled on Oct. 24-26.

Other new courses being offered this year include an introduction to Early Neutral Evaluation in family courts and advanced training for parenting coordination.

See a complete list of 2016 trainings offered by the Dispute Resolution Section.