Court Mediation Requirements – Massachusetts

In Massachusetts, mediators do not apply to the court directly to become a court-connected mediator. Instead, the court contracts with approved mediation program providers and refers mediation cases to them. These external program providers certify to the court annually regarding the qualifications of their mediators. Any mediator receiving court-referred cases must be qualified under Rule 8 of the Uniform Rules on Dispute Resolution. The statewide requirements include:

30-Hours mediation training and/or any additional specialized training required by the court;
Minimum one observation of a mediation with debriefing;
At least one mediation with or observed by a skilled mediator (providing a competency evaluation of the mediator);

Local Requirements

A – Boston Municipal Court List of Court-Connected Approved Programs 2019-21

Sr.No.	Program Provider	Requirements	Website
1.	Mediation Works, Incorporated	(Under Central, Brighton, Charlestown, Dorchester, East Boston, Roxbury, South Boston, West Roxbury Division) 5 years of full-time mediation experience; 50 completed mediations involving workplace & employment disputes during this time.	https://www.mwi.org/workplace-panel-application/
2.	Metropolitan Mediation Services	(Under Central, Brighton, Charlestown, Dorchester, East Boston, Roxbury, South Boston, West Roxbury Division) 30-Hours mediation training.	https://www.brooklinecenter.org/services/metropolitan-mediation-services/serve-your-community/
3.	Community Dispute Settlement Center, Inc	(Under Charlestown Division) Minimum 30-Hours mediation training.	https://communitydispute.org/get-involved

B – Housing Court List of Court-Connected Approved Programs 2019-21

Sr.No.	Program Provider	Requirements	Website
1.	Berkshire County Regional Housing Authority - Mediation Program	Minimum 30-Hours mediation training; 6 Hours of relevant continuing education each year.	https://bcrha.com/dispute-resolutionmediation-program/
2.	Just-A-Start Mediation	BA/BS degree and a minimum of 2 years of experience as a Massachusetts court based mediator in small claims, summary process and civil mediation; Completion of 30 hours basic mediation training in Massachusetts; Completion of specialized housing mediation training in Massachusetts.	https://www.justastart.org/volunteer-opportunity-mediator/

C – Juvenile Court List of Court-Connected Approved Programs 2019-21

Sr.No.	Program Provider	Requirements	Website
1.	Mediation Works, Incorporated	(Under Barnstable, Norfolk, & Suffolk Counties) 5 Years of full-time mediation experience; 50 completed mediations involving workplace & employment disputes during this time.	https://www.mwi.org/workplace-panel-application/
2.	Plummer Youth Promise – Permanency Mediation Services	(Under Barnstable, Berkshire, Bristol, Essex, Franklin/Hampshire, Hampden, Middlesex, Plymouth, & Suffolk, Worcester Counties) 30 Hour Basic Mediation course prior to attending the Permanency Mediation training.	https://plummeryouthpromise.org/our-programs/permanency-mediation-servi…
3.	Berkshire County Regional Housing Authority	Minimum 30-Hours mediation training; 6 Hours of relevant continuing education each year.	https://bcrha.com/dispute-resolutionmediation-program/
4.	North Shore Community Mediation, Inc	(Under Essex County) 30-Hours mediation training.	https://nsmediation.org/volunteer-opportunities/
5.	Collaborative Resolutions Group, Inc	(Under Franklin/Hampshire County) 30-Hours mediation training.	https://www.collaborativeresolutionsgroup.org/training.html
6.	Quabbin Mediation Services	(Under Franklin/Hampshire County) 30-Hour Basic Mediation Training; 6-Hour Ethics Training or their equivalents.	https://quabbinmediation.org/home/work-with-us/
7.	Community Dispute Settlement Center	(Under Middlesex County) Minimum 30-Hours mediation training.	https://communitydispute.org/get-involved
8.	MetroWest Mediation Services, Inc	(Under Middlesex County) 30 Hours mediation training	https://www.metrowestmediationservices.org/mediation-training
9.	Metropolitan Mediation Services	(Under Middlesex, Norfolk, & Suffolk Counties) 30-Hours mediation training.	https://www.brooklinecenter.org/services/metropolitan-mediation-service…
10.	Family Services of Central Massachusetts	Minimum 30-hour Certificate in Basic Mediation.	http://www.sevenhills.org/programs/mediation

D – Land Court List of Court-Connected Approved Programs 2019-21

Sr.No.	Program Provider	Requirements	Website
1.	Community Dispute Settlement Center, Inc.	Minimum 30-Hours mediation training.	https://communitydispute.org/get-involved
2.	Mediation Works, Inc. (MWI)	5 Years of full-time mediation experience; 50 completed mediations involving workplace & employment disputes during this time.	https://www.mwi.org/workplace-panel-application/

E – Probate and Family Court-Connected Approved Programs 2019-21

Sr.No.	Program Provider	Requirements	Website
1.	Barnstable County Bar Association	Minimum 30 hours of mediation training.	https://barnstablebar.org/referrals
2.	Massachusetts Council on Family Mediation (MCFM)	(Under Barnstable, Berkshire, Bristol, Dukes, Essex, Franklin/Hampden, Hampshire, Middlesex, Nantucket, Norfolk, Plymouth, Suffolk, & Worcester Counties) No specific requirements. Basic mediation training is recommended.	https://mcfm.org/pro/join-mcfm
3.	Plummer Youth Promise	(Under Barnstable, Berkshire, Bristol, Dukes, Essex, Franklin/Hampden, Hampshire, Middlesex, Nantucket, Norfolk, Plymouth, Suffolk, & Worcester Counties) 30 Hour Basic Mediation course prior to attending the Permanency Mediation training.	https://plummeryouthpromise.org/our-programs/permanency-mediation-servi…ispute-resolutionmediation-program/
4.	North Shore Community Mediation	(Under Essex County) 30-Hours mediation training.	https://nsmediation.org/volunteer-opportunities/
5.	SERV (Settlement and Early Resolution Volunteers Project)	(Under Essex, Hampden, Middlesex, & Suffolk Counties) 8-Hour conciliation training or a certified mediation training and have at least 3 years of family law practice experience.	https://vlpnet.org/clinics/serv-settlement-and-early-resolution-volunte…
6.	Collaborative Resolutions Group (CRG)	(Under Franklin/Hampden & Hampshire Counties) 30-Hours mediation training.	https://www.collaborativeresolutionsgroup.org/training.html
7.	Quabbin Mediation, Inc.	(Under Franklin/Hampden & Hampshire Counties) 30-Hour Basic Mediation Training; 6-Hour Ethics Training or their equivalents.	https://quabbinmediation.org/home/work-with-us/
8.	Community Dispute Settlement Center	(Under Middlesex, Norfolk, & Suffolk Counties) Minimum 30-Hours mediation training	https://communitydispute.org/get-involved
9.	Just-A-Start	(Under Middlesex County) BA/BS degree and a minimum of 2 years of experience as a Massachusetts court based mediator in small claims, summary process and civil mediation; Completion of 30 hours basic mediation training in Massachusetts; Completion of specialized housing mediation training in Massachusetts.	https://www.justastart.org/volunteer-opportunity-mediator/
10.	Metropolitan Mediation Services	(Under Middlesex, Norfolk, & Suffolk Counties) 30-Hours mediation training.	https://www.brooklinecenter.org/services/metropolitan-mediation-service…
11.	MetroWest Mediation	(Under Middlesex, & Suffolk Counties) 30 Hours mediation training	https://www.metrowestmediationservices.org/mediation-training
12.	Mediation Works, Inc. (MWI)	(Under Middlesex, Norfolk, Plymouth, & Suffolk Counties) 5 Years of full-time mediation experience; 50 completed mediations involving workplace & employment disputes during this time.	https://www.mwi.org/workplace-panel-application/
13.	Family Services of Central Massachusetts	(Under Worcester County) Minimum 30-hour Certificate in Basic Mediation	http://www.sevenhills.org/programs/mediation

F – Superior Court List of Court-Connected Approved Programs 2019-21

Sr.No.	Program Provider	Requirements	Website
1.	Berkshire County Regional Housing Authority	Minimum 30-Hours mediation training; 6 Hours of relevant continuing education each year.	https://bcrha.com/dispute-resolutionmediation-program
2.	Community Dispute Settlement Center, Inc.	Minimum 30-Hours mediation training.	https://communitydispute.org/get-involved
3.	Family Services of Central Massachusetts Mediation [FSCM Mediation]	Minimum 30-hour Certificate in Basic Mediation	http://www.sevenhills.org/programs/mediation
4.	Mediation Works, Inc. (MWI)	5 Years of full-time mediation experience; 50 completed mediations involving workplace & employment disputes during this time.	https://www.mwi.org/workplace-panel-application/
5.	Metropolitan Mediation Services	30-Hours mediation training.	https://www.brooklinecenter.org/services/metropolitan-mediation-service…
6.	MetroWest Mediation Services	30 Hours mediation training	https://www.metrowestmediationservices.org/mediation-training

Practicum Programs

Practicum programs allow newly-qualified mediators to gain valuable experience by taking part in real-life mediations as observers, co-mediators and mediators. Most practicum programs operate on an unpaid voluntary basis for participants whilst other receive a fee for providing experiential opportunities. Practicum programs usually require minimum statewide training requirements to be fulfilled as a prerequisite for registration.

Please note that the below list is not exhaustive.

Sr.No.	Program Provider	Requirements	Address	Website
1.	MetroWest Mediation Services	35-Hour Mediation training (preference given to those who completed their training from MetroWest Mediation).	220 North Main Street, Suite 106, Natick, MA 01760	https://www.metrowestmediationservices.org/become-a-mediator
2.	Seven Hills Foundations & Affiliates	40-Hour Mediation training.	81 Hope Avenue, Worcester, MA 01603	http://www.sevenhills.org/programs/mediation-training
3.	Community Dispute Settlement Center, Inc	For Mediation Practicum: Completion of 32-hour mediation training. For Divorce Mediation Practicum: Completion of advanced training in divorce mediation.	60 Gore Street, Suite 202 Cambridge, MA 02141-1236	https://communitydispute.org/training/mediation-practicum