Registration now open
Registration Due September 1, 2009
Adult Guardianship
/ Family Caregiver Mediation Training
October
1-3, 2009
Registration is now open for The Center for Social
Gerontology (TCSG)‘s Adult Guardianship / Family Caregiver Mediation Training,
to be held this year from Thursday, October 1 through Saturday, October 3,
2009 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. To
jump to registration information including the Registration Form, please click here.
Mediators, courts, attorneys, and those working
with older or disabled persons increasingly recognize mediation as a valuable
alternative to guardianship litigation. It provides an opportunity to address
underlying issues that trigger guardianship petitions and explore options and
alternatives. It allows an older or disabled person to be an active part of the
decision-making process and maintain maximum autonomy. If undertaken in family
caregiver decision-making, prior to filing a petition, results can be even more
beneficial. This training provides a unique opportunity to gain vital
information and skills needed to handle these important and challenging cases.
Who should attend?
This three-day advanced training is designed for
trained, experienced mediators who wish to expand their practice to include
mediation of issues or disputes that arise when guardianship over an adult is
being considered, and/or when elders and their families are confronted with
extremely difficult decisions regarding the care of a vulnerable family member
which can easily lead to family conflict
You should attend this training if you are a
trained/experienced mediator who--
·
would like to
obtain the knowledge and skills to be able to handle adequately these
important, complex, multi-party cases,
or
·
wants to establish
high-quality, adult guardianship / family caregiver mediation services which
emphasize safeguarding elders' autonomy and rights and protecting the voices of
older persons in mediation.
The training is also of value to judges, court
administrators, and others considering or involved in establishing adult
guardianship / Conservatorship mediation programs in their states or local
jurisdictions, and a limited number of spots are reserved for these
professionals.
Course Content
The training curriculum will address issues such
as:
·
Mediation
Preparation and Process
o
Referral, Intake,
& Screening
o
Appropriate/Inappropriate
Cases
o
Ability of Parties
to Mediate
o
Role of Attorneys
and Other Advocates
o
Generating Options
o
Identifying Common
Issues
o
Mediation Skills
& Techniques
o
Family Dynamics
·
Ethical Issues
o
Ensuring that the
Older/Vulnerable Person Has a Voice
o
Protecting
Respondent Rights in Guardianship/Caregiver Cases
o
Elder Abuse
o
Confidentiality
·
Guardianship Law
& Practice and Alternatives to Guardianship
·
Working with
Older/Vulnerable Persons Likely to Be Involved in These Cases
·
Setting Up and Operating
a Quality Guardianship/Caregiver Mediation Program
About the Trainers
Penelope A. Hommel, M.Sc., Co-Director of The Center for Social
Gerontology, Inc. Ms. Hommel
pioneered the conceptualization (1988), development, and evaluation of
guardianship / family caregiver mediation.
Robert J. Rhudy, J.D., Consulting Attorney for TCSG and
President & Executive Director of Senior Mediation and Decision-Making,
Inc. (SMDM). He is also a Tri-Chair of the Association for Conflict Resolution’s
new section, Elder Decision-Making and Conflict Resolution. Mr. Rhudy is an
attorney, mediator, facilitator, and consultant to many non-profits and
government agencies. He has worked on such issues as legal aid and access to
justice, poverty law, and mediation throughout his career.
Carolyn J. Rodis, J.D., M.A Director of Training for SMDM, is a
certified mediator who focuses on senior and family mediation and facilitation.
She is also a Tri-Chair of the Association for Conflict Resolution’s new
section, Elder Decision-Making and Conflict Resolution. Ms. Rodis has been an
active trainer and presenter for mediators and elder service providers since
2001. She was a co-trainer for
TCSG the last time this training was offered. She currently teaches aging-related courses at Anne Arundel
Community College.
About The Center for Social Gerontology
(TCSG)
TCSG is a national leader in policy research and
advocacy on issues of law & aging, with a particular focus on guardianship.
Recognizing the need for a new approach to meaningfully address the complex
issues underlying many guardianship cases, TCSG began to explore the potential
of mediation in the late 1980s, and has since pioneered its use with courts,
mediators and the aging network. More recently, efforts have expanded to family
caregiver mediation. In February 2006, TCSG convened a National Mini-Summit to
address issues and concerns regarding Elder Mediation.
Logistics
When: TCSG’s 20-Hour training will be held from Thursday, October 1 through Saturday, October 3,
2009. The course will run from 8:30 am through 5:00 pm on Thursday and Friday,
and from 8:30 am through 4:00 pm on Saturday. A reception will also be held on
the evening of Thursday, October 1, 2009, so please add to your calendar to meet
in the lobby of the Holiday Inn at 5:45 pm for transportation to the reception.
A continental breakfast, a morning food break, and an afternoon food break are
included. Additional information will be sent with the registration materials.
Where/Room Reservations:
The training will be held at the
Holiday Inn Near the University of
Michigan located at 3600 Plymouth Rd., Ann Arbor, MI 48105. Room Rate for
the training is $92 + tax for some single and double occupancy rooms. A limited
block of sleeping rooms has been reserved at the Holiday Inn under The Center
for Social Gerontology’s name for the nights of Wed., Sept. 30; Thurs., Oct. 1; and Fri., Oct. 2. Rooms are first come, first serve,
although TCSG does not anticipate any problems with room reservations. You
must reserve your room by Wednesday, September 9, 2009 to guarantee the special
training rate. Please call the
Holiday Inn at (734) 769-9800 to
reserve your room and be sure to mention the TCSG group.
Transportation: Ann
Arbor is served by the Detroit Metro Airport (DTW). Information about airport
and local transportation will be sent with registration materials. If you have
additional travel questions, please contact TCSG’s Brooke McCreary Fajardo for more
information. *Please see TCSG’s cancellation policy below
Registration and Costs
Costs and Deadline: Deadline
for Registration is Tuesday, September 1, 2009.
For registrations received by September 1, 2009, the fee is $675. A continental breakfast, a morning food
break, and an afternoon food break are included. For registrations received after September 1, 2009, the fee is $775; these will be accepted on a
space-available basis.
Materials: Each
registrant will receive TCSG's Adult Guardianship Mediation Manual and a packet of Supplemental Materials. The manual can be ordered separately by
those unable to attend.
Cancellation Policy:
TCSG reserves the right to cancel the
training for insufficient registration and cannot be held responsible for airfare
expenses or other travel costs. Registrants will be notified by email of
cancellation by September 1, 2009. In such case, a full refund of the
registration fee will be issued.
Registrants: If a registrant cancels
before September 1, 2009, a full refund of the registration fee will be issued.
After September 1, 2009, a refund cannot be issued, although you may send a
substitute attendee.
Registration Form
and Payment
Due September 1, 2009:
Please click here to download an interactive Registration Form for
TCSG’s 2009 Adult Guardianship / Family Caregiver Mediation Training to be held
in Ann Arbor, Michigan from October 1 through October 3, 2009.
Please email,
fax, or mail the completed registration form to Brooke McCreary Fajardo
using the information provided below.
Payment should be mailed to The Center for
Social Gerontology. Checks and money orders are TCSG’s accepted payment methods
and should be made payable to The Center for Social Gerontology. Please mail
your check or money order to: TCSG Mediation Training, c/o Brooke McCreary,
2307 Shelby Ave., Ann Arbor, MI 48103. Your registration will not be complete
until payment is received.
For questions or more information,
please contact:
Brooke McCreary Fajardo, TCSG Program Assistant
2307 Shelby Avenue, Ann Arbor, MI 48103
Phone: (734) 665-1126 •
Fax: 734 665-2071 • Email: bmccreary@tcsg.org
Website: http://www.tcsg.org/
2009 Adult Guardianship / Family
Caregiver Mediation Training Site:
http://www.tcsg.org/mediation/training2009.htm
Last updated July 2, 2009.