Information on Certification

Maryland Council on Dispute Resolution, an individual membership professional organization, has a certification arm that provides certification for experienced mediators. Certification requires mediation training, mediation experience, references, as well as an evaluation of mediation per-formed on scheduled evaluation days. The cost of applying for certification is $100.
(301-952-3953).

Virginia - No license or certification is required in Virginia -- or nationally -- to practice mediation. However, the Supreme Court of Virginia does require certification of mediators placed on the court referral list. Certification commonly requires a BA degree or equivalent, 20 hours of training in mediation skills (or 40 hours in family mediation), 4 hours in Virginia's Judicial System, observation of two cases at the desired level of certification or an approved role-play/observation training. 

In addition, for GDC: co-mediation of 3 general cases totaling at least 5 hours; 

For JDR: 20 additional hours of family mediation training, 8 hours of domestic violence training, co-mediation of 5 family cases totaling at least 10 hours, completion of at least one child' support worksheet; 

For Circuit Civil: 20 hours or more of advanced civil training in one or more workshops, e.g., multi-party, facilitation memoranda & agreement writing workshops; co-mediation of 5 circuit court level cases totaling at least 10 hours of mediation; 

For Circuit Family: 20 additional hours of family mediation training, 8 hours of domestic violence training, 12 hours in advanced family economic issues, co-mediation of 5 circuit court family cases totaling at least 10 hours, completion of one child support worksheet.