ACM Presents: Conflict Resolution Center of Baltimore County
The Conflict Resolution Center (CRC) of Baltimore County, a 501 c3 non-profit, provides conflict resolution services to individuals, communities, and organizations. This organization is the Baltimore County branch for Community Mediation Maryland. The services offered by the CRC include: community conferencing, community mediation, group facilitation, conflict resolution education events and workshops, daily rap training/support for schools, and dialogue circles. The CRC services are effective in a variety of situations, from resolving conflict between individuals to addressing harmful behaviors committed by youth. The CRC teamed up with American Community Management in an effort to train their employees to handle various disputes that occur on a daily basis. The non-profit has held multiple workshops for the administrative assistants and community managers at ACM which proved to be very informative and well received by the ACM staff. Community Mediation can be an effective tool to solve many of the disputes that arise in community associations.
Mediation provides a process and structure for people to resolve their conflicts for themselves rather than be told what to do by another person or institution. People reach agreements, make connections, rebuild relationships, and experience relief and optimism as a result. The CRC has dealt with disputes such as: neighborhood disputes, inter-personal, employment, business, family, landlord-tenant, roommate/housemate, school, neighborhood association, and land use disputes. Some of the past mediated issues regarded assault, noise, harassment/bullying, contracts, destruction of property, theft, senior care, property issues, teen/parent communication, and animal control. The non-profit has partnered with county and state organizations including Baltimore County Public Schools, Baltimore County Police Department, Department of Juvenile Services, Baltimore County State's Attorney's Office, and Baltimore County Juvenile Court, as well as local faith-based and community organizations.
Mediation is offered free of charge. All services are voluntary and confidential. Neutral mediators provide a structured space for people to speak to one another, to hear from one another, and to reach a resolution that meets the needs of all involved. Mediations are held at convenient locations throughout Baltimore County. In mediation, parties are able to speak for themselves and make their own decisions. The mediators listen as you explain the situation, promote communication between the participants, clarify topics for discussion, guide you through a process to develop solutions, and assist you in writing an agreement that works for everyone. The mediators never take sides or assess blame. The client controls the outcome and no one tells them what to do. The overall goal of mediation is to assist people to develop long-term resolutions that meet the needs of everyone involved.
With centers in seventeen of the twenty-four Maryland counties, Community Mediation Center services are readily available to Maryland residents. In order to see if mediation is an option in your situation, all you have to do is contact a center within your county or closest to. The Conflict Resolution Center of Baltimore County can be contacted by phone and/or email and are ready to put their services to work.
Conflict Resolution Center of Baltimore County:
Phone: 410-663-7070
Email: inquire@crcbaltimorecounty.org
Written By: Catherine Mann