2017-481-E Finance - Dispute Settlement Center, Inc. - Outside Agency Performance Agreement

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DocuSign Envelope ID:88AEE9BF-924A-442D-BD41-DC640F1 E1 BAC EXHIBIT A PROVIDER'S OUTSIDE AGENCY APPLICATION 2. AGENCY INFORMATION (Be Very Brief and Concise) Please provide the following information about your agency (2 pages OR LESS): a) Years in Operation, Date of Incorporation (Month/Year): September 28, 1978 b) Agency's Purpose/Mission (no more than a few sentences): "To promote and bring about the peaceful settlement of disputes and prevent the escalation of conflict through mediation, conciliation, facilitation, and training." c) Types of Services the Agency Provides (bullet format): o Mediation for court-referred and community-referred interpersonal disputes including family, business, neighborhood, Medicaid Appeals, and eldercare; o Training for adults in conflict resolution, mediation, and facilitation, as well as interventions in disputes; o Facilitation, mediation and consensus-building for groups, organizations, and governmental units; and o Training, mediation and development of Restorative Practices for youth in school, community, and juvenile court settings. d) Agency's History with Providing These Services: We have provided mediation services since 1978, as the founding community mediation center in North Carolina. DSC continues to relieve the Orange County Courts of hundreds of cases each year —those best settled through mediation - thereby freeing up the judges and court staff for other issues. We also offer sliding scale separation and divorce mediation sessions on issues including parenting arrangements, financial divisions, alimony and custody. We have seen an expansion of separation/divorce mediations, with the sliding scale fee basis being very important for people who are underemployed or experiencing job loss. We also help families with eldercare issues and neighbors and small business people with disputes. In 2012 we began assisting Orange County Medicaid recipients with their service provision appeals, by facilitating conversations with providers. In addition (not part of this proposal) we have provided Youth Services since 1984, Public Disputes (facilitation) services since 1986, and have added training and intervention services for individuals and groups. Our youth services have evolved over time to include Restorative Justice (or Restorative Practices.) e) Other Pertinent Agency Information (Ex. Has the agency experienced any major changes in the past year? Is there a new Executive Director?Are there new initiatives?) Agency staff is stable (average tenure is 17 years.) as is the Board of Directors. New Initiatives: (Related to this Program Application) In recent years we have, in response to requests from the bench, received 50-C cases as appropriate, and Agency Information 2/8/2017 11:26:12 AM II I:' r 2 2