Continuing
Mediator Education Excerpts
from
Administrative Order AOSC00-8
In
Re: Rules Governing Certification of Mediators
Effective
April 1, 2000
.
. .
Continuing
Mediator Education
The
purpose of continuing mediator education (CME) shall be to enhance the
participant's professional competence as a mediator. The requirement
of CME and the reporting thereof shall apply to all certified mediators
seeking renewal on or after April 1, 2002 and shall be fulfilled in
accordance with the following procedures.
General
Requirement
In
order to qualify as CME, a course or activity shall have significant
intellectual or practical content and shall constitute an organized
program of learning directly related to the practice of mediation. CME
shall be conducted by an individual or group qualified by practical
or academic experience. All certified mediators (mediators)
must complete a minimum of 16 hours of CME, which shall include a minimum
four hours of mediator ethics, in each two year renewal cycle, including
the two years following initial certification. For family and dependency
mediators four hours of the required 16 hours must be in domestic violence
training per each renewal cycle.
Mediator certification shall not be renewed until all CME requirements
are completed.
Mediators
who are certified in more than one area must complete 16 hours of CME
applicable to each of their areas of certification. Hours completed
may be utilized toward more than one area of certification if the subject
matter is relevant to the field(s) of certification. For example, courses
on such topics as mediator ethics, domestic violence and general mediation
skills may be credited to any or all of the areas of certification.
Definition
A
CME hour is defined as 50 minutes. CME may be completed in any of the
following formats:
(1)
attendance at a live lecture or seminar;
(2)
attendance at an audio or video playback of a lecture or seminar with
a group where the group discusses the materials presented;
(3)
listening or viewing audio or video presentations;
(4)
co-mediating or supervising trainees as part of the trainees mentorship
requirements;
(5)
Internet presentations;
(6)
lecturing or teaching in qualified CME courses; and
(7)
authoring or editing written materials submitted for publication and
that have significant intellectual or practical content directly related
to the practice of mediation.
Continuing
education completed for another profession's continuing education requirement
may be used as CME if the material bears directly on the mediator's
mediation practice and complies with the CME guidelines set forth in
this order.
At
a minimum, fifty percent of the required CME hours must be satisfied
by attendance, not as a lecturer or presenter, at a live lecture, live
seminar, or an audio/video playback of a seminar attended by a group
that discussed the materials presented. Interactive internet
presentations may be counted as attendance at a live lecture.
Non-interactive internet presentations shall be applied toward the audio-visual
category. A maximum of two hours of CME may be earned through mentoring
as defined above. Mentoring activities can not be applied toward the
required four hours ethics and/or domestic violence CME components.
Attending,
lecturing or teaching the same CME more than once per renewal cycle,
will not entitle a mediator to additional credit. The prohibition against
repeat attendance shall not apply to annual conferences and yearly updates.
Reporting
Requirements
Mediators
must maintain proof of attendance of CME or other appropriate documentation
and must report their CME at the end of each two year renewal cycle
on the Center's renewal form. The mediator shall be responsible to keep
all records relating to CME, which records shall be subject to audit.
In addition, the mediator must certify that he or she has read the current
Florida mediation rules, statutes and procedures.
Any
CME hours completed may be utilized for only one renewal cycle. Hours
in excess of the requirement shall not be carried forward to the next
renewal cycle.
If
all other qualifications for renewal are met, but an audit reveals a
deficiency in CME credits, the mediator shall be notified in writing
and certification shall be continued for 90 days from the notice of
non-compliance or the expiration of current certification whichever
occurs first. During those 90 days, the mediator shall complete all
remaining CME requirements in order to be eligible for renewal.
Material
Misrepresentation
Any
misrepresentation shall be automatically referred to the Mediator Qualifications
Board. |