There are hundreds of mediation groups in the U.S. Some specialize in a narrow type of dispute. Others are the quasi-official arms of juvenile or domestic relations courts. (California and several other states require court-sponsored mediation of all contested child custody lawsuits.) Perhaps the group with the broadest vision of the full range of disputes is the Community Board Program, founded and directed by Roy Shonholtz. Headquartered in San Francisco, this organization has helped start similar groups in two dozen other communities. They offer topnotch training sessions (run periodically at different locations around the country), designed for both community people and professionals. These folks also publish a number of newsletters, manuals, and videotapes.
