Wayne County Dispute Resolution Center
Wayne County Dispute Resolution Center is a Dearborn, Michigan nonprofit community mediation organization that delivers court-referred, school-based, and direct-request conflict resolution services across Wayne County via a volunteer mediator corps, supported by court filing fees and state grants.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1987
- HeadquartersDearborn, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Wayne County Dispute Resolution Center does
Wayne County Dispute Resolution Center (WCDRC) is a Dearborn, Michigan-based nonprofit community mediation organization founded in 1987 (originally as the Southwest Detroit Neighborhood Reconciliation Center under New Detroit, Inc.) and operating independently since 1993. It delivers confidential conflict resolution services across civil, domestic, special education, behavioral health, and juvenile-diversion matters, and runs SCAO-approved 40-hour mediator training programs. Its service footprint covers Wayne County and metropolitan Detroit, anchored by formal referral relationships with 27+ municipal courts, the Third Circuit Court, the Family Domestic Court, and the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office, plus school-based programs in 35+ Wayne County schools.
WCDRC's core products are organized around four service lines: (1) court-affiliated mediation (Civil, Domestic, Affiliated Courts, MI-Resolve online mediation sponsored by the Michigan Supreme Court Administrative Office, Talk It Out juvenile diversion with the Prosecutor's Office), (2) specialized mediation (Special Education Mediation Services federally funded through IDEA, and Behavioral Health Mediation funded through an MDHHS grant), (3) SCAO-approved training and certification (General Civil, Domestic Relations, Practical Experience at $299 or 40 volunteer hours, and Advanced Training sessions), and (4) volunteer recruitment. The technology layer is modest: the MI-Resolve online platform enables asynchronous and video-based dispute resolution, Zoom is used for all domestic mediations post-COVID, and the organization maintains a basic informational website; no proprietary AI/ML or data assets are described.
The business model is nonprofit and quasi-governmental. Primary funding flows from court filing fees allocated under Michigan's Community Dispute Resolution Act of 1989, supplemented by state grants (MDHHS for Behavioral Health Mediation, Michigan Office of Special Education for SEMS), training fees ($299 per Practical Experience participant or volunteer service in lieu), and donations via the Kindest platform. Paid staff headcount is in the 1-10 range (six named staff including an Executive Director, Administrative Assistant, SEMS Coordinator, Outreach Specialist, Domestic Court Supervisor, and District Court Representative), with the bulk of mediator capacity supplied by a volunteer corps averaging seven years of experience and drawn from judges, lawyers, and other professionals. Governance is provided by a Board of Directors whose trustees include five sitting judges, reinforcing institutional ties to the local judiciary. No revenue, funding round, M&A, or ownership change data is disclosed.
Wayne County Dispute Resolution Center firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Wayne County Dispute Resolution Center
- Legal name
- Wayne County Dispute Resolution Center
- Website
- https://wcdrc.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1987
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Wayne County Dispute Resolution Center is a Dearborn, Michigan nonprofit community mediation organization that delivers court-referred, school-based, and direct-request conflict resolution services across Wayne County via a volunteer mediator corps, supported by court filing fees and state grants.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Wayne County Dispute Resolution Center industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Community Mediation Services
- akta.pro primary industry
- Alternative Dispute Resolution & Restorative Justice Programs (BPAIAFAL)
Keywords
Where Wayne County Dispute Resolution Center is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Dearborn
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Wayne County Dispute Resolution Center business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Court Filing Fees: Primary funding source from court filing fees under the Community Dispute Resolution Act of 1989
- Government Grants: Grants from Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) for Behavioral Health Mediation Services, and Michigan Office of Special Education for SEMS program
- Training Fees: Fees for mediation training programs including Practical Experience (Option 1: $299 or Option 2: 40 hours volunteer service)
- Donations: Charitable donations through Kindest platform
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | MI-Resolve Online Mediation - Free service |
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Special Education Mediation Services (SEMS) - Free for Wayne County schools and residents |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Practical Experience Training |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Domestic Relations Mediation Training |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Wayne County Dispute Resolution Center product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Wayne County Dispute Resolution Center is a community-based nonprofit providing confidential dispute resolution through mediation services to courts, schools, families, individuals, and businesses throughout Wayne County and Metropolitan Detroit. Offerings span civil, domestic, special education, behavioral health, and youth diversion mediations, plus SCAO-approved mediator training and school-based conflict resolution programs.
Product overview
Wayne County Dispute Resolution Center (WCDRC) is a community-based nonprofit organization offering a unified suite of mediation and dispute resolution services. The core offering consists of in-person and online mediation programs (MI-Resolve Online Mediations, Special Education Mediation Services, Behavioral Health Mediation, Talk It Out youth diversion, Civil Services, Domestic Services, and Affiliated Courts Programs) that share a common 40-hour SCAO-approved mediator training foundation. Training and education programs (General Civil, Domestic Relations, Practical Experience, Advanced Training, School-Based Programs) serve as supplementary modules that expand the mediator pool and support the core mediation services. The Volunteer Program provides the human capital that powers service delivery, with mediators from diverse professional backgrounds averaging seven years of experience. All programs interconnect through shared certification standards, court affiliations across 24+ Wayne County courts, and a common mission of peaceful conflict resolution.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- MI-Resolve Online Mediations A free online dispute resolution service sponsored by the Michigan Supreme Court's Administrative Office that enables parties in Michigan to resolve disputes (typically small claims or landlord/tenant cases) online with or without a mediator, including video conference options.
- Special Education Mediation Services (SEMS) Federally funded mediation, facilitation, and training services for Wayne County schools and residents to resolve disputes about special education programs, including IEP meeting facilitation and collaborative process support for students with disabilities.
- Behavioral Health Mediation Statewide system of local mediation services to resolve disputes related to behavioral health services provided by Community Mental Health Services Programs (CMHSP) and their contract providers, funded through an MDHHS grant.
- Talk It Out Diversionary program for juvenile offenders delivered in partnership with the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office, providing youth offenders a second chance through mediation-based intervention.
- Civil Services Civil dispute resolution programs covering landlord-tenant disputes, general civil matters (neighbor disputes, consumer-merchant disputes, breach of contract, small claims), workplace disputes, and estate planning/elder care disputes.
- Domestic Services Domestic dispute resolution including divorce mediation, spousal/child support mediation, parenting time negotiations, and special domestic cases for spouses, partners, family members, and loved ones.
- Affiliated Courts Program Partnership program with Wayne County municipal court systems providing mediation services for parties in court cases seeking resolution before trial, including 24+ affiliated courts throughout Wayne County.
- General Civil Mediation Training SCAO-approved 40-hour general civil mediation training qualifying participants as legal mediators in Michigan, with virtual training sessions available through State Court Administrative Offices.
- Domestic Relations Mediation Training SCAO-approved 40-hour domestic relations mediation training and required 8-hour domestic violence screening training for professional mediators, with volunteer rate options available.
- Practical Experience Program Externship program for newly trained mediators to gain mentored practical experience, with options to pay $299 or commit to 40 hours of volunteer mediation within 24 months.
- Advanced Training Sessions Monthly two-hour advanced training sessions on complex mediation topics including advanced agreement writing, building trust, caucusing, emotional intelligence, and mediating various case types.
- School-Based Programs School conflict resolution training including Restorative Classroom Circles (teacher training with follow-up coaching) and Peer Facilitation/Restorative Conferencing for students, covering 35+ schools in Wayne County.
- Volunteer Mediation Program Volunteer mediator recruitment and training program utilizing community volunteers (judges, lawyers, and other professionals) averaging seven years of experience, covering clerical to full mediation services.
Quantifiable outcome
- Handled 3,500 cases in 2016, an increase of 1,500 cases over two years
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Wayne County Dispute Resolution Center
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles6 records
Wayne County Dispute Resolution Center technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Wayne County Dispute Resolution Center partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Wayne County Prosecutor's OfficecorePartnership for Talk It Out diversionary program for juvenile offenders providing second chance opportunities
- State Bar of Michigan - ADR SectioncoreWCDRC is a proud member of the State Bar of Michigan ADR Section, connecting with legal professionals in alternative dispute resolution
- National Association for Community Mediation (NAFCM)coreMember organization connecting community mediation centers across the nation
- Michigan Community Mediation Association (MCMA)coreState-level membership organization for community mediation centers in Michigan
- Detroit Bar Association - ADR SectioncoreLocal bar association membership connecting WCDRC with Detroit-area legal professionals
- Oakland Mediation CentercoreMDHHS awarded Oakland Mediation Center a grant to develop statewide system of local mediation services; WCDRC participates in behavioral health mediation network
- Michigan Supreme Court Administrative OfficecoreSponsors MI-Resolve online mediation platform for free dispute resolution in Michigan
- Third Judicial Circuit Court of MichigancoreWayne County's largest circuit court; provides virtual customer service appointments through Wayne County Friend of the Court department
- MDHHS Office of Recipient RightscorePartners to ensure people receiving publicly funded behavioral health services have access to independent mediation
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves12 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Wayne County Dispute Resolution Center competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Oakland Mediation Center: Michigan-based community mediation center explicitly named as a WCDRC partner in the MDHHS statewide behavioral health mediation network. Operates an analogous court-referred and grant-funded mediation model in a neighboring Michigan county.
- Northwest Mediation Center: Michigan-based community mediation center serving the northwest Lower Peninsula, with a comparable mix of court-referred, family, and community mediation services under the Michigan Community Mediation Association framework.
- Resolution Center of Central Minnesota: Nonprofit community mediation center providing court-referred, family, and restorative-justice mediation services in a defined regional catchment, sharing the same nonprofit, court-affiliated volunteer-mediator model as WCDRC.
- Neighborhood Justice Center: Community-based nonprofit mediation center providing court-referred, civil, and family mediation with volunteer mediators. Operates under the same NAFCM/MCMA-style framework as WCDRC.
Regional players
- Community Mediation Services (Atlanta): Established community mediation center serving Fulton County, Georgia with court-referred and school-based programming. Operates an analogous nonprofit ADR model but in a different Southeastern U.S. geography.
- Center for Community Solutions: San Diego-based nonprofit providing community mediation and restorative justice services including school-based and family mediation. Comparable operating model with a different geographic footprint.
- Metropolitan Mediation Services: Brooklyn-based nonprofit offering court-referred, family, and community mediation services in the New York metro area. Analogous nonprofit ADR service mix operating in a different geography.
- Seattle Community Mediation Services: Pacific Northwest nonprofit community mediation center offering court-referred civil mediation, school-based peer mediation, and volunteer mediator training. Comparable service architecture but in a different U.S. region.
Others
- Michigan Community Mediation Association (MCMA): State-level membership association for community mediation centers in Michigan, of which WCDRC is a member. Not a peer operator but a network/standards body that channels referrals and grant funding to peer centers.
- National Association for Community Mediation (NAFCM): National membership association for community mediation centers in the U.S. WCDRC is a member. Not a direct competitor but an ecosystem/standards body governing the community mediation space.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights8 records
Customer concentration
Wayne County Dispute Resolution Center social profiles
Digital presenceWayne County Dispute Resolution Center financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Wayne County Dispute Resolution Center leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles14 records
Wayne County Dispute Resolution Center funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Wayne County Dispute Resolution Center M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Wayne County Dispute Resolution Center
What does Wayne County Dispute Resolution Center do?
Wayne County Dispute Resolution Center is a community-based nonprofit providing confidential dispute resolution through mediation services to courts, schools, families, individuals, and businesses throughout Wayne County and Metropolitan Detroit. Offerings span civil, domestic, special education, behavioral health, and youth diversion mediations, plus SCAO-approved mediator training and school-based conflict resolution programs.
Is Wayne County Dispute Resolution Center a public or private company?
Wayne County Dispute Resolution Center is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Wayne County Dispute Resolution Center founded?
Wayne County Dispute Resolution Center was founded in 1987. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Wayne County Dispute Resolution Center based?
Wayne County Dispute Resolution Center is headquartered in Dearborn, United States, in the North America region.
How does Wayne County Dispute Resolution Center make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Court Filing Fees are the primary driver. The others are government Grants, training Fees and donations.
Who are Wayne County Dispute Resolution Center's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Oakland Mediation Center, Northwest Mediation Center, Resolution Center of Central Minnesota and Neighborhood Justice Center. Regional players are Community Mediation Services (Atlanta), Center for Community Solutions, Metropolitan Mediation Services and Seattle Community Mediation Services. Others are Michigan Community Mediation Association (MCMA) and National Association for Community Mediation (NAFCM).
Does Wayne County Dispute Resolution Center have an API?
No public API is recorded for Wayne County Dispute Resolution Center.
What industry is Wayne County Dispute Resolution Center in?
Wayne County Dispute Resolution Center's product category is Community Mediation Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAIAFAL, Alternative Dispute Resolution & Restorative Justice Programs.