COMMUNITY MEDIATION MINNESOTA

COMMUNITY MEDIATION MINNESOTA SUPPORTS THE WORK OF LOCAL, STATE-CERTIFIED COMMUNITY DISPUTE RESOLUTION PROGRAMS (CDRPS) AND WORKS TOWARD A VISION OF ALL MINNESOTANS HAVING ACCESS TO SERVICES PROVIDED BY CDRPS. IN FY2025 CMM SECURED REFERRALS AND FUNDING STREAMS THAT PASSED THROUGH TO THE CDRPS. IN ADDITION, CMM CONTINUED TO SUPPORT REMOTE SERVICES - FROM A REMOTE WORKPLACE - THROUGH CONTINUED IMPLEMENTATION OF A SHARED ONLINE CASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, ONLINE DISPUTE RESOLUTION SERVICES, AND UTILIZATION OF A STATEWIDE CENTRALIZED INTAKE AND REFERRAL INFRASTRUCTURE. IN FY2025, CMM COMPLETED A CONTRACT EXTENSION FOR ONE CONTRACT/GRANT WITH MINNESOTA HOUSING FINANCE AGENCY (MHFA). THIS GRANT EXTENSION RAN FROM JULY 1, 2024 TO JANUARY 30, 2025 AND ORIGINATED FROM FUNDS THAT MHFA RECEIVED FROM THE US DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY FOR HOUSING STABILITY SERVICES (HSS) THROUGH EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE 2 (ERA2). SERVICES THROUGH THIS GRANT INCLUDE HOUSING MEDIATION AND NAVIGATION SERVICES THAT OCCURRED BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER THE EVICTION PROCESS. DURING THIS TIME PERIOD, WE SERVED 1031 HOUSEHOLDS THAT INCLUDED 2682 INDIVIDUALS. IN AUGUST OF 2024 CMM RECEIVED THE AMICUS CURIAE AWARD FOR MINNESOTA'S 1ST JUDICIAL DISTRICT IN RECOGNITION OF "EXEMPLARY SERVICE AND THE SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION" THE WORK HAS "MADE TO THE ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE" THROUGH THIS HOUSING GRANT. IN AUGUST OF 2024, CMM ALSO EXECUTED THEIR CONTRACT FOR THE STABLE HOUSING MEDIATION (SHM) GRANT THAT IS LEGISLATIVE APPROPRIATION ADMINISTERED BY THE MHFA. THE SHM GRANT BEGAN TO REPLACE HSS AS THE PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE FOR OUR HOUSING WORK IN FEBRUARY OF 2025. DUE TO ISSUES WITH SUNSETTING OF OUR CASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM IN FEBRUARY OF 2025 AND REPLACEMENT WITH A NEW CASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM TRANSITION, DATA FOR PEOPLE SERVED THROUGH SHM FROM FEBRUARY-JUNE OF 2025 WAS UNABLE TO BE AGGREGATED WITH ACCURACY. HOWEVER, IT IS ESTIMATED THAT 418 RENTAL HOUSEHOLDS AND 46 RENTAL PROPERTY PROVIDERS RECEIVED SERVICES THROUGH THIS GRANT FROM APRIL THROUGH JUNE OF 2025. COMMUNITY MEDIATION MINNESOTA ALSO CONTINUED TO RECEIVE FUNDING FROM THE LEGAL SERVICES ADVISORY COMMITTEE (LSAC) TO SUPPORT CMM STAFF SALARIES AND BENEFITS FOR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR/S ALONG WITH CONTRACTED SUPPORT. IN ADDITION, A PORTION OF THE LSAC FUNDS PASSED THROUGH TO THE CDRPS TO STRENGTHEN MEDIATION SERVICE AVAILABILITY THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF MINNESOTA FOR COURT AND COMMUNITY-BASED ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION (ADR) FOR CONCILIATION, HOUSING, FAMILY, AND HARASSMENT COURTS AND OTHER RESTORATIVE JUSTICE PRACTICES. TO SUPPORT THIS WORK, CMM PROVIDES A STATEWIDE CENTRALIZED INTAKE SYSTEM THAT REFERS CASES TO THE CDRPS. FOR FY205, CMM REFERRED 548 CASES TO THE CDRPS. CMM PROVIDES MEDIATION TRAINING AND IN FY2025, TRAINED 44 PEOPLE TOTAL IN TWO 30-HOUR CIVIL MEDIATION, TWO 40-HOUR FAMILY MEDIATION AND ONE ELDER MEDIATION TRAINING.