THE MEDIATION CENTER OF THE PACIFIC INC

THE MEDIATION CENTER OF THE PACIFIC (MCP) IS A 501(C)(3) COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATION THAT WAS FOUNDED IN 1979 TO PROVIDE HAWAII'S PEOPLE WITH PEACEFUL APPROACHES TO WORKING THROUGH CONFLICT. MCP WAS ONE OF THE EARLIEST ESTABLISHED COMMUNITY MEDIATION CENTERS IN THE NATION, AND IT HAS CONTINUED TO GROW AND EVOLVE SINCE THAT TIME. THROUGH A VARIETY OF CULTURALLY SENSITIVE PROCESSES, PEOPLE FROM ALL FACETS OF OAHU'S COMMUNITIES, YOUNG AND OLD, ARE HELPED TO PREVENT AND RESOLVE CONFLICT. CONFLICT CAN TEAR FAMILIES APART, LEAD TO HOMELESSNESS, DEPRESSION, LOSS OF WORK AND MORE. MEDIATION AND OTHER DISPUTE RESOLUTION SERVICES PROVIDED THROUGH MCP ALLOW FAMILIES, FRIENDS, CO-WORKERS, NEIGHBORS, LANDLORDS AND TENANTS AND MANY OTHERS, THE OPPORTUNITY TO SIT DOWN WITH A TRAINED MEDIATOR IN A NON-THREATENING SETTING TO TALK AND NEGOTIATE CREATIVE SOLUTIONS. WHILE PEOPLE WITH FINANCIAL RESOURCES HAVE MULTIPLE OPTIONS TO ADDRESS THEIR CONFLICTS, MCP IS THE ONLY DISPUTE RESOLUTION OPTION FOR PEOPLE IN THE LOW INCOME AND VULNERABLE POPULATIONS ON OAHU. IN GENERAL, MCP WORKS WITH OTHER LEGAL SERVICE PROVIDERS, THE COURTS, COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS, HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS, AND THE COMMUNITY TO OFFER A BROAD ARRAY OF MEDIATION, TRAINING, AND DISPUTE RESOLUTION SERVICES TO MEET COMMUNITY NEEDS INCLUDING: - GENERAL MEDIATION SERVICES FOR THOSE IN DISPUTES WITH FAMILY MEMBERS, NEIGHBORS, CO-WORKERS, AND FRIENDS. - SPECIALIZED MEDIATION SERVICES, INCLUDING DIVORCE; CUSTODY; EMPLOYMENT; CIVIL RIGHTS; CONDOMINIUM; SPECIAL EDUCATION; LANDLORD-TENANT; FORECLOSURE; ADULT GUARDIANSHIP; CAREGIVING; AND CONSUMER-MERCHANT. - MEDIATION AND FACILITATION TRAINING FOR SCHOOLS, INDIVIDUALS, BUSINESSES, NON-PROFITS, AND GOVERNMENT AGENCIES. MCP'S TRAINING IS DESIGNED TO HELP THE PARTICIPANTS DEVELOP EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION, CONFLICT RESOLUTION, AND MEDIATION SKILLS. IN FY24-25, MCP CONDUCTED 203 HOURS OF TRAINING AND WORKSHOPS FOR INDIVIDUALS, GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, BUSINESSES, AND OTHER COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS. - IN-HOUSE TRAINING FOR THE MCP'S VOLUNTEER MEDIATORS WHO PROVIDE THEIR SERVICES PRO BONO. IN THE RECENTLY ENDED FY24-25, THE MEDIATORS INVESTED 5,871 VOLUNTEER HOURS IN THE 1,357 CASES THAT WERE MEDIATED. TO MAINTAIN AND HONE THEIR SKILLS, MCP CONDUCTS REGULAR WORKSHOPS AND TRAINING FOR THE MEDIATORS. THESE CONTINUING EDUCATION PROGRAMS ARE PROVIDED BY MCP AT NO COST TO THE MEDIATORS. IN FY24-25, MCP CONDUCTED 102.5 HOURS OF TRAINING AND WORKSHOPS FOR THE MEDIATORS. DUE TO THE INCREASED COMPLEXITY OF THE MEDIATIONS CONDUCTED BY MCP, THE NUMBER OF TRAINING AND WORKSHOPS FOR THE MEDIATORS WAS APPROXIMATELY DOUBLE FROM THE PRIOR YEARS. IN FY24-25, MCP OPENED AND MANAGED 4,847 CASES. THE STEADY HIGH VOLUME OF REQUESTS AND REFERRALS RECEIVED BY MCP, REINFORCES THE FACT THAT COMMUNITY MEDIATION IS NEEDED NOW MORE THAN EVER, PARTICULARLY IN THE AREAS OF NEED THAT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED FOR INCREASED ACCESS TO JUSTICE, SUCH AS CONSUMER-MERCHANT, LANDLORD-TENANT, AND DOMESTIC. IN FY24-25, MCP OPENED 1,024 CASES FROM THE DISTRICT COURTS (SMALL CLAIMS; LANDLORD-TENANT; REGULAR CLAIMS; RESTRAINING ORDERS) IN THE FIRST CIRCUIT. SIGNIFICANTLY, 124 OF THE DISTRICT COURT CASES REFERRED TO MCP THIS PAST FISCAL YEAR INVOLVED REQUESTS FOR RESTRAINING ORDERS BETWEEN NEIGHBORS, CO-WORKERS, MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, AND MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AND TEACHERS. THE INCREASE IN THESE CASES REFLECTS THE INCREASE OF CONFLICT IN THE COMMUNITY IN GENERAL, AND THE NEED FOR THE PEACEFUL, INFORMAL APPROACHES PROVIDED BY MCP FOR RESOLVING THEM. MCP ALSO OPENED AND MEDIATED 937 LANDLORD-TENANT CASES, 659 OF WHICH WERE REFERRED FROM THE DISTRICT COURT, AND 278 THAT WERE OPENED PRIOR TO FILING IN COURT. WHILE THE 58% RATE OF AGREEMENT FOR THE COURT ORDERED CASES WAS SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER THAN PREVIOUS YEARS, THE 82% RATE OF AGREEMENT FOR THE CASES MEDIATED BEFORE GOING TO COURT, REINFORCED THE VALUE OF THE EARLY MEDIATION PROGRAM MAINTAINED BY MCP. IN THE DOMESTIC ARENA, MCP MANAGED 823 CASES INVOLVING DIVORCING AND UNMARRIED COUPLES. 50% OF THE DOMESTIC CASES MEDIATED RESULTED IN WRITTEN AGREEMENTS. FINALLY, WHILE THE ABOVE HIGHLIGHTED OUTCOMES ARE IMPORTANT, THE IMPACT OF MCP'S SERVICES GOES BEYOND WRITTEN AGREEMENTS. TO SHOW THE VALUE OF THE FUNDS CONTRIBUTED TO MCP, A SOCIAL RETURN ON INVESTMENT ANALYSIS WAS CONDUCTED BY COMMUNITY SERVICES ANALYSIS, LLC, ON MCP'S SERVICES IN FISCAL YEAR 2023-2024. THE ANALYSIS SHOWED THAT: - THE TOTAL NET IMPACT OF MCP'S SERVICES WAS $11.8 MILLION - MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY WOULD HAVE HAD TO PAY $3,327,000 TO REPLACE MCP'S DIRECT SERVICES WITH EQUIVALENT SERVICES IF MCP DID NOT EXIST - THE SERVICES PROVIDED BY MCP RESULTED IN $1.89 MILLION IN DIRECT SAVINGS TO HAWAII'S COURTS AND OTHER PUBLIC SYSTEMS - FOR EVERY $1 DONATED, $12.83 WAS DELIVERED IN IMMEDIATE AND LONG-TERM FINANCIAL BENEFITS TO THE PEOPLE OF HAWAI'I