::CMC History (1994-present)::

Also see: History of community mediation in the US

CMC HISTORY

:: 1994 CMC is founded as a nonprofit corporation, chartered in Tennessee with 501c3 status. The organization eventually consolidated mediation services previously delivered by:

- Knox County General Sessions Court Mediation Program
- University of Tennessee Conflict Resolution Program
- Knoxville Bar Association Mediation Service (KBAMS), (divorce and post-divorce custody cases)

CMC collaborates with Prof. Grayfred Gray's UT College of Law Mediation Clinic to train lsw students as volunteer mediators in General Sessions Court.

:: 1995 Knoxville Bar Association transfers KBAMS assets to CMC; CMC begins providing divorce and custody mediation with former KBAMS volunteer mediators who become a part of CMC.

:: 1996 CMC begins Mediation Mentoring Program for volunteer mediators with training for mentors at UT College of Law.

:: 1997 CMC begins AOC Rule 31 Parenting Education & Mediation Pilot Program (ongoing and expanding)

:: 1998 CMC begins Knox County Juvenile Court Pilot (ongoing). The program had originally been in the hands of UT Conflict Resolution Program.

CMC adopts Rule 31 Code of Conduct to fully apply to co-mediation model.

:: 1999 Tennessee and Knox County pass the “dollar legislation” to fund mediation.

:: 2000 CMC begins the Blount County Juvenile Mediation Pilot (ended in 2004)

:: 2001 CMC begins the Jefferson County Juvenile Mediation Program (ended 2002)

:: 2002 CMC begins the AOC Dependency Mediation Pilot (ending in 2005)

:: 2004 CMC begins training using Domestic Violence Master Class in Mediation

:: 2005 CMC begins and implements its Strategic Planning Team Process (Strategic Plan is approved by the CMC Board in October, 2005.

CMC begins its Truancy Mediation Program at Juvenile Court

:: 2006 CMC collaborates with UT College of Law to train law students and Rule 31 attorneys as volunteers in General Sessions Court

CMC begins working with UT Athletic Department on peer mentoring training for student varsity athletes.

CMC begins Mediator Mentoring Program for volunteers.

CMC trains its first Domestic Violence Advocates to sit in during mediation involving warrant(s) between former intimate partners.

CMC is a leader to formation of a state-wide mediation coalition which brings together 24 nonprofit mediation groups, including community mediation centers, bar associations, university ombuds programs, and law schools, Tennessee Coalition on Mediaiton Awareness (TCMA).

:: 2007 CMC begins Dependency Mediation program at Knox County Juvenile Court, funded by DCS Knox Regional Office.

CMC trains two classes of volunteer mediators, including the first ever Rule 31 “bridge” training for professionally trained mediators to volunteer as CMC General Sessions mediators.

CMC begins Order of Protection Mediation Pilot Project for Knox County 4th Circuit Court, Judge Bill Swann

CMC is a statewide leader in planning and hosting TCMA’s first awards luncheon to honor Professor Grayfred Gray with the Grayfred Gray Annual Award for Public Service in Mediation, on Mediation Day, Oct. 18, 2007.