Joint Announcement
June 30, 2023
As a follow-up to our initial announcement, FDRIO and OAFM are pleased to confirm how we are collaborating to promote and strengthen family dispute resolution in Ontario. We will be actively partnering on:
• Public Awareness and Education
• Family Dispute Resolution Initiatives and Advocacy
• Professional Development and Events
• Distinct certification opportunities
• Resource Sharing
The first step in our collaboration will end the confusion and division in certifying family mediators in Ontario. Effective September 1, 2023, FDRIO will no longer certify new FDRP Med Certified Specialists in Family Mediation. As of September 1, 2023, OAFM will continue to be the largest accreditor of Family Mediators in Ontario. FDRIO will continue to focus on being the only accreditor of Parenting Coordinators and Family Arbitrators in Ontario while growing other areas of Family Dispute Resolution.
What does this mean?
• All FDRP Med Certified Members, on opting in, will be granted OAFM AccFM equivalency.
• All existing FDRP Med’s as of June 30, 2023, will be given one-year free renewal with OAFM effective on their next renewal date, or effective from the date any new Member joins OAFM.
• All FDRP Med’s who do not have an AccFM designation are invited to opt-in with OAFM with no application fee, before December 31, 2024
Please see our FAQs below, for more details of how this affects you
Or we welcome you to contact
• Sienna Jae Taylor, Operations Manager, FDRIO – info@fdrio.ca
• Mary-Anne Popescu, Executive Director, OAFM – director@oafm.on.ca
In addition, FDRIO is excited to announce that they will be introducing a new Certification in Mediation-Arbitration later this year and Members can use their current FDRP Med or AccFM as an entry point to this designation. Stay tuned for details.
FDRIO and OAFM Boards believe that this direction is best for all of our members, our professional community and the public. FDRIO and OAFM are looking forward with excitement, open dialogue, and alignment of purpose. We hope you will continue to support both organizations in our common goal to advance Family Dispute Resolution processes in Ontario.
OAFM and FDRIO agree that they have a duty to act in the best interests of all
members to advance Family Dispute Resolution (FDR) and move forward as allies to build up the profession and will do so by providing members:
a) Increased access to education,
b) Increased access to both organizations, certifications, and events,
c) FDRIO and OAFM will advocate jointly and speak with one strong and unified voice on FDR initiatives, where applicable and appropriate, and;
d) Decreased or complimentary OAFM Membership fees for the first year of collaboration (see chart below for details).
In Ontario Family Dispute Resolution Organizations have been divided in certifying mediators, which has caused confusion, duplication, and conflict. FDRIO and OAFM agree that the outside professionals and the public are confused by the obvious overlap with the certification of family mediators, which dilutes the value of both organizations’ certifications. FDRIO and OAFM agree that OAFM focuses on family mediation and FDRIO focuses on FDR in all its forms; arbitration, financial, parenting coordination, and coaching, in addition to mediation. Both organizations agree that a Member’s choice of organization is a matter of where that professional determines is the best fit for them.
You can make a decision to join OAFM anytime prior to December 31, 2024 at which time your FDRP Med certification will no longer be active.
All existing FDRP-Med Members as of June 30, 2023 will receive one year of free OAFM Membership. To learn how this affects you, please refer to the chart below.
OAFM Application fees will be waived for FDRP Med’s existing as of June 30, 2023 who opt-in to receive an AccFM
FDRIO will reduce your annual membership to $175 should you only have the FDRP Med certification.
You can maintain and market your FDRIO FDRP Med designation until December 31, 2024
This is a voluntary election to be made individually by each FDRP Med Member; you can make a decision to join OAFM any time prior to December 31, 2024 to receive the financial benefits of joining
To support FDR as a whole and gain valuable networking, education and accreditation opportunities in areas such as Parenting Coordination, Arbitration, Financial and the new Mediation-Arbitration designation planned for later in 2023.
All interim training plans will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis by
OAFM’s Accreditation Committee and in consultation with FDRIO. All reasonable learning pathways will be examined fairly, and the goal is not to leave anyone behind or in a catch 22 as a result of OAFM and FDRIO’s collaboration.
During the transition period, any complaint regarding a member of both organizations will be shared inter-organizationally. If the complaint shares jurisdiction between the organizations, appropriate consent will be obtained from the Complainant. If a member has elected not to become an OAFM Member of any type, and the Member is a member of FDRIO, the complaint will stay solely within FDRIO and vice versa in the case of OAFM Members.
Sienna Jae Taylor, Operations Manager, FDRIO – info@fdrio.ca
Mary-Anne Popescu, Executive Director, OAFM – director@oafm.on.ca
