Welcome to Skagit County

November 4th, 2009

Volunteers of America's Dispute Resolution Center Expands Service Area to Skagit County

Everett, WA- On November 1, 2009 Volunteers of America Western Washington will make history as it becomes the designated Dispute Resolution Center for Skagit County as outlined in RCW 7.75. For the past 9 years, Skagit County has been served by the Skagit County Mediation and Facilitation Services which was a program of the Skagit County government. Currently Volunteers of America's Dispute Resolution Center ("Dispute Resolution Center") serves both Snohomish and Island Counties, in addition to trainings, services, and products that have been provided nation-wide. Never before in Washington State has a dispute resolution center had the opportunity to serve 3 counties.

This expansion will allow the residents of Skagit County to continue to receive the excellent service they have experienced in the past while enhancing the ability to provide for and promote peaceful resolution of conflict and collaborative decision making through mediation, facilitation, training and community education. Skagit County residents will continue to be provided services by dedicated staff and volunteers who are certified in their areas of expertise. The Dispute Resolution Center's new Skagit County address will be 1932 E College Way, Suite B, Mount Vernon, WA 98273 and new phone number is 360-542-8487.

"This is an opportunity that will allow the citizens of Skagit County to be served in ways that had not been possible in the past" said Andrea Vallee, Director of Skagit County Mediation & Facilitation Services. "Both mediation communities have a vast amount of experience, expertise, and resources that we will now be able to share and utilize in serving the community on a daily basis."

Both areas have developed a number of areas of expertise and innovation within the conflict resolution field that will now be shared throughout the tri-county area. In addition to Skagit County's strong mediation services, they have developed a strong facilitation training/services program and have recently began a Juvenile Victim Offender Meetings Program. Through the years, the Dispute Resolution Center has developed a strong reputation for mediation services and training, recently expanding into products including co-authoring the Dummies Guide Book "Conflict Resolution at Work for Dummies" to be released in 2010 by Wiley Publishing. Further, for 27 years the Dispute Resolution Center has provided landlord-tenant mediation services and education to Snohomish County and the City of Everett.

"This is a natural progression of the centers' partnering on a number of successful service offerings and trainings. It is this type of collaboration and efficiencies that the Dispute Resolution Center hopes to offer residents. Overall, the transition will increase opportunities to fulfill our mission through delivery of quality services, community, and education while providing a fiscally sound economy of scale that will enhance the Dispute Resolution Center's ability to meet the ongoing needs of the people of Snohomish, Island, and Skagit," said Matt Phillips, Director, Dispute Resolution Center.

If you would like to learn more about our innovative conflict resolution services and training that we provide, please contact us at 360-542-8487 (Skagit) or 425-339-1335 (Snohomish).