The Human Relations Branch of the Workforce Development Aging & Community Services (WDACS) department recognized DCBA for their outstanding dedication to helping people resolve their conflicts.  The parent-school roundtable featured esteemed panelists from the dispute resolution field that encouraged developing and creating new mediation programs to resolve disputes between parents and school systems.

Director Brian J. Stiger, Deputy Director Joel Ayala, Mediation Supervisor Maritza Gutierrez, and Mediator Tanzila Huda accepted the award on behalf of DCBA.

Centinela Youth Services received the “Outstanding Case” award for their mediating a case involving a 12-year-old student who was found guilty of stealing five laptops from his elementary school. After completing probation, the student at this point an 18-year-old, was anxious to get out of the probation system but was unable to pay back the $5,000 restitution due to his family’s financial challenges. Centinela Youth Services used the restorative justice approach between the student and the school, resulting in the school forgiving the restitution, probation approving the settlement, and the young man getting released from probation.