MASIC-S

EXPLANATION ABOUT MEDIATION (RECOMMENDED BUT OPTIONAL)
(Depending on What Information has Already Been Provided to the Parties)

Example Script: In family mediation, parties work together to try to make good decisions for themselves and the child/ren outside of court. Mediators do not take sides and do not decide for the parties how to settle their case. Rather, mediators assist the parties in exploring ways to resolve any disagreements in this confidential settlement process. Before the parties start mediation, they are asked to provide some information about their situation.

PARTY NARRATIVE (RECOMMENDED BUT OPTIONAL)

 (Opportunity for Interviewee to Explain their Situation in their Own Words)

Example Script:  I will be asking you some questions today. First, I would like to ask you to tell me, in your words, what brings you and [the other party] to mediation?  (Note: Elicit brief narrative about why the parties are in court/mediation.)

MASIC-S INTRODUCTION (REQUIRED FOR ALL PARTIES WHO ARE RECEIVING THE FULL MASIC-S SCREENING)

Required Script: I am now going to ask you a series of questions about your relationship with [the other party]. We ask these kinds of questions of the parties who are the parents of the children in the case, or who are currently or were previously spouses or significant others. [If there are other parties in the case, say: These questions relate to [the other party’s name] and not the other parties in the case, but let us know if any of the other parties are doing the kinds of things we are asking about.]

Your responses to these questions will be confidential. They will NOT be shared with the court or [the other party]. Your responses will only be used to decide whether mediation would be appropriate in your case, and if so, how to conduct the mediation. However, in answering the questions below, please keep in mind that if I/we have reason to believe that a child has been subjected to abuse or neglect which has not previously been reported to Child Protective Services or an appropriate law enforcement agency, I/we [or the mediation program] will need to make a report to Child Protective Services or the appropriate law enforcement agency. [Add any other applicable disclosures about mandatory reporting in your jurisdiction.]

You may wonder about some of the questions you will now be asked, but it is helpful to think of this like a visit to the doctor’s office. There, you are often asked questions that may not seem important to you or may not seem to apply to you but are important to the doctor. 

The questions you will be asked now are important for deciding what kind of mediation would work well for you and [the other party], or if it would be better for you and [the other party] not to mediate. So please answer the following questions to the best of your ability.

In answering these questions, I am asking about things that [the other party] may have done during a conflict, disagreement, fight, or in anger, or to scare you or hurt you, but NOT while joking around.

Section 1

All questions below are REQUIRED except for some follow-up questions that are marked "Recommended but optional"

Did [the other party in this case] ever (whether or not while living with you)...

Required Script: Please remember that all questions concern things that [the other party] ever, whether or not while living with you, may have done during a conflict, disagreement, or fight, or in anger, or to scare or hurt you, but NOT while joking around.

Now consider the questions you just answered, or similar kinds of things:

MASIC-S Questions - SECTION 2

If “Yes” to any of the items in Section 1 above, then Section 2 is REQUIRED.
If “No” to all questions in Section 1, then you may skip to Section 3. However, according to your clinical judgment, you may also complete Section 2.

MASIC-S Questions - SECTION 3
RECOMMENDED BUT OPTIONAL

Do you have any of the following concerns about [the other party]?

Required Script: Ask all parties the following question (regardless of whether Sections 2 and/or 3 were completed)

As a reminder, mediation is a confidential settlement process that takes place outside of court. Mediation may happen with the parties communicating directly with each other in the presence of the mediator, or with each party meeting privately with the mediator and communicating with the other party or parties through the mediator. [At this point the screener should explain how mediation is done in their program.]

Not all cases, however, go through the mediation process. I [or the mediation program] will determine whether mediation will take place in your case, and if mediation will take place, how it will be conducted. I have a few more questions to help make these decisions.