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ARAccess

Helping Parents Design and Plan for Access, Visitation & Custody of Their Children

The Arkansas Access and Visitation Program is a statewide mediation program serving residents of the state who would like to mediate issues of custody, visitation, and child support for their minor children. Mediation services are provided to participants at a reduced rate based on the participant's income.

About Us

Director's Note

Thank you for visiting the Arkansas Access and Visitation Mediation Program website. We hope that you find this site to be both helpful and informative. Making decisions about child custody and visitation is often challenging. This is especially true when parties are navigating through an otherwise unfamiliar judicial process. Mediation can be an empowering tool for parties in this process.
The Arkansas Access and Visitation Mediation Program's goal is to provide mediation services to help ensure that children are afforded financial support and parental involvement. This statewide program serves the residents of our State by providing mediation services at a reduced rate based on participants' income. Through mediation parents can work to create a parenting plan that works for both parties and one that benefits the child or children.

Access and Visitation Program Overview

The Arkansas Access and Visitation Program is a statewide mediation program serving residents of the state who would like to mediate issues of custody, visitation, and child support for their minor children. Mediation services are provided to participants at a reduced rate based on the participant's income.
The Access and Visitation Program was created in 1997 and is funded by a federal grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Child Support Enforcement. The purpose of the grant is to support and facilitate noncustodial parents' access to and visitation with their children.

Meet the Staff

Stephanie Smith

Stephanie Smith

ADR Coordinator
ADR Commission
Administrative office of the Courts
Stephanie.Smith@arcourts.gov

James Tapscott

James Tapscott

Assistant to the ADR Coordinator
ADR Commission
Administrative office of the Courts
James.Tapscott@arcourts.gov

Contact Us

Phone Number:

(501) 682-9400

Address:

625 Marshall Street
Little Rock, AR 72201
Send Us An Email mail

Mediation

What is Mediation?

Mediation is an informal, voluntary, and confidential way to resolve disagreements. A mediator helps people in conflict discuss concerns and, when possible, come to an agreement that is acceptable to both parties. If the parties cannot come to an agreement, they are free to go to court and have a judge make a decision on the issues. What is said in mediation is confidential, so if the parties do end up in court, the judge does not know anything that was said in the mediation.
While the time required for mediation varies, the mediation session often takes less than half a day.

What happens in Mediation?

The mediation process will vary depending on the mediator. Generally, the mediator will start by describing how the process will work. Then each party will tell the mediator about why they are in mediation. The mediator will help ask some questions to make sure that they understand the issues from both parties' perspectives. The mediator will then help the parties discuss the issues in dispute and possible solutions. During the mediation, the mediator may meet with the parties together or separately.
The mediator is not a judge and will not make any decisions about the case. It is up to the parties to decide if they can come to an agreement, or whether they need to go to court and let a judge decide. If you have any questions during the mediation process, you should ask your mediator.

Mediation Alternative

RESOURCES

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AV Mediator Roster
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AV Questionnaire
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AV Program Procedures Memorandum
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Mediation Brochure
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From Parent Wars to Co-Parenting

External Resources

Access & Visitation Certified Mediator Roster

Mediators in RED are not currently accepting AV assignments.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Anyone who is a resident of the State of Arkansas, or subject to the jurisdiction of the Arkansas Circuit Courts, AND is a parent or guardian of a minor child or children who has a dispute with the other parent on issues of child custody, visitation or support.
No. The parties may be divorcing, divorced or never married.
Issues of child custody, visitation, and support may be mediated through the program. The program does not cover property division or spousal support.
No. The status of the case does not matter. It may be a case in which:
  • the parties are getting a divorce
  • the parties are already divorced and want to change custody, visitation or support
  • were never married and paternity is being legally established
  • Office of Child Support Enforcement case
  • the parties are not in the court process at all
No. Cases may come into the program because the parties agree between themselves to go to mediation, because their attorneys suggest they go to mediation, or because the court has ordered the case to mediation.
Parties may select a mediator from a Roster of qualified mediators working in the Access and Visitation Program. All mediators are certified by the Arkansas Alternative Dispute Resolution Commission in the domestic relations category.
BOTH parties must complete the Arkansas Access and Visitation Mediation Program Questionnaire on the home page and submit it to the Director. The Director will review the case to make sure it meets all eligibility requirements and is appropriate for mediation. If so, the case will be assigned to the mediator and the mediator will contact the parties to schedule the mediation session. The Director can take no action on the case until both parties have submitted complete and accurate questionnaire forms.
The Arkansas Access and Visitation Mediation Program Questionnaire is available here or for download on the resources page, or you may contact the program Director at 501-410-1924.
The length of the mediation depends on the parties and varies from case to case. The program covers up to 5 hours of mediation time. This includes the time it takes to get the case scheduled for mediation. Any time beyond 5 hours is solely the responsibility of the parties. Most cases are completed within the 5-hour time limit.