SAHA sponsors training session for Hearing Officers.

In 2003, SAHA partnered with members of the Bexar County Dispute Resolution Center (BCDRC) to act as Informal Hearing Officers in cases involving termination of housing assistance for participants. The BCDRC currently has 150 volunteer mediators who assist in resolving many types of disputes within our community.

SAHA recently sponsored a training session for new and current Hearing Officers. The training session, conducted by SAHA’s Housing Assistance and Eligibility Department, involved termination of assistance issues as specified by federal law and local policies. It also clearly outlined the role that the Hearing Officer plays in these hearings with respect to decorum, procedures and the evidence presented by the parties.  Twenty new and current Hearing Officers participated in the training and received materials detailing the topics that were discussed.

To date, the BCDRC has conducted more than 2,400 Informal Hearings for SAHA. BCDRC volunteers must first undergo a basic 40-hour mediation course before their first assignment as a mediator. Some mediators then take additional training in family mediation, child abuse, victim-offender and other areas to sharpen their skills.


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For further information, please contact: public_information@saha.org

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