The ACR Advanced Practitioner designation in Family and Divorce Mediation is a peer-reviewed credential awarded by the Association for Conflict Resolution to family mediators who have completed 250 face-to-face mediation hours, 25 completed cases, 60 hours of family mediation training, and 4 hours of supervised case consultation — with 20 hours of continuing education every two years. 

Ann M. Goade, Esq. earned the designation in 2006 and is the only ACR Advanced Practitioner serving the Treasure Coast and Palm Beach market. 

Key Takeaways

• The ACR Advanced Practitioner designation requires a minimum of 250 face-to-face mediation hours, 60 training hours, 4 hours of supervised case consultation, and a minimum of 25 completed cases — verified by peer review before the designation is awarded.
• Ann Goade earned the ACR Advanced Practitioner designation in Family Law in 2006, after more than a decade of active Florida Supreme Court Certified family mediation practice.
• No competing mediator in the Treasure Coast or Palm Beach County market holds ACR Advanced Practitioner status in family mediation as of 2026.
• The ACR Advanced Practitioner designation sits above Florida Supreme Court certification in the professional credential hierarchy — Florida certification is the legal requirement; ACR Advanced Practitioner status is the voluntary peer-reviewed standard above it.
• Virtual mediation is available statewide for Treasure Coast families who prefer remote sessions.

What Is the Association for Conflict Resolution?

The Association for Conflict Resolution (ACR) is an international professional organization dedicated to enhancing the practice and public understanding of conflict resolution across mediation, arbitration, and dispute resolution fields. 

ACR sets voluntary professional standards for mediators that go beyond the minimum licensing or court-certification requirements imposed by individual states.

ACR’s Family Section governs the Advanced Practitioner designation for family and divorce mediators — establishing the training, experience, consultation, and continuing education requirements mediators must meet before peer review grants the designation.

What Are the Full Requirements for ACR Advanced Practitioner Status?

ACR Advanced Practitioner status in Family and Divorce Mediation requires all of the following, verified by peer review per the ACR Advanced Practitioner Guidelines:

Experience:

• Minimum 2 years of active family mediation practice
• Minimum 250 hours of face-to-face family mediation (up to 50 hours may be telephonic or online)
• Minimum 25 completed family mediation cases
• Submission of 2 representative memoranda of understanding for peer review

Training and Education:

• Minimum 60 hours of family mediation training
• Includes a 30-hour family mediation training or 40-hour divorce mediation training meeting ACR standards
• Additional advanced family-focused training hours to reach the 60-hour minimum
• Minimum 2 hours of domestic violence education

Case Consultation:

• Minimum 4 hours of supervised case consultation with an existing ACR Advanced Practitioner member
• Consultation documented and signed off by the supervising Advanced Practitioner

Continuing Education:

• 20 hours of continuing mediation education every two years — ongoing after designation is awarded
• ACR accepts attendance at ACR Annual Conference workshops, Section meetings, consultation with Advanced Practitioner members, and other approved continuing mediation education toward the 20-hour requirement

ACR processes every application over 90 to 120 days before reaching a designation decision — so the designation is not self-reported or automatically awarded upon meeting the minimums.

How Does ACR Advanced Practitioner Status Differ From Florida Supreme Court Certification?

Florida Supreme Court certification and ACR Advanced Practitioner status measure different things — and understanding the difference tells a Treasure Coast family what they are actually getting when they hire a mediator who holds both.

Credential	Issuing Body	What It Measures	Required For
Florida Supreme Court Certified Family Mediator	Florida Dispute Resolution Center	Minimum training, background check, points-based qualification	Court-referred family mediation in Florida
ACR Advanced Practitioner — Family Law	Association for Conflict Resolution	Verified case experience, peer-reviewed training, supervised consultation, and ongoing education	Voluntary — no court requires it

Florida Supreme Court certification is the legal minimum a mediator must hold to conduct court-referred family cases in Florida. 

ACR Advanced Practitioner status requires verified case hours, peer-reviewed documentation, and supervised consultation with an existing Advanced Practitioner — awarded above and beyond the state minimum requirement.

A Florida Supreme Court-certified mediator has met the state’s minimum requirements. An ACR Advanced Practitioner has also demonstrated sustained, peer-verified expertise in family mediation cases specifically, so Treasure Coast families comparing mediators have a concrete, externally verified data point beyond the minimum state credential.

Why Does the ACR Advanced Practitioner Designation Matter for Treasure Coast Families?

Treasure Coast families choosing a family mediator face a market where most practitioners list Florida Supreme Court certification as their primary credential — because Florida law requires it, and it is the most recognizable credential in the local market. 

ACR Advanced Practitioner status adds a layer of peer-verified expertise that Florida Supreme Court certification neither requires nor measures.

Families in Martin County, Palm Beach County, St. Lucie County, and Indian River County benefit from the following verified differences the ACR Advanced Practitioner designation produces:

• Verified case volume: ACR requires documentation of at least 250 face-to-face mediation hours and 25 completed cases before the designation is awarded — so the credential confirms active case experience, not just training completion.
• Peer review: Two representative memoranda of understanding undergo ACR peer review as part of the application, so the quality of the actual mediation work is evaluated, not just the accumulated hours.
• Supervised consultation: Minimum 4 hours of case consultation with an existing Advanced Practitioner is required, so the applicant’s approach to complex cases is reviewed by a credentialed practitioner before the designation is granted.

Ann Goade earned ACR Advanced Practitioner status in Family Law in 2006, after more than a decade of Florida Supreme Court Certified family mediation practice on the Treasure Coast. 

Families reviewing mediators in Stuart, Port St. Lucie, West Palm Beach, Jupiter, and Vero Beach will not find another mediator in this market holding the same combination of Florida Supreme Court certification since 1993 and ACR Advanced Practitioner status since 2006.

What Does the ACR Advanced Practitioner Designation Mean in Practice?

For a Treasure Coast family sitting across a mediation table, the ACR Advanced Practitioner designation translates into concrete differences in session quality across three practice areas:

• Complex case handling: The 250-hour minimum and 25-case minimum mean the mediator has navigated a documented range of contested family disputes — including high-conflict custody, pre-recognition asset classification, and equitable distribution disputes — before conducting your session.
• Ongoing education: The 20-hour continuing education requirement every two years means the mediator stays current with evolving family mediation standards, case law developments, and ACR Model Standards for Family and Divorce Mediation.
• Domestic violence screening: ACR requires completion of domestic violence education as part of the Advanced Practitioner application, so every session includes a mediator trained to screen for and respond appropriately to domestic violence dynamics that affect mediation safety.

The about page documents the full credential history — Florida Supreme Court certification since 1993, ACR Advanced Practitioner status since 2006, AV Preeminent peer-review rating from Martindale-Hubbell, and multi-state bar admission across Florida, Illinois, Missouri, and Tennessee.

Your family dispute deserves more than the minimum state credential. Start mediation with Ann Goade today — call (772) 288-7275 or email info@anngoade.com. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the ACR Advanced Practitioner designation in family mediation?

The ACR Advanced Practitioner designation is a peer-reviewed credential awarded by the Association for Conflict Resolution to family mediators who have completed at least 250 face-to-face mediation hours, 60 training hours, 25 completed cases, and 4 hours of supervised case consultation with an existing Advanced Practitioner member.

How does the ACR Advanced Practitioner status differ from the Florida Supreme Court certification?

Florida Supreme Court certification is the minimum legal requirement for conducting court-referred family mediation in Florida. ACR Advanced Practitioner status is a voluntary peer-reviewed credential requiring verified case hours, submitted work samples, supervised consultation, and ongoing continuing education — awarded above and beyond the state minimum.

When did Ann Goade earn the ACR Advanced Practitioner designation?

Ann Goade earned the ACR Advanced Practitioner designation in Family Law in 2006, after more than a decade of active Florida Supreme Court Certified family mediation practice on the Treasure Coast. She has held Florida Supreme Court certification since 1993 and the ACR Advanced Practitioner designation since 2006.

How many mediators in the Treasure Coast and Palm Beach market hold ACR Advanced Practitioner status?

Ann Goade is the only mediator serving the Treasure Coast and Palm Beach County market who holds ACR Advanced Practitioner status in family mediation as of 2026. Competing mediators in Martin, St. Lucie, Indian River, and Palm Beach counties hold Florida Supreme Court certification but not the designation.

Does ACR Advanced Practitioner status require ongoing education?

ACR Advanced Practitioner status requires 20 hours of continuing mediation education every two years to maintain the designation. Qualifying education includes attendance at the ACR Annual Conference, participation in Section meetings, consultation with other Advanced Practitioner members, and other approved continuing mediation education programs.

What is the ACR Family Section?

The ACR Family Section is the division of the Association for Conflict Resolution that governs standards, training requirements, and the Advanced Practitioner designation for family and divorce mediators. The Family Section establishes the peer-review process through which mediators apply for and maintain Advanced Practitioner status in family mediation.

Does ACR Advanced Practitioner status expire or require renewal?

ACR Advanced Practitioner status requires renewal through ongoing continuing education — mediators must complete 20 hours of qualifying education every two years to maintain the designation. Failure to meet the continuing education requirement results in loss of Advanced Practitioner status under ACR Family Section guidelines.

How can a family verify that their mediator holds ACR Advanced Practitioner status?

Families verify ACR Advanced Practitioner status by contacting the Association for Conflict Resolution directly at membership@acrnet.org or by requesting documentation from the mediator. Ann Goade earned the ACR Advanced Practitioner designation in Family Law in 2006 and maintains the designation through the required ongoing mediation education.