Recorded Webinar: AAA-ICDR Foundation® Grantee Dayton’s Mediation Response Unit

Video

Recorded Webinar: AAA-ICDR Foundation® Grantee Dayton’s Mediation Response Unit

AAA-ICDR Foundation has awarded two grants totaling $400,000 to expand Dayton Ohio’s Mediation Response Unit. This recorded webinar provides an overview of the Unit and advice for other communities wanting to develop similar programs.

Recorded Webinar: AAA-ICDR Foundation® Grantee Dayton’s Mediation Response Unit
Recorded Webinar: AAA-ICDR Foundation® Grantee Dayton’s Mediation Response Unit

The AAA-ICDR Foundation Board has awarded two grants totaling $400,000 to expand Dayton Ohio’s Mediation Response Unit (MRU). The MRU was formulated through police reform initiatives after the murder of George Floyd in 2020. The MRU is an alternative emergency response program that dispatches trained mediators to respond to lower emergent 911/police calls for the City of Dayton. Since May 23, 2022, the MRU has responded to over 1,500 calls for service in the Dayton community. The call type most responded to has been disputes between neighbors, followed by complaints about disorderly persons. This recorded webinar provides an overview of the MRU presented by the program coordinator and driving force behind this groundbreaking work, Raven Cruz Loaiza. The webinar also provides key advice for those seeking to implement similar programs in their communities. 

News

Foundation Podcast

The MRU is an innovative alternative response program that dispatches trained community mediators to handle lower-level emergency 911 and police calls across the City of Dayton. Since 2022, the AAA-ICDR Foundation has supported the creation and expansion of the MRU, funded a professional program evaluation, and helped develop an implementation guide for communities interested in launching similar initiatives.

Announcement

The Foundation is pleased to announce two new grants approved in February 2026

Report

This evaluation highlights the Dayton Mediation Response Unit development, implementation, and early impacts. Findings show that mediation-based response offers an effective, humane alternative to traditional enforcement models, with early evidence of increased community trust and more equitable access to services. The evaluation identifies the MRU as a viable, scalable model for other communities to consider.