Michael H. Seibel
Family Visitation and Exchange Center___
This program was established in 2008 in memory of the Honorable District Judge Michael H. Seibel, who was committed to ending violence against women and children.
Welcome!
The purpose of the Michael H. Seibel Family Visitation Center, also known as Seibel Center, is to preserve parent and child relationships by facilitating access through supervised exchanges and visitations. The central focus is to provide services that centralize safety and provide equal regard for all participants.
We understand that:
- Every family will present a unique set of circumstances every time they access services.
- Domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, child abuse and stalking are all under-reported in Mower County.
- Every adult victim and their child(ren) has a right to safety.
- Every individual served has a right to respectful interactions.
- On-going multiple-discipline community partnerships provide a framework for systemic change.
- Domestic violence is not a family problem; it is a public safety issue.
Contact & Hours
105 1st Street SE, Austin, MN 55912 (across from the Post Office)
P: 507.434.7550
HOURS OF OPERATION Monday to Sunday, 9am-8pm
OFFICE HOURS Monday to Friday, 8am-4pm
Most visits will be schedule for one-two hours depending on court orders and personal circumstances.
Types of Services
Multiple Family Individual Visits are visits in which there is more than one family in the Center at one time. Each family has their own designated supervision monitor. The maximum number of families in a multiple family individual visit in the Center at one time is three.
Individual visits are supervised visits in which there is only one family in the center at a time. The visiting family will have a supervision monitor.
Exchanges occur when a child transitions from one parent to another through our exchange hallway.
Orientation
All parents, both custodial and non-custodial, must schedule and attend an orientation. Orientations must take place in person and will take approximately an hour. During the orientation you can expect to:
- Tour the facility and learn about the Seibel Center
- Discuss safety issues
- Review “Conditions of Visitations/Exchanges” and “Recommendations for a Successful Visit/Exchange
Payment
The Seibel Center charges a sliding fee based upon an individuals’ gross income. In most cases, the courts will assign a percentage of responsibility and in that absence, parties will be assigned a 50% split of fees. All fees will be prepaid.