Today we’d like to introduce you to Steve And Dorthy Halley.
Hi Steve and Dorthy, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
The Family Peace Initiative (FPI) is a certified battering intervention program operated by Halley Counseling Services, P.A. Presently, FPI operates more than 25+ groups in communities throughout the state of Kansas. Along with direct service, the staff of the FPI conducts training through workshops and conferences focusing on battering intervention facilitation, battering motivation, working with justice-involved youth, and understanding trauma and victimization.
FPI was born out of the work of Dorthy Stucky Halley, LMSW, and Steve Halley, LSCSW. Dorthy received grant funding for a battering intervention program in the early 1990s. In 2002, significant program changes occurred and FPI was born. A new curriculum was created and an enhanced focus on intervention was undertaken that was research and evidence-based.
In 2007 the Department of Corrections (DOC) and the Kansas Coalition against Domestic and Sexual Violence (KCSDV) along with the Topeka YWCA, invited Halley Counseling to participate in a pilot project focusing on people who were on parole for domestic violence offenses. The project was terminated as a result of the economic crash of 2008. At that time, Halley Counseling and the YWCA agreed that the program would be maintained and worked together to keep the Family Peace Initiative in operation.
Today: FPI not only operates more than 25+ groups in multiple communities throughout Kansas but also offers justice-involved work with youth. In addition, FPI consults with the Department of Corrections in multiple states, assisting in establishing battering intervention programs in prison facilities and parole offices.
Along with direct service, the staff of the FPI conducts training through workshops and conferences internationally. The Family Peace Initiative Training Series has been established to advance the skills of those who facilitate battering intervention programs. Our “Cracking The Code” workshop has brought a new understanding to the field of domestic violence as to the motivations of those who batter and enhancing community coordinated response to domestic violence..
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
There have been plenty of struggles over the 35 years of building this agency. Most of the challenges end up being issues of financial viability, as Kansas does not provide state funding for the services we provide, and ultimately, many needing the services cannot afford to pay for their services they need. When we moved to Topeka to join the YWCA, the program was being developed as a pilot program for the Department of Corrections (DOC). Shortly after getting the program going in Topeka, the financial crisis of 2008 hit and the funding was no longer available. It looked as if we would be forced to close our doors, but the YWCA found some minimal funding that would allow us to continue operating in a bare bones fashion until we were able to establish as an independent agency.
Of course, COVID created enormous challenges for us as, at the time, all of our programming was in person. The quarantine forced us to move all of our trainings and group sessions online. Starting from a place where we did not think that we could do our work online and moving to a large, robust online service delivery was challenging. We thought that COVID would bring an end to FPI but in the end, online programming allowed us to expand our programming and access new markets that we would have never been able to access prior to the Quarantine.
We are proud of our reputation and how it has advanced our support from communities and collaborative agencies. We appreciate the funding opportunities we have received. Currently, our participants receive assistance from grants received by the Kansas City Municipal Court, the City of Topeka, the YWCA of Northeast Kansas, Santa Fe Trail Community Corrections, and Shawnee County Court Services. In addition, in 2025 we developed the Family Peace Initiative Foundation to assist those that are not covered through other sources and still need assistance. This allows individuals, organizations, and everyone interested to be part of the solution.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
The impact of domestic violence is enormous on the victims/survivors, as well as the individual offender, the family and the community. We are proud of the innovative approaches we have implemented that have advanced the effectiveness of our intervention strategies. We are leaders in the world in the application of a trauma-responsive approach to working with those who batter. While we met a fair amount of push back as we promoted our approach, through the years, more and more professionals are recognizing that a trauma-focused approach is a powerful strategy in helping people move away from using cruelty in relationships.
We have also developed a typology based on motive of those who batter. This typology has allowed professionals to understand that not all who batter are the same, and understanding the differences can lead to a higher level of victim safety and a better intervention outcome. We are pleased that the Family Peace Initiative is contributing in a big way to improve the intervention strategies for those who batter.
What matters most to you? Why?
In the end, the things that matter the most to us are
1) Helping victims/survivors of domestic violence find safety and respect
2) Helping those who batter to stop being cruel and develop healthy relationship skills
3) Leading by example and having an agency that practices what it teaches
4) Leaving the world better than we found it
5) Helping reduce cruelty in the world by creating spaces where people can explore what happened to them long before they ever became cruel to anyone.
6) Helping people on their journey to transformational change.
The passion for this work almost always comes from personal experience and the strong belief that we can be helpful to others while we also pursue our own growth and healthy relationships.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.familypeaceinitiative.com
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCH1PTqfzlUvY9s47R4h0b-Q
