Continuing his commitment to crime victims, Morrison has re-structured numerous services in the Attorney General’s Office to create a comprehensive and efficient division dedicated to providing services to Kansas crime victims. Halley will lead this new division.
“Dorthy is a highly qualified professional who has served victims and educated others for over 20 years,” Morrison said. “I am confident that she will move the Victims’ Services Division forward, focusing on the needs of crime victims and assisting programs in every corner of the state.”
Victims’ services have always been a priority for Morrison.
“Comprehensive victims services have been put on the back burner for too long in the Kansas Attorney General’s Office,” Morrison said. “Since I took office, I have been working to re-structure the victims’ services division and return top-notch victims assistance to the people of Kansas.”
The new Victims’ Services Division will be responsible for assisting communities and organizations with services ranging from prevention efforts and training to direct victim assistance. In addition, the division will be responsible for administering the state grants, facilitating task forces and assisting with training efforts regarding crime victim services.
“Our goal is to create a one-stop-shop for victims of crime and victims programs,” Morrison said. “It is our job to help crime victims directly and assist programs across the state in their efforts to improve the services available to crime victims.”
The improved Victims’ Services Division will oversee numerous programs and services. Included in the division will be the Crime Victims’ Compensation Board, Child Death Review Board, D.A.R.E., Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation Unit, AMBER Alert, NetSmartz, Victims Advocates, State Grants and Training.
“Through this reorganization, and new leadership, the Attorney General’s Office will be more efficient in the way we help victims and save money in the process,” Morrison said. “Since January, I have been committed to streamlining this office and creating more quality programs like this one using existing resources.”
The new Victims’ Services Division will coordinate victims’ services for other divisions in the Attorney General’s Office, including the Domestic Abuse Unit and the Criminal Litigation Division.
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Biography of Dorthy Stucky Halley, LMSW
The Attorney General’s Statewide Crime Victims Services Coordinator
Attorney General Paul Morrison appointed Dorthy Stucky Halley as the new Statewide Crime Victims’ Services Coordinator for the Attorney General’s Office. She will be responsible for leading the newly restructured Victims’ Services Division and coordinating a seamless continuum of services to assist communities, from prevention efforts to direct victim assistance.In addition, Halley will be responsible for administering the state grants, facilitating task forces and assisting with training efforts regarding crime victim services.
Prior to joining the Attorney General’s Office, Halley served as Practicum Director and Assistant Professor at Pittsburg State University in the Social Work Program, Department of Social Sciences. She taught both undergraduate and graduate level courses.
Halley also serves as president of Halley Counseling Services, P.A. that operates offices in Parsons, Chanute and Girard, as well as the director of the Family Peace Initiative which is a batterer intervention program. She works as a counselor focusing on trauma, working with parents of homicide victims as well as other types of victimizations.
Starting in 1986, Halley spent a decade as executive director of Safehouse, Inc., a domestic violence agency, where she established domestic violence task forces in five counties and collaborated with criminal justice personnel.
Halley also served as past president of both the Kansas Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers and Kansas Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence. She also served the state of Kansas as a member of the Attorney General’s Crime Victim Compensation Board. Halley served on numerous other task forces and boards to advance the needs and rights of crime victims in Kansas.
During the past twenty years, Halley has been widely published on the topics of domestic violence, batterers, trauma, violence against women, rape, sexual coercion, and much more. In an effort in increase awareness and education about victims’ issues, she has led more than 800 presentations and trainings on a national, state and local level to over 16,000 people on topics regarding sexual assault and domestic violence, model projects, grant writing, legislative change, rural services, ethics, and much more.
Halley has experience providing expert testimony in a variety of domestic violence and sexual assault cases in the 3rd, 8th, 11th, 27th, and 29th Judicial Districts in Kansas.
Halley received a Bachelor of Science degree from Pittsburg State University in Social Work and Sociology. She then went on to get her Masters degree in Social Work from the University of Kansas. Today, Halley is completing course work in the Human Services Ph. D Program at Walden University.