Battering Intervention Program (BIP)

Is BIP for Me? Why Did I Get Referred to a BIP? 

Participants hear about, or are referred to a Battering Intervention Program (BIP), from a number of places. You might be appropriate for BIP services if you:

  • Have been disrespectful, abusive, or violent in your relationship and would like help
  • Are in a diversion program or other court case related to violence in a relationship
  • Have recently been released from incarceration
  • Are recommended for an Assessment as a part of a Family Court Case or Custody Case

FPI BIP is a trauma-focused, cognitive-behavioral program for individuals who have harmed or used battering behavior in relationships. Participants are most often referred through diversion, parole, probation, child welfare agencies, attorneys, or a self-referral process. FPI offers groups for the following populations:

  • Men
  • LGBTQ+
  • Spanish-language
  • Women

Is the FPI Battering Intervention Program going to fulfill my court requirements?

We are pleased to let you know that the Family Peace Initiative Battering Intervention Program is a state-certified battering intervention program, fulfilling Kansas requirements of such programs. We are certified by the Kansas Attorney General’s Office and have been from the earliest year that certification was available in Kansas. 

What is the purpose of the FPI BIP Program? 

The purpose of this program is to help victims and families achieve safety by helping those who have harmed an intimate partner to acknowledge the harm, work toward repairing the damage done, and build skills to engage in strong, healthy relationships free from cruelty, abuse and violence. 

What should I expect?

First of all, you can expect to be treated with respect and consideration. FPI provides services with compassion, integrity, and expertise. We want you to know we believe in your capacity to change. We know it takes a tremendous amount of courage to walk through the doors, or dial the number, to get an appointment. Those who walk through our doors are about to embark on a journey toward self-examination and transformational change, and we honor that commitment. 

So, what are the nuts and bolts? How long is it going to take, when will I need to attend, what will I need to do, and what will it cost? 

This is a 6-month course at minimum. In accordance with program requirements, participants must earn 27 credits to complete the program. Credits are earned by successfully completing:

  • Initial Assessment (1 credit, $175 fee) - Assessment Agreement Forms
  • Orientation (1 credit, $40 fee) - Orientation Forms
  • BIP course workbook and River of Cruelty booklet ($35 fee includes both)
  • 25 weekly group sessions (1 credit each, sliding scale of $15 - $45 per session)
  • "Week 18" assignment
  • Final Completion Letter
  • Apology and reparation sessions may be required if a child was harmed.

 Here are more details:

Assessment 

The Assessment follows the requirements of the Kansas Domestic Violence Offender Assessment (KDVOA). It includes: 

        • A participant interview 
        • Victim contacts, including current and former partner contacts 
        • Collection of supplemental information 
        • Determination of appropriate fit for the program 

The full assessment fee of $175 must be paid prior to scheduling the Assessment Interview appointment. Payment can be made here. Once payment is made, an Assessment Interview can be scheduled by calling our office at (785) 350-2858.

Program Fees:

Current fees are $175 for the assessment; $40 for the orientation; $35 for the Participant Workbook and the River of Cruelty booklet, and the group weekly rate is offered on a sliding scale from $15 to $45 per group session. Consideration is given to challenges and will be discussed during the orientation session. If you have questions please call the office at 785-350-2858. We’d love to connect with you.

Group Schedule

We have morning, afternoon, and evening group times available. You will have the opportunity during the Orientation Session to determine which available group time and location will work best for you.

Our men's groups meet in person in most cases, with some online groups available depending on your individual situation. We hold group sessions at the following locations:

      • TOPEKA - 200 SW 33rd St., Topeka
      • OTTAWA - The Franklin County Annex at 15th and Main, Ottawa
      • GIRARD - 510 E 47 Hwy, Girard
      • DODGE CITY - 208 W Spruce, Dodge City
      • EMPORIA - 1702 W. 15th St., Emporia

Participants within a 60-mile radius of our group sites must attend in person. Some exceptions may be made depending on the financial situation and transportation and/or driver's license status.

For women, gender-diverse participants, and Spanish-speaking participants, and for participants who meet the criteria, we currently offer groups via Zoom.

Download BIP Brochure Here

FPI's Youth Initiative

About our Programming

FPI provides services with compassion, integrity, and expertise where youth are treated with respect and consideration.  We meet youth where they’re at in their personal journey and help them as they work toward self-improvement, to build healthy relationships and families, and achieve personal success.

Our Youth Programming consists of two different curricula: one for the community and facility settings, and another for social emotional learning in education settings for middle and high school students. FPI can facilitate classes for your organization, or train your staff to facilitate. The essential components of our approach include:

  • A trauma-focused lens
  • A duration of 16 weeks
  • 1 hour to 1.5 hour sessions
  • Hope-science, cognitive-behavioral and trauma-informed activities
  • An ability to weave this approach into the organizational culture to reinforce key elements for transformational change
  • Extensive staff training and support

Many justice-involved youth have experienced trauma. Our approach helps youth address trauma as well as accept accountability for the impact of their behaviors toward others. Youth develop foundational skills surrounding building healthy relationships and healthy families in this program. 

If you’re interested in installing these groups in your community, school, or facility, contact us for more information about training and support.

Preview our community and facility curriculum here.
Preview our educational curriculum here.

Our Shawnee County Continuum of Care Approach

Currently, Family Peace Initiative provides trauma-focused groups for justice-involved youth in Shawnee County, Kansas. Our programming serves youth in multiple settings, both within facilities and in the community. With our continuum of care approach, youth are able to participate in our Youth Initiative Program while incarcerated and can seamlessly continue engagement in a community-based program upon release. This includes those on diversion, county detention, court services, community corrections, or state corrections.

What can I expect?

The community and facility curriculum is a 16-week course spreading across a minimum of four months. In accordance with program requirements, participants must earn related credits to complete the program. Credits are earned by completing:

  • An initial assessment
  • Orientation and non-violence participation agreement 
  • Youth Initiative Course Workbook 
  • Twice weekly, or weekly group sessions  
  • Final Completion Letter

While there are exceptions, in most cases, groups are funded by a variety of sources at no cost to the participating youth.

Current Groups

We currently provide community/facility groups for the following: Shawnee County Juvenile Detention Center (JDC), Shawnee County Court Services, Shawnee County Community Corrections, Kansas Juvenile Correctional Complex, and through the POP Project as noted below.  We currently provide an educational group at Avondale.

Diversion & Mediation

The POP Project is a Shawnee County diversion and mediation service provided in collaboration with the Topeka Center for Peace and Justice. In order to meet the terms of diversion, some youth are required to attend the FPI’s 16-week Youth Initiative Program in addition to a mediation process. Referrals can be made by calling the FPI Office at 785-350-2858. The location for these group sessions is the FPI Office, 200 SW 33rd, Topeka, KS. 

To request additional information, please contact us. (785-350-2858)

FPI’s Justice-Involved women &
Gender-Diverse Curriculum

This curriculum is designed to help justice-involved women and gender-diverse populations address their trauma and build skills needed for healthy relationships. Used as an ongoing program, this curriculum has proven to help facilities be safer and healthier for residents, staff, and communities.  Click here for the full report.

This curriculum is gender-responsive and melds cognitive-behavioral and trauma-focused evidence-based strategies. In doing so, it offers a road map for both accountability and healing. 

Many justice-involved women and members of diverse populations have experienced trauma, cruelty, and relationship violence. In order to make lasting change, we ask participants to be accountable for the impact of their behaviors toward others, while also accepting responsibility for healing the impact of the cruelty that was inflicted on them long before they were able to protect themselves. 

This curriculum can be used effectively with justice-involved women and diverse populations within a range of settings.  These settings include:

  •  Jails and Prisons
  • Out-patient recovery
  • Post-incarceration support
  • Probation and parole
  • Other community-based programming

FPI can provide the program in your facility, or train your facilitators to implement the curriculum with ongoing consultation and support. 

Services and support we offer includes:

  • Curriculum with full facilitator’s guide (Preview Here)
  • Participant workbook
  • Training series for facilitators
  • Training for staff and administration on The FPI approach
  • Ongoing consultation/technical assistance and support
  • Instruction/mentorship regarding peer leadership development 

 

What participants are saying about this program:

“I feel relief, deep healing, love,  trust, I am good enough, and not angry… This group has been the best thing that has happened for me.”

—A Graduate

“This class has taught me to see how the action or words of others can trigger the shadows that drag me into that “River of Cruelty”. Instead of acting in a negative way… I know I can deal with those people and things they say or do to me in a positive way.”

—A Graduate

“For the past 10 years, I have helped facilitate a self-help group at the women’s prison in Topeka, Kansas…All but a few of its members have experienced debilitating levels of emotional, physical, and sexual trauma. Some of the members have taken the Peaceful Families class.  I don’t know what goes on over there, but I do know that the program’s graduates come back different. They are calm, thoughtful, ready to rebuild, and anxious to do something positive with their lives.”

—Dave Ranney, volunteer, Reaching Out From Within Program

“Every person on my caseload who has ever been involved with Peaceful Families has commented on how much they have had to “dig deep” inside themselves. This not only serves as a vehicle for introspection and self-exploration but has had the effect of making them more willing and open to further self-exploration. In my opinion, this curriculum gives a multi-layered gift to the individual and in turn the facility by giving them the opportunity to begin to learn and secondarily, whetting their appetites for more growth.”

—Deb Alexander, Unit Team Leader, KDOC

Training for Professionals

See a list of our training locations here:

Training_Map.png

At FPI, we offer training centered around helping people build healthy relationships. Our trainings are applicable for:

  • BIP Facilitators
  • Victim Advocates
  • Educators
  • Law enforcement officers
  • Parole Officers
  • Court Service Officers
  • Social Workers
  • Addiction Counselors
  • Therapists and Counselors

Please see a list of our available trainings below!

Facilitator Training Series 

Level 1: The Art of Facilitation  

Level 2: The Affective Component

Level 3: Mastering the FPI Approach

Cracking the Code: Understanding the Different Motives of Those Who Batter

FPI Online Academy

Trauma Histories Among Those Who Batter: What the Research Says

Cracking the Code: Understanding the Different Motives of Those Who Batter

Consultations

Family Peace Initiative through Halley Counseling Services, P.A. offers consultations tailored to you and your agency’s needs. They are available on a regular and ongoing basis or in the short term. Consultation areas include:

  • Battering Intervention Facilitator Supervision/training
  • Application of Trauma-Focused Intervention Strategies with a Variety of Populations
  • Program development and design
  • Becoming a certified BIP in Kansas
  • Victim/partner work in BIP
  • Battering Intervention in the prison setting
  • Trauma-informed programming for incarcerated women and gender-diverse populations

Keynote Speaking Engagements

Steve and Dorthy are routinely sought after for speaking engagements at conferences and events on topics such as:

  • The River of Cruelty
  • Cracking the Code
  • Trauma & The Enlightened Witness
  • More topics upon request!

Please contact the Family Peace Initiative for details.  (785) 350-2858

Expert Witness

Dorthy Stucky Halley has been providing expert witness testimony in domestic violence cases since 1989. She takes on a select few cases each year. Please contact us for more information. Please contact the Family Peace Initiative for details.  (785) 350-2858

Resources for Victims/Survivors

If your partner or former partner is participating in the Family Peace Initiative BIP, there are some things we’d like you to know:

  • Expect contact from us. We WANT to talk with you and understand your perspective, situation, and relationship.

  • Our top priority is your safety. We will do everything we can to follow your direction on whether any information you provide us is shared with your partner. We can explain this further when we talk with you. We understand the need for your information to remain confidential for your protection. 
  • We want you to know what participants might learn in class. See BIP <link>. Participants will learn skills and tools to build healthy relationships. They do this by taking responsibility and accountability for the cruelty, violence, and abuse they have inflicted upon others, and healing from the cruelty they have experienced.

Further Resources: If you’re currently experiencing violence, abuse, or cruelty and need assistance, here are organizations throughout the state of Kansas who can help.

BIP Referral Agencies

If you are a Parole or Court Services Officer with an FPI participant in your caseload, we are here to help you stay up to date on their status. We are available to answer any questions via phone or email. Our office hours are M-F 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM.

If you would like to refer someone to our program, please call 785-350-2858 (Press 6 to reach our Spanish-speaking reception, to schedule, or to make payments.) or email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Download BIP Brochure Here