TOPEKA – A series of public forums to solicit feedback from stakeholders on the requirements and procedures for batterer Intervention program certification begins today, Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt said.

The Batterer Intervention Program Certification Act was passed by the Legislature in 2012, and gave the attorney general the authority to certify and inspect batterer intervention programs in Kansas. The act also directed the attorney general’s office to develop tools and methodologies for the domestic violence offender assessment. The office is currently reviewing the standards and process for certifying batterer intervention programs, and is seeking feedback at five regional meetings.

“After operating under this new law for three years, we’re asking stakeholders for feedback,” Schmidt said. “As we mark Domestic Violence Awareness Month in October, we look forward to hearing how we can improve these programs and continue working to reduce domestic violence in Kansas.”

The western Kansas public forum will be from 10 a.m. to noon Tuesday, Oct. 27, at the Kansas Highway Patrol Center, 1821 Frontier Road, Hays.

More information on the batterer intervention program and the upcoming forums can be found on the attorney general’s website at www.ag.ks.gov/bip.