Department of Sociology and Social Work

Micki Armstrong, M.S.

Instructor and Coordinator/Mediator, Family Development Services

 

Ms. Armstrong has a B.S. degree in Administration of Justice from Wichita State University and a master's degree in counseling from Fort Hays State University. The 23rd Judicial District previously employed her for 20 years as a Court Services Officer. Her duties included preparing home studies in divorce disputes and supervising adult and juvenile probationers. In the course of her employment with the judicial system, Ms. Armstrong developed several programs that focused on services for juvenile offenders. She is an adjunct instructor the Department of Sociology and Social Work and teaches in the areas of family, sociology, and mediation. She is a Kansas Supreme Court Approved Mediator and coordinator of the Fort Hays State University Family Development Services.

Ms. Armstrong has developed two programs in the area of conflict resolution. The first is a family mediation service which primarily focuses on helping parents resolve child access issues. The second is restorative justice program called RESPECT, which provides facilitated dialogue between juvenile offenders and their victims.

In addition to mediation services, Ms. Armstrong has been involved with the Hays community as a trainer and consultant to area schools for their peer mediation programs and as an instructor for teen parenting classes. At the State level Ms. Armstrong has provided in mediation training for bilingual mediators, and the Kansas Association of Court Services Officers.

Throughout her employment with the judicial system and FHSU, Ms. Armstrong has written several grants that have funded several pilot projects. Those funded programs are PACT Elementary Latchkey Safety Program, 23rd Judicial District Attendant Care Program, 23rd Judicial District Juvenile Intake Program, Hays Recreation Junior Ranger Program, Ellis County Citizen Review Board Program, Indigent Mediation, Real- Time Reporting for the Hard of Hearing for the 23rd Judicial District Court, 23rd Judicial District Court Services Computer Equipment Grant, Peer Mediation and Victim Offender Mediation.

Ms. Armstrong is a Research Fellow with the Docking Institute of Public Affairs and participated in the writing of the Northwest Kansas Community Planning Team Comprehensive Strategic Plan presented to the Kansas Juvenile Justice Authority in the fall of 1999. She recently co-authored with Judy Caprez, Director of Social Work at Fort Hays State University, an article for publication on the indigent mediation program (Family and Conciliation Courts Review, Oct. 2001).

Micki is also the Coordinator for the Family Development Services located in Rarick Hall Room 318. She can be reached at (phone) 785.628.5369 (fax) 785.628.4426.