JAY — Karen Haley, clinical social worker at Spruce Mountain High School, has won a full scholarship from Walden University in Maryland to earn her doctoral degree in social work, with a specialty in criminal justice.

The 44-year-old Chesterville resident is also the school’s drug and alcohol counselor and districtwide homeless liaison.

“I always knew I wanted to go into the helping professions,” she said.

Her application essay spoke of school violence prevention and the need for mental health services.

Haley is originally from Norridgewock and graduated from Skowhegan Area High School. She earned a bachelor of science degree in clinical speech from the University of Maine at Farmington and a master’s degree in clinical social work from the University of Maine. She worked at Mountain Valley Middle School in Mexico for several years before coming to Spruce Mountain Middle School in 2002.

She said she often works with homeless students and their families.

“Things have changed,” she said. “I’m pleased that the school administration works around kids’ mental health needs.”

She said many families have financial struggles that she believes contribute to so many problems.

She also works with the Jay and Livermore Falls police departments.

She began her Ph.D. studies a few weeks ago and estimates it will take about three years to complete. It requires writing a dissertation, four one-week residences at the campus in Maryland, and successful completion of many online courses. She applied to Walden University because no college in Maine offers a Ph.D. in social work, she said.

“The school (district) is very supportive. I feel very lucky to have that,” she said.

Haley will continue to serve at the high school and offer private counseling services for children and adults in an office in downtown Livermore Falls.

She will also be part of a multidisciplinary team developing school safety policies for Regional School Unit 73.

Haley has a daughter, Jessica, a senior at Mt. Blue High School in Farmington who plans to become a nurse. She also has a son, Jordan, a 2012 graduate of Mt. blue High School who works in a group home.