Multisystemic Therapy (MST)

1. Multisystemic Therapy (MST) Child and Family Guidance Center Outreach & Delinquency Services

2. What is MST? • An intensive family and community-based treatment program that serves serious juvenile offenders and their families. • Uses a systemic approach, addressing multiple factors known to be related to delinquency within the family, peer, school neighborhood, other support systems. • Uses the strengths of each system to promote behavior change.

3. The Ultimate Goals of MST • To empower parents and caregivers with the skills and resources needed to independently address the difficulties their children are having. • To empower youth to cope with family, peer, school, and neighborhood problems without engaging in delinquent behaviors or substance abuse. • To assist families in improving their overall communication and functioning.

4. How is MST Different? • Evidence-based: MST is a well-validated treatment model (Kazdin & Weisz, 1998). Studies with violent and chronic juvenile offenders showed that MST reduced long-term rates of re-arrest by 25% to 70% in comparison with control groups. • Short Term: MST treatment lasts between 3 and 6 months. • Community-based: Treatment is provided in home and community settings. • Intensive: MST therapists have multiple face-to-face and telephone contacts each week. MST therapists are available to families 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

5. MST Interventions MST interventions typically aim to: • Improve caregiver monitoring and discipline practices. • Enhance family relationships and overall functioning. • Decrease the youth’s association with negative peers. • Increase the youth’s association with prosocial peers. • Improve the youth’s school and/or vocational performance. • Engage the youth in prosocial activties. • Develop an indigenous support network of extended family, neighbors, and friends to help caregivers achieve and maintain changes.

6. MST Referral Criteria • An adolescent between the ages of 12 and 17 years of age. • Classified as WIC 602 or 790 (felony) status minor. • Attends an MST designated school site. • Exhibits negative and externalizing behaviors that may include: poor school performance, poor peer relationships, truancy, substance abuse, runaway from home, firesetting, disobedience, stealing, aggression, and other antisocial behaviors. • At risk of recidivism or placement in a more restrictive living situation.

7. Types of MST Services and Interventions • Individual and family therapy • Substance abuse counseling • Case management and referrals • Advocacy • Assistance with a child or family member’s problems at home, school, or in the community • Crisis Intervention • Parenting Training and education

8. MST School Sites • Chatsworth High School • Cleveland High School • Mid Valley CEC • Mission Continuation • Monroe High School • Polytechnic High School • Reseda High School • San Fernando High School • San Fernando Middle School • Sepulveda Middle School • Sun Valley Middle School

9. MST Program Staff • Jennifer Maldonado, LCSW, MST Supervisor • Jamie Bunch-Sanfilippo, MA, MST Therapist • Juan Macias, MSW, MST Therapist • Nate Lloyd, MS, MST Therapist

10. Program Data • CFGC’s MST program was first implemented in October 2001, as part of a pilot program collaboration with the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health and Department of Probation. • MST is funded through the Board of Corrections with the use of Schiff-Cardenas and STOP funds. • Total number of cases served in MST since October 2001. • Data is still being collected on the overall success rate of families in MST; however preliminary data indicates that youth discharged from MST have lowered re-arrest rates and improved school and vocational functioning. For example, the percentage of youth with no re-arrests is 91.43% and the percentage of youth in school and/or working is 68.57%.

11. Program Specifics • Current staffing includes one MST-trained supervisor and 3 full-time MST therapists. • Therapists carry a caseload of 4-6 families at a time. • Services are provided in English and Spanish. • Therapists and supervisor are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. • In addition to having multiple contacts with families, therapists collaborate on a regular basis with probation officers, school staff, and prosocial activity providers. • The MST team meets for weekly telephone conferences with a consultant from MST Services, Inc., based in Charleston, SC. • Therapists’ adherence to the MST model is evaluated by monthly questionnaires that are completed via phone with families. Supervisors are evaluated by therapists on a quarterly basis. • The MST team attends quarterly MST “booster” trainings with the MST consultant.