Multisystemic Therapy (MST) is an intensive family-and community-based treatment program that focuses on the entire world of chronic and violent juvenile offenders — their homes and families, schools and teachers, neighborhoods and friends.
MST works with the toughest offenders. They are adolescents, male and female, between the ages of 12 and 17, who have very long arrest histories.
MST clinicians go to where the child is and are on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week
They work intensively with parents and caregivers to put them in control
The therapist works with the caregivers to keep the adolescent focused on school and gaining job skills
The therapist and caregivers introduce the youth to sports and recreational activities as an alternative to hanging out
MST is based on evidence
This means it has been proven to work and produce positive results with the toughest kids. It blends the best clinical treatments—cognitive behavioral therapy, behavior management training, family therapies and community psychology to reach this population.
After 30 years of research and 18 studies, MST repeatedly has been shown to:
Keep kids in their home, reducing out-of-home placements up to 50 percent
Keep kids in school
Keep kids out of trouble, reducing re-arrest rates up to 70 percent
