Multisystemic Therapy (MST)

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Multisystemic Therapy (MST)

• Child and Family Guidance Center
• Outreach Delinquency Services

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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.

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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.

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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.

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MST Interventions

• MST interventions typically aim to
• Improve caregiver monitoring and discipline
  practices.
• Enhance family relationships and overall
  functioning.
• Decrease the youths association with negative
  peers.
• Increase the youths association with prosocial
  peers.
• Improve the youths 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.

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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.

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Types of MST Services and Interventions

• Individual and family therapy
• Substance abuse counseling
• Case management and referrals
• Advocacy
• Assistance with a child or family members
  problems at home, school, or in the community
• Crisis Intervention
• Parenting Training and education

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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

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MST Program Staff

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

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Program Data

• CFGCs 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.

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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.