Multisystemic Therapy and Multisystemic Therapy for Problem Sexual Behavior (MST-PSB) is a unique, goal-oriented, comprehensive treatment program designed to serve multi-problem youth in their community.
MST is effective in helping youth with chronic, violent delinquent behavior and youth with serious emotional problems, including:
history of problem sexual behaviors
Youths preparing for return home from residential treatment programs for problem sexual behavior.
truancy and academic problems
aggressive behavior (fighting and property destruction)
criminal behavior.
Any combination of the following services could be provided to the youth and her/his family, as needed: marital therapy & family therapy individual sessions with youth and/or parents chemical dependency assessment & treatment evaluation of the youth’s peer network and arranging alternative activities consultation with schools coordinating activities with school systems, court, and/or other social service agencies.
MST Therapists are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week
services are provided in the home, school, neighborhood and community
caseloads of therapists are small (4-5 families per therapist) and treatment is intensive, oft en including multiple contacts with family and other participants every week
length of treatment averages 6-8 months
therapists are fully trained in MST, with additional training in Problem Sexual Behaviors
therapists work in teams and provide back up coverage for each other’s caseloads
The PSB team receives ongoing training and weekly consultation by an MST System Supervisor to ensure effective model implementation.
MST is the only family-focused and community-based treatment program that has: been the focus of several major research studies, and Demonstrated clinical- and cost-effectiveness for youth with complex emotional, social, and academic needs. MST was developed at the Family Services Research Center at the Medical University of South Carolina, and uses only treatment strategies that are supported by research. The Problem Sexual Behavior module for MST was developed by Charles Borduin, Ph.D; one of the original MST Model developers who retired from the University of Missouri-Columbia. Dr. Borduin’s research has indicated that MST is a highly effective treatment for this population.
Brittany Evans, LPC
Cynthia Smoot, LPC
Franchot Walker, CIT
Gus Sexton, CIT are the MST Therapists
Melissa M. Williams, LPC MST Therapist Supervisor/Program Director
(You must have a referral from a Counselor, Judicial/Court Services personnel or Social Services worker)
Funding provided by Boone County Children's Service Fund