The Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA) is historic legislation with a noble and critical goal. It prioritizes family preservation and the well-being of young people by decreasing the necessity for placing children in foster care. 

The FFPSA expands how states can spend certain Social Security funds by allowing states to allocate funds to evidence-based practices and programs offering various treatment and prevention services to children and families in the child welfare system. 

The FFPSA Clearinghouse categorizes these evidence-based programs across levels—the top rating being "well-supported." But what does this mean? Why does it matter? What are the benefits? And how can you select and implement a well-supported program? 

We'll answer these questions to understand not just the "what" but the “why" behind the importance of well-supported services that can transform the lives of children and families. 

The Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA) was created to protect and empower children in the welfare system.

While previously, states could only use certain Social Security funds to finance foster care, the FFPSA allows states to use these funds to provide parental training, mental health services, and substance abuse treatment for children and their families in the child welfare system. The FFPSA empowers families at risk of separation, thus reducing the need for children to be placed in foster care.  

Multisystemic Therapy (MST) is a dynamic, evidence-based approach designed to address complex behavioral problems in young people. At its core, MST works within the ecological systems- family, peers, school, and community - influencing a young person's life.

By working within these systems, MST can support at-risk young people. This can be particularly important when a young person is faced with a difficult transition — for example, changing schools, adapting to a blended family structure, or transitioning home from placement or foster care. 

Families can be a person’s primary source of support as well as stress. When used correctly, family therapy plays a pivotal role in addressing and resolving familial tensions, improving relationships as well as the wellness of individual family members.  

Family therapy can help improve boundary-setting and communication skills. It can also provide a space for families to process and share their emotions, enabling family members to understand one another’s perspectives and offer meaningful support to each other. 

Unfortunately, some families can run into difficulties with family therapy. Common barriers include logistical issues, cultural beliefs and values, lack of awareness, and even skepticism or hesitancy from family members to participate. Recognizing and addressing these barriers is crucial for the success of therapeutic interventions. 

Multisystemic Therapy (MST) is an evidence-based therapeutic approach designed to address at-risk young people's behavioral challenges. For young people who meet MST Program criteria, MST is a treatment that can be more effective than incarceration and juvenile detention. MST treatment has been shown to reduce recidivism, whereas incarcerated young people will often re-offend by committing further crimes or acts of violence. 

MST isn't just renowned for its efficacy — it's also an economically sensible choice. Not only is it more cost-effective than incarceration, but it also reduces costs to the community and state by preventing recidivism.  

A study published in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology found that the net benefit of MST is up to $200,000 per youth. The study found that every dollar spent on MST saved taxpayers and crime victims $5.04 in the 25 years after treatment. 

But why is MST so cost-effective? Let’s discuss how MST prevents recidivism, reduces crime, and uses pre-existing resources to treat at-risk young people. 

The cornerstone of a child’s well-being, growth, and development is often rooted in their caregivers' mental and emotional health. Parental figures influence how children process information, behave, and interact with the world around them.   

However, parents are human — and many parents struggle with maintaining their mental stability. Any parent can grapple with anxiety symptoms, attachment issues, and executive dysfunction, all of which can affect their parenting.  

In these situations, Multisystemic Therapy (MST) can be a key source of help. Recognizing the profound connection between parental well-being and children's mental health, MST focuses on holistic therapeutic interventions for at-risk youth. MST treatment looks at the whole family, including the parents, who may need extra support both as a parent and as a human being.   

Because children spend much of their time at school, schools can be the perfect setting for promoting mental health awareness. Schools can help students learn about mental health and access helpful resources. But in order to take full advantage of this opportunity, we must first break the stigma attached to mental illness. 

Although significant strides have been made in improving the juvenile justice experience, there is still room for improvement. While its aim is to prevent youth from engaging in further criminal activities, there may be times when the desired outcomes are not achieved, as many children placed in juvenile detention facilities re-offend after being released.  

It's important to consider that youth who interact with the justice system tend to experience mental health difficulties, substance use, violence-related trauma, and poor academic performance - all factors that increase the risk of reoffending.  

To address these issues and reduce juvenile delinquency, a holistic approach is necessary to tackle the underlying challenges contributing to the problem. 

Therapy can be a positive tool for change in a person’s life. However, the relationship between a therapist and their client significantly impacts the effectiveness of the treatment.  Unfortunately, many barriers can threaten the therapist-client relationship, including communication breakdowns, power imbalances, and conflicting goals.  

Addressing these struggles early can prevent them from escalating and affecting treatment outcomes. In addition, when therapists approach these struggles with intentionality and self-awareness, it can ultimately improve the relationship and help the client reach their therapy goals. 

We are excited to announce that MST-BSF has been approved as supported by the Title IV-E Prevention Services Clearinghouse! This is a significant achievement for MST Services, as being "supported" means that Multisystemic Therapy – Building Stronger Families (MST-BSF) has met the rigorous standards for evidence-based interventions set by the clearinghouse and highlights the effectiveness of the program in helping children and families.