Transforming Child Welfare: Addressing Neglect and Parental Challenges with MST

In Fiscal Year 2021 alone, there were 3.3 million maltreatment referrals, with 18% resulting in findings of victimization, totaling 586,554 children. These alarming statistics highlight the ongoing issues within the system. 

MST Services, renowned for its evidence-based programs for at-risk youth, is at the forefront of addressing these challenges through innovative, inclusive, and effective interventions tailored to the unique needs of vulnerable families and children. 

Neglect and Child Welfare: Parent Behaviors and Parent-Based Issues

According to Children’s Rights, a child is separated from their families and placed in foster care every 2.5 minutes. Neglect accounted for 64% of foster care entries, followed by parental substance abuse at 40%, inability to cope at 13%, physical abuse at 13%, and inadequate housing at 9%. These statistics highlight the complex challenges many families face, often exacerbated by socioeconomic factors and mental health challenges. 

MST Services provides comprehensive support to kinship caregivers and parents to address these underlying issues. By offering targeted interventions such as family therapy, substance abuse treatment, mental health support, and more, MST Services helps parents develop better coping mechanisms and improve their parenting skills. These interventions are crucial in preventing neglect and ensuring the safety and well-being of children. 

We adopt a holistic, family-centered approach, recognizing that each family's situation is unique. This approach addresses the immediate needs of the child while providing long-term support to the parents. 

Multisystemic Therapy: Reforming the Child Welfare System 

The July 2022 Advisory Board Recommendations from the National Child Welfare Workforce Institute (NCWWI) provide a comprehensive framework for transforming child welfare systems. The recommendations emphasize moving towards a family-centered, anti-colonial, and anti-racist approach, prioritizing prevention services, and addressing systemic issues within the workforce. 

Key points from the report include: 

• Building family capacity to prevent child removals due to poverty 
• Implementing community-based supports 
• Enhancing workforce development with diverse and inclusive practices 
• Apply learnings from the COVID-19 pandemic, such as the benefits of technology and flexible working arrangements 
• Improving collaboration at all levels of the child welfare system 
• Creating and leveraging innovative funding approaches 

MST Services recognizes and aligns with these recommendations. We collaborate with partners such as Evidence-Based Associates to ensure that child welfare professionals have the necessary skills and knowledge to implement effective interventions. Developing the workforce to handle complex cases with greater efficiency and empathy is critical. 

In our interventions, MST Services employs the foundational model of Multisystemic Therapy (MST), a scientifically proven intervention for at-risk youth. MST addresses the environmental factors contributing to problematic behaviors by involving the family, school, and community in the treatment process. Therapists work closely with caregivers, providing them with the tools and strategies needed to transform the lives of troubled youth. 

The various adaptations of MST Services' treatments address specific root causes of child welfare involvement, such as family dysfunction, substance abuse, mental health challenges, and more—all tailored to the unique needs of each family. 

MST Adaptations: A Brief Overview 

MST-Prevention (MST-PRV) 

MST-PRV targets young people involved with the child welfare system due to delinquent or incorrigible behaviors. The program aims to decrease the likelihood of young people becoming more deeply involved in child welfare or juvenile justice systems. 

MST-PRV includes enhanced safety planning and is highly responsive to the administrative needs of the child welfare system, ensuring that young people receive the necessary support to stay on a positive path. 

MST-Emerging Adults (MST-EA) 

MST-EA is specifically designed to support young adults aged 17-26 who are transitioning out of the child welfare system. This program provides targeted interventions to help these individuals navigate the challenges of adulthood, such as finding stable housing, pursuing education or employment, and managing their physical and mental health. 

MST-EA takes a comprehensive approach to address social networks, individual factors, mental health treatment, substance use treatment, safety planning, housing, vocation, and life skills. 

MST-Building Stronger Families (MST-BSF) 

MST-BSF addresses the challenges of poverty and neglect by combining two evidence-based child welfare programs: MST-CAN (Child Abuse and Neglect) and Reinforcement-Based Therapy for parental substance abuse. This program is designed for children aged 6-17 and their parents who have come under the guidance of child protective services due to reports of physical abuse or neglect. 

MST-BSF provides interventions to address trauma, post-traumatic stress disorder, safety planning, family problem-solving and communication, and parental substance abuse to help families build a stronger foundation for the future.

MST-Child Abuse and Neglect (MST-CAN) 

MST-CAN is a specialized adaptation of MST for youth aged 6-17 and their families who have come to the attention of child protective services due to physical abuse or neglect. This program addresses the trauma and safety planning needs of these young people while also providing treatment for parental substance abuse in a significant percentage of cases. 

MST-CAN aims to prevent out-of-home placements by providing intensive, home-based services that help families overcome challenges and create a safer, healthier environment for children. 

By offering these varied programs, MST Services ensures they can meet the diverse needs of at-risk youth and their families, providing evidence-based child welfare programs that promote positive outcomes and long-term stability. 

Incorporating Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in Child Welfare 

MST Services recognizes that marginalized communities often face disproportionate impacts from child welfare systems. 

By integrating culturally sensitive, trauma-informed approaches, our interventions are both equitable and effective. 

• Providing Culturally Appropriate Services: Therapists are trained to consider cultural factors when designing and implementing treatment plans, which builds trust and rapport while improving intervention effectiveness. 
• Addressing Systemic Biases: Working to actively address systemic biases that contribute to the disproportionate representation of marginalized communities in the child welfare system is of utmost importance. This includes advocating for policies and practices that promote equity and inclusion at all system levels. 

At MST Services, we strive to create a more just and equitable child welfare system that better serves young people and their families. 

Impact of New Legislation on Child Welfare 

The recent federal legislation promoting family preservation, equity, and inclusivity aligns closely with the enhancements, adaptations, and commitments made by MST Services.  

In a historic child welfare package, the Biden-Harris Administration emphasized the importance of supporting children and families in foster care. The new legislation will: 

• Support kinship caregivers by simplifying licensing and approval processes. The new HHS regulation enables child welfare agencies to implement flexible standards for kin foster family homes, ensuring these caregivers receive the same financial assistance as other foster parents and can more readily access necessary services and funding. 
• Protect LGBTQI+ youth in foster care by mandating that child welfare agencies place LGBTQI+ children in non-hostile environments and require caregivers to be fully trained to support their sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression, aligning with the Executive Order on Advancing Equality for LGBTQI+ individuals. 
• Expand access to legal representation for children, parents, and kinship caregivers in the child welfare system by allowing state and tribal agencies to use federal funds for legal services. This rule aims to prevent unnecessary foster care placements by providing legal assistance for issues like securing stable housing, obtaining public benefits, establishing custody, seeking restraining orders, and helping youth exiting foster care to achieve independence and stability. 

“This package allows kin to step into a critical caretaker role, proposes necessary legal representation to keep families together, and a safe and accepting environment in which children can thrive. The Administration is providing vital resources to remove barriers for child welfare agencies to provide supports necessary to accomplish that mission,” said Xavier Becerra, Secretary, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

MST Services: The Future of Child Welfare 

MST Services stands at the forefront of these significant transformations the child welfare system is undergoing, offering evidence-based interventions that address the root causes of child welfare involvement.  

• Our programs uphold the principles of family preservation and equity. 
• Our commitment to continuous improvement and innovation ensures our programs remain responsive to legislative changes. 
• Our use of data and research to guide our work ensures that young people and families receive the effective and equitable services and support they need to thrive. 

By aligning services to federal goals, we can provide comprehensive, effective support to families and children, ultimately improving the child welfare system overall. 

MST is an evidence-based alternative to incarceration or severe system consequences due to serious externalizing, anti-social, and criminal behaviors. MST effectively treats young people and their families by utilizing a built-in suite of interventions within the home, school, and community settings. Treatment is tailored to the family and their individual strengths and needs, which could include but is not limited to the following types of therapies: Family Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Drug and Alcohol Treatment, Mental Health Services, Peer Ecology Assessment and Intervention, Trauma-informed treatment, and Educational/ Vocational Support.

If you or someone you know is interested in learning more about Multisystemic Therapy,  contact us here.