Does Inflation Impact the Child Welfare System?

Posted by MST Services

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In 2016, The United States Department of Health and Human Services defined affordable childcare costs as 7% of a household’s income. According to a 2020 survey by Child Care Aware of America (CCAoA), married couples in the median income bracket spent over 10% of their income on childcare while single parents with similar income spent 35%. 

More recent data from CCAoA found that childcare in the US now exceeds $13,000 per year for a single child. In most states, caring for two small children costs 28-100% more than annual housing costs. 

As inflation continues to rise in the US, it becomes increasingly important for parents to equip themselves with tools to handle financial hardship adequately and have the energy to manage their child’s behaviors that, left unaddressed, could lead to out-of-home child placement.  

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Topics: Multisystemic Therapy, Child Welfare

Youth Diversion Programs: 8 Benefits for At-Risk Youth and Providers

Posted by MST Services

Youth Diversion Programs

Diversion programs provide an opportunity for youth to receive support from their communities and families rather than interacting with the juvenile justice system. Diversion can be used as an alternative to arrest and prosecution or as a step along the way during the process of adjudication. This is a less punitive approach that focuses on keeping youth at home with their parents and avoiding criminal records that make adulthood difficult to navigate.

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Topics: Juvenile Justice Reform, Multisystemic Therapy

Keeping Children Out of Foster Care and at Home with Family

Posted by MST Services

foster care

National Adoption Month is an annual observance in the United States that brings attention to the state of the foster care system, the need for loving families for youth in foster care, and the importance of helping teens prepare for a bright future.

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Topics: Multisystemic Therapy, Child Welfare

Bringing Colleagues Together to Transform the Lives of Youth and Families

Posted by MST Services

MST Network Partner Virtual Conference March 2022Each year, MST Services’ Network Partner Conference (NPC), a professional development opportunity, is hosted for all Network Partner Directors, MST Experts, and Network Partner Program Developers around the world. This year, the first of two conferences was held virtually and offered a variety of workshops to help strengthen professionals’ knowledge and skills in the areas of MST case conceptualization, addressing conflict and violence in the home between intimate partners, working with marginalized populations, and supporting at-risk youth – while connecting with a global network of MST colleagues.

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Topics: Multisystemic Therapy, MST Community, COVID-19

How Large is Social Media’s Impact on Juveniles’ Day-to-Day Lives?

Posted by MST Services

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During the school year, Sabine Polak received a call from the guidance counselor regarding her 14-year-old daughter. In addition to being depressed, her daughter had contemplated suicide. Sabine brought her daughter to a crisis center to address her pressing mental health concerns and soon found out that her daughter's intense anxiety was caused by social media. The main reason for her stress was waiting for her friends to respond on Snapchat.

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Topics: Multisystemic Therapy, Troubled Youth, Mental Health, COVID-19

Multisystemic Therapy: A Year in Review

Posted by MST Services

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Youth, families, and communities have overcome many challenges and achieved numerous victories since the beginning of this year and, during this time, the Child Protection, Juvenile Justice, and Mental Health systems have made strides in raising awareness of the needs of adolescents and their families. So, as we pause to look back on 2021, we would like to say thank you to the families, therapists, supervisors, agencies, and external stakeholders who made all of this possible. Join us as we highlight some of the work that the Multisystemic Therapy (MST) community has accomplished.

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Topics: Multisystemic Therapy, MST Community

Diving Deeper into Youth Crime Statistics

Posted by MST Services

AdobeStock_404112505In light of Youth Justice Awareness Month (YJAM), established in 2008 to draw attention to adolescents impacted by the criminal justice system, it is time to address America’s youth crime statistics.

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Topics: Juvenile Justice Reform, Multisystemic Therapy

Returning To In-Person Therapy Services Through the Eyes of MST Colleagues

Posted by MST Services

AdobeStock_252261124Change - the word one hears when thinking about the COVID-19 pandemic. By definition, it refers to a loss of identity or exchange of one thing for another. After the rapid evolution of virtual means and distancing tactics, many professionals had to adjust to new routines.

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Topics: Multisystemic Therapy, MST Success Stories, MST Community, MST International, COVID-19

Prevention Services for Children and Families Grow in New York City

Posted by MST Services

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Multisystemic Therapy - Prevention (MST-PRV) was designed in response to the unique needs of the NYC child welfare system, the Administration for Children's Services (ACS). MST Services, the purveyor of Multisystemic Therapy and its adaptations, identified the need for a service delivery that could both target challenging behaviors by the youth, while also reducing the risk of abuse or maltreatment.

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Topics: Multisystemic Therapy, Child Welfare

Do Juvenile Crimes Spike in the Summer Months?

Posted by MST Services

AdobeStock_246458356Summer is here, and teenagers have a break from academic responsibilities—allowing them to have more time on their hands. During these months, the majority of adolescents have less structure and supervision and it is not a time to ignore the actions of youth illegal activity. While the overall juvenile arrest rates are decreasing, the number of teens who get in trouble with the law each summer remains high.

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Topics: Multisystemic Therapy, Troubled Youth, COVID-19