Also known as Multisystemic Therapy (MST), the major goal of Home-Based Therapy is to give parents the skills and resources needed to address the difficulties that arise in raising youth with delinquent behaviors. It also seeks to empower youth to cope with family, peer, school, and neighborhood problems. MST is an evidence-based treatment model that strives to promote behavior change in the youth’s natural environment, leveraging the strengths of each system to facilitate change (family, peers, school, neighborhood, organizations.) As an intensive family and community-based treatment model, the focus is on the many causes underlying serious delinquent behavior in youth who are at potential risk for out-of-home placement.

Qualifications Include:
• Youth ages 12–17
• Has multiple arrests/is a chronic offender
• Is deeply involved with delinquent peers
• Is experiencing problems at school or doesn’t attend at all
• Abuses substances (marijuana, alcohol, cocaine, etc.)
• Is currently, or has a recent history of being, a runaway
• Demonstrates, or has demonstrated, physical aggression in more than one setting
• Is covered by Medicaid. MST does not currently take private pay or commercial insurance
• Has at least one adult member of the family willing to take part in services

What Can Be Expected:
• Treatment provided in the home and the community
• Time-limited treatment of 3–5 months
• Therapist available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
• Flexible schedules to accommodate the needs of the family
• Tailored treatments for the unique needs of the family and its members
• Therapists with small caseloads to facilitate multiple weekly sessions if needed

Quick Facts:
MST is a well-validated treatment model with 16 published outcome studies. Adolescents who were clinically discharged from treatment:
• 89% were able to stay at home instead of residential treatment, foster care and/or detention.
• 84% were able to stay in school and/or keep a job.
• 85% have no new arrests.

How To Initiate Treatment:

Referral Forms
Client Intake Forms

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Southwest Family Guidance Center & Institute
has been a licensed MST provider since 2007.