Definition

Multi-Systemic Therapy (MST) is an intensive community-based and in-home treatment program designed to make positive changes in the various social systems. This family-driven and youth-guided therapy looks to issues such as home, school, community, and peer relations that contribute to the anti-societal behaviors of youth at risk of commitment into the juvenile justice system.

Treatment Goal

The major goal of MST is to empower parents with the skills and resources needed to address the difficulties in raising teenagers, while empowering youth to cope with family, peer, school, and neighborhood problems. Therapist works in the home and community to place developmentally appropriate demands on the adolescent and family for responsible behavior.  Intervention strategies are integrated into a social-ecological context and include family therapy, behavioral parent training, and cognitive behavior therapy.

Population

MST will target chronic or serious male or female juvenile offenders, ages 12 to 17, which are at high risk of commitment to Division of Youth Services (DYS).  Referrals will be from the juvenile courts or from DYS.

Service Duration

The usual duration of MST is approximately sixty (60) hours of contact over four (4) months, but frequency and duration of sessions are determined by a family’s need.

Anger Management Program

Fayetteville, Ark. (September 2, 2009) — Youth Bridge, Inc. today announced a partnership with Target in recognition of its efforts in building brighter futures for teens and families In Northwest Arkansas.  The grant goes into effect this fall and will be used to counsel youth and their families on how to effectively manage anger and avoid destructive behaviors. This will be done through group counseling sessions, family sessions and individual counseling with our professional Youth Bridge staff. The generous donation from Target® will also allow Youth Bridge staff to make strides to prevent and eventually end family violence among the Northwest Arkansas community as a whole.

Sam Wallace, Youth Bridge assistant Program Director says, “The anger management program is a vital component in many of our clients’ treatment plans. Without help from organizations such a Target we would not be able to help so many youth deal with their anger issues. Anger is a common emotion when dealing with difficult situations, but coming to terms with that anger and learning to deal with it in a healthy way is something Youth Bridge teaches through our Anger Management Programs. ”

This grant is part of ongoing efforts by Target to strengthen families and communities throughout the country. Since opening its doors, Target has given 5 percent of its income to organizations that support education, the arts, social services and volunteerism. Today that equals more than $3 million every week.

“At Target, our local grants are making a difference in the communities we serve,” said Laysha Ward, president, Community Relations, Target. “We’re proud to partner with Youth Bridge as part of our ongoing commitment to give back to the communities where our guests and team members live and work.

Additionally, Target also gives through signature programs that are designed to inspire
learning in children and families. Programs include:

•           Take Charge of Education^®, a school fundraising program;

•           Target Field Trip Grants, a program that helps educators bring learning to life outside the classroom through the distribution of grants;

•           School Library Makeovers, a program that provides year-round volunteer opportunities for Target team members to get involved with their local school;

•           Target House^®, which serves as a home away from home for families of children receiving lifesaving treatment at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital^® in Memphis;

•           Target Volunteers, a nationwide network of Target team members, retirees, families and friends who volunteer millions of hours to community projects.

About Youth Bridge, Inc

Youth Bridge is a non-profit, for impact agency that provides comprehensive services to teens and their families in the areas of abuse, neglect, homelessness, addiction issues, behavioral issues and mental health needs. We provide outpatient, residential, outreach and emergency services. Youth Bridge serves an eight county area in northwest and north central Arkansas. Annually Youth Bridge serves more than one-thousand teens and their families through our various outpatient, residential and emergency services and another 9000 in our outreach efforts.

About Target

Minneapolis-based Target Corporation (NYSE:TGT) serves guests at more than 1,600 stores nationwide and at Target.com. Target is committed to providing a fun and convenient shopping experience with access to unique and highly differentiated products at affordable prices. Since 1946, the corporation has given 5 percent of its income through community grants and programs like Take Charge of Education. Today, that giving equals more than
$3 million a week.

Free informational meeting open to public

Bentonville, Ark. (January 19, 2010) – Youth Bridge, Inc will be hosting the first Multisystemic Therapy (MST) informational program at the Northwest Arkansas Non-Profit Center on January 22, 2010 from 9:00 am-12:00 p.m.

MST is an intensive community-based and in-home treatment program for at-risk youth designed to make positive changes in the various social systems. This program will benefit not only counselors involved in MST but parents who think their children will benefit from this type of therapy. Youth Bridge is the only agency in Northwest and North Central Arkansas offering this type of unique therapy.

We are happy to announce that Marshall E. Swenson, MSW, MBA, Vice President for New Program Development, MST Services, will be giving an overview of MST program. This program is free and open to the public.

Youth Bridge is northwest Arkansas’ leading provider of comprehensive care to troubled teens and their families. They provide outpatient therapy and counseling, residential substance abuse treatment, emergency shelters, academic and social support, and a transitional living program for homeless young adults. Each year Youth Bridge serves more than a thousand teens and their families from an eight-county area in northwest and north central Arkansas. The agency now accepts Medicaid, ArKids First and various forms of private insurance. For more information about Youth Bridge visit www.youthbridge.com or call 479-575-9471.

“It’s A Wonderful Life-A Toast”

Shirley “Peaches” Peterson, Fadil Bayyari, and Dick Johnson

For their impact on Youth in Northwest Arkansas

December 1, 2009 at the Fayetteville Town Center

Sponsored by Youth Bridge, Inc.

This event marks the second Youth Bridge’s Partners Against Substance Abuse program and recognition of corporate and community partners for their leadership in making the lives of youth much better in the community. While this event will be fun, it also marks how important partnerships are to be able to accomplish our mission.  Three distinct and different honorees from Northwest Arkansas will be toasted for their impact.  Special announcements will be made on plans to grow Youth Bridge in the community. For more information, please call Nancy Hairston at 479-575-9471 or email nhairston@youthbridge.com

]]> http://youthbridge.com/2009-vip-event/feed/ 0 http://youthbridge.com/wal-mart-jewelry-deparment-gives-to-youth-bridge/ http://youthbridge.com/wal-mart-jewelry-deparment-gives-to-youth-bridge/#comments Fri, 11 Sep 2009 22:24:32 +0000 Nancy http://youthbridge.com/?p=304 Wal-Mart Jewelry Department does it again! Youth Bridge was the recipient of a $1000 grant awarded on September 16, 2009  to support our Partners Against Substance Abuse program. In 2008, Youth Bridge was also fortunate to receive a $1000 donation from the Wal-Mart Jewelry Department to go toward the Partners Against Substance Abuse (PASA) program.  Without the generous support from friends such as Wal-Mart, our programming and outreach to our area youth would be limited.  From all of us at Youth Bridge, we say a sincere “thank you”!

Our PASA program recognizes that Northwest Arkansas has a considerable problem with substance abuse. Did you know that: According to the 2007 Arkansas Legislative Task Force on Substance Abuse Prevention  and the 2008 Arkansas Prevention Needs Assessment reports on adolescent alcohol and substance abuse,  some frightening statistics indicate that of the 88,000 students in the  6,8,10,12^th grade that participated in the assessments:That 45% have used alcohol sometime in their lives

• That 20.5% have used alcohol during the last 30 days
• Nearly half of all 12^th grades reported drinking at home or at someone else’s home.
• Arkansas youth drink at a younger age than their peers throughout the nation, averaging at 12.6 years.
• One in four Arkansas 12^th grades report binge drinking (5 or more drinks per episode)
• Over 800 6^th graders reported binge drinking
• Thirty percent of 10^th graders report drinking alcohol during a thirty-day period of time
• One in five teens have abused  prescription pain medication
• That 85% of all overdose deaths are caused by prescription drug use
• In Washington County, 15% of 10^th graders and 24% of 12^th graders admitted to abusing prescription drugs
• That 6% of the 10^th graders admitted to abusing over-the-counter (OTC) drugs while 10% of the 12^th graders admitted to abusing OTC drugs
• In Benton County, 16% of high school sophomores and 22% of seniors have abused prescription drugs