River Oak Center for Children: Multisystemic Therapy

Seventeen-year-old Lewis arrived at River Oak with a multitude of challenges.

Like many teens referred to River Oak by Probation, Lewis was physically and verbally aggressive at home, school, and in the community. He frequently stole, constantly started fights, and defied any authority figure. Combined, these behaviors led Lewis to be confined for almost two years. Every group home turned him away due to the severity of his behaviors.

Lewis's probation officers, however, were unwilling to give up on him and turned to River Oak's Multisystemic Therapy (MST) program for help. Offered in collaboration with the Sacramento County Probation Department, River Oak's MST program prevents out-of-home placements of youth 10-17 years of age by giving their caregivers the skills they need to raise a child with behavioral, social, and educational problems. At the same time, MST helps these youth cope with problems they face with family and friends, at school, and in their neighborhood.

Probation released Lewis back into the community to live with his mother, and the two began receiving MST services. Lewis learned how to control his aggression and how to cope with conflicts and other problems he faced on a daily basis. His mother learned ways to create structure in the home and how to set and enforce limits. The MST team worked to enroll Lewis into a non-public school that was able to address his needs. Once enrolled, a River Oak MST clinician worked diligently to build a relationship between the school and Lewis's mother.

Together, these efforts made all the difference in Lewis's behavior. He now controls his aggression and has stopped stealing. His mother is extremely pleased with his progress and how Lewis respects the limits she sets. Lewis has now graduated from Probation and has found full-time employment!

MST is offered in home and community settings (including the River Oak Youth Development and Education Center) for three to five months, and staff are available for support 24 hours a day, seven days a week. In 2009, MST was recognized with the "Mentally Ill Offender Best Practice Award" by the California Council on Mentally Ill Offenders - the only juvenile program in the state to win the award.