Mental Health Therapies
Multisystemic Therapy
Our Multisystemic Therapy (MST) program is an intensive, evidence-based treatment for youth ages 12-17 currently living at home and exhibiting high-risk behaviors that may result in out-of-home placement or school expulsion.
How To Get Enrolled
Admission to the program is only by referral from the Hennepin County Department of Community Corrections and Rehabilitation, and the Hennepin County Human Services Public Health Department. Before contacting our service line, make sure that your youth is assigned a Juvenile Probation Officer or Children’s Mental Health Case Manager with Hennepin County or a contracted provider. If not, call Hennepin County’s Front Door to Services at 612-348-4111 and request a Children’s Mental Health Case Manager.
Support and Services to Reduce High-Risk Behaviors
Multisystemic Therapy engages youth and their families to mobilize their collective strengths and decrease the frequency and intensity of high-risk behaviors.
These can include truancy, curfew violations, substance abuse, theft, aggression, running away and not following rules or expectations at home or in school.
- Our MST therapists meet primarily with the caregivers in the home or the community, a minimum of three times per week for 3-5 months.
- Together, the MST therapist and caregivers target the multiple causes of the youth’s negative behaviors and work to promote positive changes.
- We provide skills, resources, tools and support necessary to empower caregivers to break the cycle of negative behavior and keep youth at home, in school and out of trouble.
- MST therapists are available to youth and their families, 24 hours per day, seven days per week to provide crisis and/or in-the-moment behavioral support.
Program Overview
What are the program goals?
Change behaviors to allow youth to remain in school, at home and out of trouble with the law.
Our MST therapists empower caregivers to address behavioral issues with proven parenting strategies, intervening with negative peer networks, improving school relationships and creating opportunities for positive youth engagement.
We also help families tap into resources within their own community to develop a strong social support network to maintain gains over the long term.
Who is this for?
MST services are for families with youth ages 12-17 currently living at home and exhibiting high-risk behaviors that may result in out-of-home placement or school expulsion.
Admission to the program is only by referral from the Hennepin County Department of Community Connections and Rehabilitation, and the Hennepin County Human Services Public Health Department.
Before contacting our service line, make sure that your youth is assigned a Juvenile Probation Officer or Children’s Mental Health Case Manager. If not, call Hennepin County’s Front Door to Services at 612-348-4111 and request a Children’s Mental Health Case Manager.
What is the cost?
There is no cost to the family or insurance is billed for this service.
Where is it located?
Our Multisystemic therapists work flexible hours to accommodate busy family schedules. We work together with families to meet at times of the day and/or at locations that work best for the caregivers.
With questions about our Multisystemic Therapy services today, contact Jennifer Heldt.
How Multisystemic Therapy Works
Multisystemic Therapy is based on evaluating the multiple environments or systems (from family, friends, school and the community) that contribute to healthy or unhealthy adolescent behaviors.
Our therapists are available 24 hours per day, seven days per week to provide family support. We identify what factors in each area may be contributing to negative behaviors and then develop plans with caregivers to influence changes and address challenges now and in the future. Our goal is to meet or exceed 90 percent of youth to remain living at home, in school and without new criminal charges.
Applying Multisystemic Therapy
Watch this video by MST Services to understand how this evidence-based treatment model works within multiple environments.
My boys have been through some very traumatic experiences. Multisystemic Therapy has helped me learn a different way of thinking…not everything is perfect yet, but we are working together to have a more positive life.
Program Participant, Mother of two boys
Let’s talk!
With any questions about our Multisystemic Therapy services today, please contact:
Jennifer Heldt, LICSW
MST Program Manager and Clinical Supervisor
Direct: 763-291-8198
Email: jheldt@thefamilypartnership.org