Nassau Alternative
Multisystemic Therapy (MST)
Nassau Alternative understands that drug-abusing and addicted adolescents have unique treatment needs. Research has shown that treatments designed for and tested in adult populations often need to be modified to be effective in adolescents. Family involvement is a particularly important component for interventions targeting youth. Below are examples of behavioral interventions that employ these principles and have shown efficacy for treating addiction in youth.
- Multisystemic Therapy (MST) addresses the factors associated with serious antisocial behavior in children and adolescents who abuse alcohol and other drugs.
- These factors include characteristics of the child or adolescent (e.g., favorable attitudes toward drug use), the family (poor discipline, family conflict, parental drug abuse), peers (positive attitudes toward drug use), school (dropout, poor performance), and neighborhood (criminal subculture).
- By participating in intensive treatment in natural environments (homes, schools, and neighborhood settings), most youths and families complete a full course of treatment.
- MST significantly reduces adolescent drug use during treatment and for at least 6 months after treatment.
- Fewer incarcerations and out-of-home juvenile placements offset the cost of providing this intensive service and maintaining the clinicians’ low caseloads.
