MISSION KIDS AWARDED $425K GRANT FROM OFFICE OF JUVENILE JUSTICE AND DELINQUENCY PREVENTION
Mission Kids Awarded $425K Grant from Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention
Pottstown, PA and East Norriton, PA (11.09.22) – Mission Kids Child Advocacy Center has been awarded the 2022 Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) Grant for Supporting Effective Interventions for Youth with Problematic Sexualized Behaviors (YWPSB) through the Department of Justice. The award totals $425,000 to be spent over the next three years.
Mission Kids will utilize the grant to fund a partnership with Creative Health Services. The organizations will collaborate to provide evidence-based treatment for youth with problematic sexualized behaviors (PSB).
Sexual behavior occurs across a spectrum. When looking at problematic sexual behavior it is often sexual behavior that is developmentally inappropriate, may include force/coercion and/or does not respond to redirection. Youth who engage in PSB may have other vulnerabilities or exposures that prime them for problematic behavior. Evidenced based treatment for PSB incorporates both the youth with PSB and caregivers in skills including impulse control, social skills, behavior parent support, and sex education. This partnership will enable a comprehensive, evidenced based program to work with youth with PSB, their caregivers and any impacted youth.
“Evidence based treatment models are a proven form of treatment that provides hope for youths and families impacted by PSB,” said Leslie Slingsby, Executive Director at Mission Kids. “Proper treatment, combined with fidelity and enhanced protective factors leads to a decrease in both PSBs and recidivism. Partnering with Creative Health Services, one of the largest behavioral health providers in Pennsylvania, will enable us to give youth and caregivers across Montgomery County the opportunity to take advantage of this resource, in a safe and supportive environment.”
The forthcoming Youth with Problematic Sexualized Behavior (YPSB) program follows the Sexual Behavior-Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (PSB-CBT ) model – a family-oriented, cognitive behavioral, psychoeducational, and supportive treatment. PSB-CBT is designed to reduce or eliminate incidents of PSB. It involves caregiver participation and is provided as an open group, with most youth able to complete treatment successfully in six months.
To ensure the program’s success, Mission Kids and Creative Health Services hired Kelly Hagenbaugh as the Program Clinical Supervisor. Hagenbaugh is a licensed social worker with over 15 years’ experience in the field of trauma treatment. She currently works with the University of Oklahoma as member of their clinical training team providing clinical training, consultation and support to YPSB program sites across the country.
The PSB-CBT program currently offers select resources for youth with PSB. Group treatment is estimated to begin in mid-2023. Individuals with specific clinical questions are encouraged to contact Kelly Hagenbaugh at 484-783-2266 ext. 3344. Those with general inquiries regarding the program or grant can contact Shannon Barnett at 484-687-2990 ext. 1018.
ABOUT MISSION KIDS
Mission Kids Child Advocacy Center is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization which offers a multidisciplinary team response to allegations of child abuse in a dedicated, child-friendly setting to achieve healing and justice for child victims while promoting their physical and mental well-being. Advancing the field of child advocacy, Mission Kids is a leader in prevention education, professional training, research, public policy work, and mentorship as it seeks to ensure that the world is a safer and better place for all children.
ABOUT CREATIVE HEALTH SERVICES
Creative Health Services provides quality behavioral healthcare designed to empower and promote wellness for individuals, families and communities. Creative Health is passionate about facilitating the understanding of the impact of trauma or Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) on children, families and the community. In order to translate that awareness and understand into practice, Creative Health has established partnerships with community providers to deliver coordinated and collaborative trauma-informed care. Creative Health Services’ work with Mission Kids includes an embedded, licensed clinician who is able to establish therapeutic relationships with kids experiencing trauma, specifically abuse.
