Press Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 10, 2010
Contact: Yusila Ramirez
YR Media Consulting
(786) 547-0779
yusila@yrmediaconsulting.com

International Sustained Excellence Award Given to Florida Youth Services Therapist and Team

Fort Pierce, FL --- Every year MST Services, the organization that oversees the delivery of the treatment model for at-risk youth-Multisystemic Therapy (MST)-presents the prestigious International Sustained Excellence Award (ESSY) to the top therapists and teams worldwide that provide services to families at a sustained level of performance. Heidi Lindner, a therapist with Human Services Associates Inc. in Fort Pierce has been globally recognized for her work with children and families in the Indian River County and Treasure Coast area. Additionally, the MST team with the Henry and Rilla White Foundation in Levy County, Florida's Circuit 8, also received the top honor.

"Heidi has been instrumental in offering MST to the Fort Pierce community," said Joe Boggs, chief operating officer for MST Services. "Her ability to implement this treatment model with fidelity and adherence to the model is worthy of recognition and we were honored to present her with this award."

The Circuit 8 MST team received the distinguished award that goes to the top five teams around the world, out of 473, for overall adherence to the MST treatment model. Elisabeth Edward, Matt Birt, Lisa Taebel and Katie Rogers, are this year's recipients.

MST is an intensive family- and community-based therapy model proven to have positive effects on serious, violent and chronic juvenile offenders. MST oversees child/family-counseling programs throughout the United States, as well as eleven other countries around the world.

MST is available to Florida youth through the Department of Juvenile Justice's (DJJ) Redirection project. In 2004, DJJ contracted with Evidence-Based Associates to launch Redirection, which successfully uses three therapy model programs: MST, as well as Functional Family Therapy (FFT) and Brief Strategic Family Therapy (BSFT) to treat troubled youth. Since its inception, Redirection has expanded to 18 of Florida's 20 circuits, providing alternative, effective treatments to more than 5,000 families. The project has saved the state more than $51 million and has continued to reduce recidivism.

ABOUT EBA

EBA is an award-winning company whose mission is to facilitate reform in state-based, juvenile justice systems through the use of performance-based contracts in order to reduce costs and improve outcomes. As more youth continue to be ordered into expensive and often ineffective out-of-home placement, detention centers and residential treatment facilities, EBA recognizes the need to provide guidance and services that will support system reform while substantially reducing costs and improving results.

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