Welcome to "In the Loop"

In this issue

• Long-term Results of MST Provide Worldly Experience for Inner-City Neighborhood
• Announcements from MST Services and MST Institute
• News Briefs from Family Services Research Center at MUSC : BlueSky Update
• New MST-related Publications
• MST Community Updates and Announcements
• Network Partner Spotlight

Long-term Results of MST Provide Worldly Experience for Inner-City Neighborhood

For many inner-city neighborhoods keeping young people safe, in school, and on the road to success is a constant battle. Some youth never get the chance to leave their local community much less visit another country.

Over the past decade, an MST grassroots effort including community leaders and residents of Union Heights, a North Charleston, South Carolina neighborhood, has been successful in transforming a neighborhood into an area of opportunity by gaining national and international recognition and forming long-term global relationships.

The children of Djole prepare to board their flight for Ghana

In 1997, the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), the City of North Charleston and the Union Heights neighborhood joined together in a project called Neighborhood Solutions, designed to reduce and prevent youth violence based on the proven treatment methods of MST. The Neighborhood Solutions project was an adaptation of MST for an entire community.

In addition to a host of other outcomes, this collaboration and a community dedicated to improving their quality of life resulted in the formation of a pro-social activity, Djole African Dance and Drum Company in 1999. "African dance and drumming is an activity that the youth of Union Heights embraced and one at which they excelled," says Dr. Cindy Swenson, associate director at the Family Services Research Center at MUSC and co-investigator for the Neighborhood Solutions project. Djole encourages children to get off the street, move toward a more positive path in life and improve their health status.

After successfully establishing and sustaining their group, Djole felt they were ready to give back to other communities through philanthropic efforts. The first project Djole embarked on was Children Teaching Children About AIDS, a program that involved partnering with West African artists and making a 16-day journey to Ghana to increase awareness and knowledge about the AIDS epidemic.

More than 170,000 children live on the streets in Ghana; many are orphaned due to AIDS. Djole, in collaboration with Nkabom Artist and Craftspeople Association, a non-government organization (NGO) in Ghana, developed and conducted an AIDS awareness and educational project focusing on street children in Ghana. Djole helped educate the children through street shows and dance, a popular educational method to teach African children. Large performances involving artists from throughout Ghana were conducted at the Arts Centre in the capital city of Accra and at the Elmina Slave Castle in Cape Coast and televised nationally through Ghana Broadcasting.

Djole's performance focuses on AIDS awareness

Filmmakers, Marc and Judith Mann and their camera crew accompanied the group to Ghana. A documentary of the work in Ghana is in process.

The children, parents, and leaders of Djole are committed to humanitarian work and see their recent trip to Africa as only the beginning of the group's philanthropic efforts. Dr. Swenson along with others from MUSC and the Union Heights community are looking ahead at ways Djole can bring awareness to the AIDS crisis in Black America as well as continuing their partnership with the people of Ghana. Although Djole feels their recent efforts to Africa were successful, they view the trip as only one small step to a long-term mission of giving back.

Djole's work is an example of the capacity of MST to extend well beyond families and even a neighborhood to a global community in pain. If MST can spark empowerment of children and adults from a disadvantaged community to provide significant help with a global crisis, the implications of how together we can change our nation and our world are staggering.

To learn more about Djole and view pictures from their recent trip to Ghana, visit www.djoledancecompany.org.

Announcements from MST Services and MST Institute

Michelle Dean Manager, Network Partnerships MST Services

Michelle Dean will join MST Services as manager of network partnerships in November 2006. Prior to joining MST Services, Michelle was the system supervisor for South Carolina's Department of Mental Health. She received her undergraduate degree in psychology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and additionally attended UNC for her graduate degree in rehabilitation counseling. Michelle is a licensed professional counselor/supervisor and a certified rehabilitation counselor. She began her MST career approximately 10 years ago when she was a therapist and supervisor in a child maltreatment project. Additionally, Sonja Schoenwald trained her as a consultant during her employment as an associate professor at the Family Services Research Center at the Medical University of South Carolina. Michelle's other professional areas of expertise and interests include child maltreatment, forensic assessment and serving as a community liaison. She is married with two boys and enjoys the beach, reading and movies.

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Registration is now available for MSTI's free Web site training "webinars." Four different sessions will be offered on a first-come, first-serve basis. Access to the Internet and a telephone connection are required to attend. Visit www.mstinstitute.org to register.

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The MST Institute Web site is currently undergoing a new design and login criteria. Upon launch, the new home page will require users to login with their e-mail address. Stay tuned for more details. If you have questions about the MST Institute Web site, please contact the MSTI Help Desk at msti@mstinstitute.org.

News Briefs from Family Services Research Center at MUSC

The "BlueSky" Update
The BlueSky Project is an effort supported by the Annie E. Casey Foundation that offers "one stop shop" access to a continuum of evidence-based treatments for delinquent youth and their families.

The key goals of BlueSky include:

• Improving clinical outcomes for youths and families
• Produce cost savings for payers
• Help move evidence-based practices into the field

The project will integrate (clinically, administratively and quality assurance measure) MST, FFT and MTFC. Later this year, BlueSky will launch from concept to "proof of concept" testing in New York City.

New Publications

The following MST-related publications are available:

• 271 Cunningham, P.B., Narr-King, S., Ellis, D.A., Pejuan, S., Secord, E. (in press). Achieving adherence to antiretroviral medications for pediatric HIV disease using empirically supported treatment: A case report. Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics.
• 272 Ellis, D.A., Narr-King, S., Cunningham, P.B., Secord, E. (in press). Use of multisystemic therapy to improve antiretroviral adherence and health outcomes in HIV-infected pediatric patients: Evaluation of a pilot program. AIDS, Patient Care, and STD's.
• 280 Henggeler, S. W., Sheidow, A. J., & Lee, T. (in press). Multisystemic treatment (MST) of serious clinical problems in youths and their families. In A. R. Roberts & D. W. Springer (Eds.), Forensic social work in juvenile and criminal justice settings: An evidence-based handbook (3rd ed.). Springfield, IL: Charles C. Thomas.
• 281 Sheidow, A. J., & Henggeler, S. W. (in press). Multisystemic Therapy with Substance Using Adolescents: A Synthesis of the Research. In N. Jainchill (Ed.), Understanding and Treating Adolescent Substance Use Disorders. Kingston, NJ: Civic Research Institute.
• 293 Sheidow, A.J., Schoenwald, S.K., Wagner, H.R., Allred, C. A., & Burns, B.J. (2006). Predictors of workforce turnover in a transported treatment program. Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research. 1, 1-12.

To request a copy, or for more information, click here

MST Community Updates & Announcements

Youth Villages CEO among nation's best leaders
Patrick W. Lawler, CEO of Youth Villages, has been named one of America's best leaders this year by U.S. News & World Report and Harvard's Center for Public Leadership. Memphis-based Youth Villages is a nonprofit organization for emotionally and behaviorally troubled children.

U.S. News & World Report's current issue, "America's Best Leaders 2006," depicts 20 of the nation's foremost leaders, including billionaire Warren Buffett; Michael Bloomberg, New York City mayor; renowned architect Frank Gehry; former Supreme Court judge Sandra Day O'Connor; and A.G. Lafley, CEO of Proctor & Gamble (NYSE: PG).

The leaders were chosen by a committee made up of leaders from various industries. The committee members considered leaders who inspired a shared vision, challenged established processes, and achieved measurable results in their fields.

Lawler, who "oozes charisma," according to the U.S. News & World Report, "has built a program for the children others deem too difficult to handle."

His program has been replicated across the U.S. and is now in use in Europe.

To read Lawler's profile, visit:
www.usnews.com/usnews/news/articles/061022/30lawler.htm

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Mary Winter a True MST Champion
Mary Winter, Commissioner for Onondaga County Probation, was recently commended for work done under her leadership in the Probation Department which currently utilizes the MST program. Commissioner David Sutkowy commented to Onondaga County New York legislators that "what the probation department has done to reduce placements is nothing short of remarkable." Winter is a true MST champion and her consistent efforts are the driving force behind the monumental changes in the Onondaga County Probation Department.

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Welcome New MST Teams
Teams added between 7/1/06 and 9/30/06

Hempfield Team 3	PA
White Foundation - Pensacola	FL
ACS - New York City (4 teams)	NY
Youth Homes	NC
Boston Schools - AIP	MA
Miami CPC	FL
Wheeler Clinic - Manchester	CT
Mesilla Valley	NM
Family & Youth Inc	NM
Jefferson County CMH	CO
Washington Team 3	DC
Beaver County	PA
Indiana County	PA
Family Services - Eric County	PA
Family Services - Crawford County	PA
Counseling Services	PA
Kennebec Team 3	ME
Savio House Team 7	CO
Blodgett Services	MI
Methodist Children's Home (2 Teams)	LA
Multnomah County	OR
Lycoming County	PA
Flavoland	Netherlands
Amsterdam	Netherlands
Rotterdam	Netherlands
Rotorua	New Zealand

Has someone recently joined your team or been promoted? If so, share your news with the MST community. Send your news to intheloop@mstservices.com.