Our Evidence-Based Treatments
JJPI provides a number of evidence-based treatments. We believe that these evidence-based treatments provide an excellent framework for psychotherapy while also allowing our clinicians and participants the flexibility to individualize treatment as needed. At JJPI, the decision to use an evidence-based treatment as a basis for psychotherapy should be made jointly by JJPI's clinical team and the participant. If you are a JJPI participant and would like to learn more about our evidence-based treatments and/or believe you would benefit from one of them, please discuss your thoughts with your intake evaluator or clinician. Below is a listing of JJPI's evidence-based treatments, along with a brief description of each treatment.
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Cognitive-Behavioral therapy (CBT) is an evidence-based practice that helps address distortions in thinking in order to reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety and to improve happiness and overall functioning. The goal of CBT is to change patterns of thinking or behavior that are often at the root of a person’s difficulties, ultimately changing the way the person feels and experiences the world. The treatment takes a collaborative, hands-on, practical approach to addressing problems. CBT is offered at both JJPI outpatient programs.
Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavior Therapy (TF-CBT)
Trauma-Focused Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) is an evidence-based treatment specifically developed for children and adolescents suffering from the effects of trauma. It builds on the strengths of the child and caregiver through counseling and learning, among other interventions, to reduce symptoms related to trauma. JJPI is a Philadelphia Department of Behavioral Health (DBH) Evidence-Based Practice and Innovation Center (EPIC) designated TF-CBT provider. TF-CBT is offered at our Survivor Services Program and at our Youth Safety & Responsibility Program.
Prolonged Exposure Therapy (PE)
Prolonged exposure (PE) therapy is an evidence-based practice used with adolescent and adult survivors of trauma. This treatment has been studied and found to be effective in reducing suffering caused by trauma and in allowing individuals to obtain significant relief from depression and anxiety. The treatment is designed to allow individuals to revisit traumatic event(s) at their own pace and to facilitate a process of reducing the negative impact of traumatic memories, thoughts and beliefs. As the traumatic memories begin to lose their emotional impact, suffering is significantly reduced or eliminated and individuals are able to rebuild their lives. JJPI is a Philadelphia Department of Behavioral Health (DBH) Evidence-Based Practice and Innovation Center (EPIC) designated PE provider. PE is offered at both JJPI outpatient programs.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a cognitive-behavioral treatment developed by Marsha Linehan, PhD. It emphasizes individual psychotherapy and group skills training classes to help people learn and use new skills and strategies to develop a life that they experience as worth living. DBT skills include skills for mindfulness, emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness. DBT has been found to be effective in treating a wide range of disorders such as substance dependence, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and eating disorders. DBT involves participation in individual therapy and group therapy that focuses on teaching the four core sets of DBT skills. JJPI is a Philadelphia Department of Behavioral Health (DBH) Evidence-Based Practice and Innovation Center (EPIC) designated DBT provider. DBT is offered at both JJPI outpatient programs with separate groups for adolescents and adults at each site.
Problematic Sexual Behavior Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (PSB-CBT)
Problematic Sexual Behavior Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (PSB-CBT) is an evidence-based treatment model for children and youth ages 3-18 who have engaged in problematic sexual behavior (PSB). In PSB-CBT, children participate in a treatment group based on their age (school-age and adolescents), while parents participate in a concurrent caregiver group. Treatment generally consists of between 12 and 25 sessions, depending on the age of the child/adolescent. PSB-CBT can also be adapted for individual/family therapy if participation in a treatment group is not possible. The vast majority of children and youth who participate in PSB-CBT do not re-engage in problematic sexual behaviors; studies have shown that the overall recidivism rate among school-age children is around 2% over a ten-year period, meaning those who have completed treatment show no greater risk for recidivism that the general population. In addition, children and youth who complete PSB-CBT treatment typically show improvement in other areas, such as overall emotional functioning and a reduction in trauma symptoms. JJPI is a Philadelphia Department of Behavioral Health (DBH) Evidence-Based Practice and Innovation Center (EPIC) designated PSB-CBT provider, for both the adolescent (PSB-CBT-A) and child/school-age (PSB-CBT-S) models. PSB-CBT-A is available at JJPI's Youth Safety and Responsibility Program (YSRP) and PSB-CBT-S is available at JJPI's Survivor Services Program.
Multisystemic Therapy (MST) and Multisystemic Therapy for Problem Sexual Behavior (MST-PSB)
Multisystemic Therapy (MST) is a comprehensive intervention designed for at-risk adolescents, implemented across various settings. The primary objective of MST is to foster positive social behaviors while decreasing criminal behavior, mental health concerns, out-of-home placements, and substance abuse among youth aged 12 to 17. MST targets the fundamental factors contributing to delinquent and antisocial behavior by conducting an ecological assessment that examines the youth, their family dynamics, and the influences of their school and community. MST provides intensive, family-driven therapy (averaging three or more sessions per week) in the individual’s home, school or community environment. MST treatment is provided by master’s level clinicians that are available 24/7 for crisis support.
MST-PSB is a clinical modification of the MST model designed to treat adolescents who have engaged in problematic sexual behavior. Over 30 years of research shows that MST is effective across a variety of critical outcomes, including reducing arrests and out-of-home placements. MST-PSB is also very effective--a study of more than 8,000 youth participating in MST-PSB showed that only 8% of youth showed recidivism over a ten-year follow-up period, compared to youth receiving other types of treatment, where recidivism averaged 30%.