Adult Sex Offender Treatment
Adult Sex Offender Treatment/Practice Model
The Center for Child and Family Advocacy, Inc. utilizes the fourth edition of “The Road to Freedom” written by: John W. Morin, Ph.D. and Jill S. Levenson, Ph.D., as the core for the adult sex offender treatment. “The Road to Freedom”, a comprehensive workbook written for the clients in a straightforward style, invites them to examine their individual behavior and circumstances surrounding their offense. The authors believe that offenders often respond to unmet emotional needs by engaging in deviant sexual activity, and that support for a healthy lifestyle requires identifying these needs and finding other, healthy ways to fulfill them. Featuring the four-path relapse prevention model, this book encourages offenders to recognize and avoid high-risk factors which trigger thoughts and behaviors related to offending. “The Road to Freedom” is composed of an introduction and eight chapters. The overview of each chapter is listed below:
Chapter One: Accepting Responsibility
Chapter Two: Understanding Your Behavior
Chapter Three: Managing Your Behaviors
Chapter Four: Understanding Yourself
Chapter Five: Victim Impact
Chapter Six: Relationship and Communication Skills
Chapter Seven: Healthy Thinking Skills
Chapter Eight: Relapse Prevention Self-Regulation and Healthy Sexuality
Admission Criteria
The admission criteria for those interested in group therapy will include the following: the client meets criteria for a current DSM diagnosis and a minimum of two (2) of the following criteria:
Client has committed a sex offense; or has deviant sexual thoughts and/or fantasies
Counseling may be voluntary or court-ordered
Client is able to establish and follow agreed-upon goals
There are no apparent risk factors for harm to self or others that interfere with the client’s ability to remain within the community
The minimum age for a client receiving adult sex offender treatment is 18, and with no maximum age limitation
Assessment Process
Prior to a client entering into group therapy, a diagnostic assessment will be conducted. During the diagnostic assessment a psycho-social history and a psycho-sexual history will be obtained, any records received from the referral source will be reviewed, the Sex Offender Treatment Needs and Progress Scale (created by Robert J. McGrath and Georgia F. Cumming) will be completed, the client identifies the reasons for entering services, a mental status exam will be completed, appropriate and necessary releases of information will be obtained, and consent for treatment will be signed. Also during the assessment, an individual’s abilities, interests, presenting problems, suicidal risks, previous treatment and medication information will be obtained.
An individual service plan is then developed with the group member, which will include an identification of needs, desires, strengths, preferences, concerns, culture, support systems, and goals that the client would like to achieve through group therapy.
The Center for Child and Family Advocacy, Inc. believes in a multi-disciplinary team approach in the provision of sex offender treatment. In order to best facilitate this necessary process, a thorough monthly evaluation will be completed for each group member. The evaluations will then be forwarded to the individual’s referral agency such as the court systems, probation or parole departments, or Job and Family Services Departments. Group members’ progress in treatment, issues addressed, concerns regarding their treatment process, and additional recommendations are reflected in the monthly evaluation. The CCFA believes that this collaboration between agencies will not only provide the best possible treatment to adult sex offenders, but will help to provide safety to their victims and community.
Clinicians
The clinicians facilitating the adult sex offender treatment at The Center for Child and Family Advocacy, Inc. are all licensed counselors and social workers through the State of Ohio. Clinicians also receive on-going training related to the assessment, treatment, and prevention of sexually abusive behaviors. Clinicians have access to the Association of Treatment of Sexual Abusers’ Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment. The clinicians are supervised by the Clinical Services Director attends trainings on sexual abusive behaviors on an on-going basis.
Group Information
The adult sex offender treatment group meets on a weekly basis for 90 minutes per session. The goals for this group are: to have participants accept full responsibility for their offense(s); identify support persons; understand victim impact; develop victim empathy; identify and manage their triggers, stressors, and high risk situations; understand how their thoughts affect their feelings, which affect their behaviors; and create a Relapse Prevention Plan.
Groups are open-ended and will consist of two (2) or more group members with a maximum number of 12. Groups will be gender specific; there will be a male group and a female group.
Attendance, participation, completion of written homework and demonstration of achievement of the identified goals of this group will be mandatory to receive a successful discharge from this group. The average length of treatment for a member of the adult sex offender treatment group is 18 months.
Family members may be encouraged to participate in the groups with the client or a specific therapy session may be scheduled to include the family members that will be conducted outside of the group setting.
Reasons for Termination
Poor attendance or repeated tardiness
Abusive, threatening or disruptive behavior at group meetings
Alcohol or drug abuse or failure to follow through on a referral for alcohol or drug services
Arriving at group under the influence of drugs or alcohol
Complete unwillingness to accept feedback
Failure to take a minimal level of responsibility for abusive behaviors
Breaking restraining orders
Failure to comply with probation or parole orders
Failure to cooperate with program rules and requirements
Failure to pay program fees
Fees for Service
The cost for group therapy is based on the ADAMhs Board sliding fee scale; available to residents of Defiance, Fulton, Williams, and Henry Counties. All forms of Medicaid are also accepted for payment of services at The Center for Child and Family Advocacy, Inc.