Leading the Way: Five Years of Implementing a Collaborative Statewide Initiative on Problematic Sexual Behaviors

Nearly 30% of referrals to Children’s Advocacy Centers in MA involve child-to-child sexual abuse, but for many years, CACs did not serve children with problematic sexual behaviors. In July 2020, the Massachusetts Children’s Alliance (MACA), launched a new pilot program with the Children’s Advocacy Centers in Massachusetts, to lead statewide awareness and interventions in CACs for children exhibiting PSBs. In partnership with the National Center on the Sexual Behavior of Youth (NCSBY) / University of Oklahoma (OU), nearly 90 clinicians serving eight CACs and their mental health partners have been trained in evidence-based Problematic Sexual Behavior-Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (PSB-CBT).

Christa Collier, MS, LSW and Christina Paskiwecz, MSW, MPA will share the perspective and process of leading this initiative, providing an overview of the initiative’s preliminary data, including the expansion of access to mental health supports for children with PSBs in Massachusetts.

Presenters: Christa Collier, MS, LSW and Christina Paskiwecz, MSW, MPA
Presentation Date: January 21, 2025