Transcript Desirable Qualifications of Sex Offender Treatment Providers

What to Look for in a Treatment
Provider: Learning Objectives
• Identify basic qualifications of sex offenderspecific treatment providers
• Describe desirable traits of sex offender-specific
treatment providers
• Explain the importance of attitudes and practices
supportive of multidisciplinary collaboration
• Identify referral sources to locate sex offenderspecific treatment providers
CSOM Training Curriculum: An Overview of Sex Offender Treatment for a Non-Clinical Audience
Long Version: Section 5
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Lack of Standardization
Lack of standardized certification or other
credentialing in most jurisdictions presents a
major difficulty in promoting common
standards of practice
CSOM Training Curriculum: An Overview of Sex Offender Treatment for a Non-Clinical Audience
Long Version: Section 5
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What to Look For in the Absence
of Defined Standards
• Degrees—necessary, but not sufficient
• Continuing and specialized education
• Experience with involuntary and offender
clients
• Membership in Association for the Treatment
of Sexual Abusers and other professional
associations
CSOM Training Curriculum: An Overview of Sex Offender Treatment for a Non-Clinical Audience
Long Version: Section 5
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ATSA Suggests Specialized
Training
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Assessment
Psychometric and psychophysiological testing
Psychopathology
Risk assessment
Counseling and psychotherapy
Cognitive therapy
Couples and family therapy
CSOM Training Curriculum: An Overview of Sex Offender Treatment for a Non-Clinical Audience
Long Version: Section 5
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ATSA Suggests Specialized
Training (cont.)
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Family reunification
Pharmacological therapy
Relationship and social skills training
Relapse prevention
Sexual arousal control
Social support networks
Victim awareness and empathy
CSOM Training Curriculum: An Overview of Sex Offender Treatment for a Non-Clinical Audience
Long Version: Section 5
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Other ATSA Requirements for
Treatment Providers
• Participation in a minimum of 15 hours of
continuing education annually
• Must be informed about mandatory reporting
requirements related to their work
CSOM Training Curriculum: An Overview of Sex Offender Treatment for a Non-Clinical Audience
Long Version: Section 5
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Ethical Treatment Practice
• Obtaining informed consent of the individuals
being evaluated and treated
• Maintaining appropriate confidentiality and
informing the offenders in their care of the limits
of confidentiality
• Providing for the reasonable security of others
and themselves
CSOM Training Curriculum: An Overview of Sex Offender Treatment for a Non-Clinical Audience
Long Version: Section 5
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Ethical Treatment Practice (cont.)
• Taking steps to provide continuity of care for
offenders with whom providers work
• Maintaining appropriate boundaries
• Obtaining information for evaluation purposes
in a variety of areas and from several
independent sources
CSOM Training Curriculum: An Overview of Sex Offender Treatment for a Non-Clinical Audience
Long Version: Section 5
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Sex Offender Treatment Providers
as Collaborative Partners
A willingness to collaborate with other
professionals, including:
• Probation and parole officers
• Victim advocates
• Polygraph examiners
• Other assessors, evaluators, and treatment
providers
• Attorneys, prosecutors, and other criminal
justice representatives
CSOM Training Curriculum: An Overview of Sex Offender Treatment for a Non-Clinical Audience
Long Version: Section 5
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Locating Sex Offender-Specific
Treatment Providers
• Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers
4900 S.W. Griffith Drive, Suite 274
Beaverton, OR 97005
(503) 643-1023
Email: [email protected]
Web site: www.atsa.com
• Safer Society Foundation
P.O. Box 340
Brandon, VT 05733-0340
(802) 247-3132
Web site: www.safersociety.org
CSOM Training Curriculum: An Overview of Sex Offender Treatment for a Non-Clinical Audience
Long Version: Section 5
10
Summary
• ATSA and Safer Society are helpful resources
• Treatment providers must collaborate with
others who manage sex offenders
• In identifying treatment providers, think
creatively about incentives to make work
appealing to those who might be interested
CSOM Training Curriculum: An Overview of Sex Offender Treatment for a Non-Clinical Audience
Long Version: Section 5
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Training Summary
• The primary goal of sex offender-specific treatment
is the protection of the community
• Recent treatment outcome studies indicate that
treatment works
• The four domains of treatment are: sexual interests,
distorted attitudes, interpersonal functioning, and
behavior management
• The most widely accepted form of treatment is
cognitive-behavioral with relapse prevention
• Treatment providers must work in close collaboration
with others who manage sex offenders
CSOM Training Curriculum: An Overview of Sex Offender Treatment for a Non-Clinical Audience
Long Version: Section 5
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