GRANT AWARDED TO STATE’S ATTORNEY’S OFFICE FOR DIVERSION PROGRAM FOCUSING ON YOUTH WITH PROBLEMATIC SEXUAL BEHAVIORS (YPSB)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 26, 2022

 

FREDERICK, MD – The Frederick County State’s Attorney’s Office has been awarded a grant of $100,000 exclusively to fund treatment services for Youth with Problematic Sexual Behaviors (YPSB).   This Grant comes from the Governor’s Office of Crime Control and Prevention and is the first step in a larger program envisioned by the State’s Attorney’s Office to provide evidence-based rehabilitative services to youth without the need of prosecution.

Problematic Sexual Behaviors are a set of child-initiated behaviors that are developmentally inappropriate and potentially harmful to themselves or others. Obtaining treatment services for YPSB is vital in addressing the root causes of this behavior and educating youth as to what healthy sexual interactions look like and what is inappropriate.  In the last ten years, State’s Attorney’s Offices across the State have seen a rapid increase in the number of sexual offenses committed by youth and have recognized the lack of therapeutic providers specifically trained to help these youth.

This program will provide youth in Frederick County, Maryland with evidence-based intensive early intervention treatment. Research has demonstrated that sexual recidivism decreases substantially when effective treatment is provided. The program’s mission is to divert these youths from the juvenile justice system by providing evaluative and treatment services, regardless of a delinquency finding, and minimizes the likelihood that a youth will recidivate and/or become involved with the juvenile justice system.  The State’s Attorney’s Office will chair a task force of community partners who will work together to facilitate training for Maryland providers that will improve PSB treatment options for Frederick County Youth.