The information in this program outline is provided by the program representative and edited by the CEBC staff. The Sexual Offender Detention Alternative (SODA) program has been reviewed by the CEBC in the area of: Sexual Behavior Problems in Adolescents, Treatment of, but lacks the necessary research evidence to be given a Scientific Rating.

• Types of Maltreatment: Does not target any specific kind of maltreatment
• Target Population: Children age 13-17 who have been referred by the Courts, Probation, CPS, etc. for sexual offenses.

The SODA Program is a 52-session, weekly group, involving a psycho-educational, cognitive-behavioral and support treatment program for sexual offenders. The program’s focus is to stop unacceptable and illegal sexual behavior problems that bring a child before the Child Welfare Department and/or the Juvenile Justice System. The program’s outpatient group is open-ended and includes a maximum of 8 adolescents, aged 13-17 years old. Caregiver participation is mandatory. Multi-family groups, including the child and the caregiver are held monthly. The caregiver must attend a minimum of 12 multi-family group sessions.

Program elements include understanding the precursors and dynamics of the offense, learning offense relapse-prevention techniques, improving personal and family dynamics, and improving societal and peer relationships. Learning the consequences of their sexual behavior on their victim (empathy and contrition) and on their own family is also stressed. Previous victimization, substance abuse, and co-morbid mood disorders are addressed in detail. The caregivers learn to better communicate with their child and deal more effectively with their own feelings about their child’s offense.

The goals of SODA are to:

• Eliminate problematic (criminal) sexual behavior.
• Improve parent-child interaction and communications.
• Improve coping, self-control of problematic sexual behaviors, and improve social and proper relationship skills.
• Reduce pre-morbid mood disorder symptoms.
• Teach healthy symptom relapse prevention tools.

The essential components of SODA include the therapists:

• Educating, observing, and modeling of healthy feedback on skills learned.
• Using a directive and supportive approach in a semi-structured program.
• Addressing these general program components with adolescents:
• Program introduction and focus.
• Understanding sexuality.
• Understanding emotions (anger management).
• Family dynamics and sexual offenses.
• Social dynamics and sexual offenses.
• Personal dynamics and sexual offenses (co-morbid mood concerns).
• Learning preventive behaviors.
• Learning protective behaviors.
• Legal ramifications of offense.
• Integration back into society.
• Follow-up help needed.
• Final examination.
• Addressing these general program components with caregivers:
• Parent education/training to respond to sexual behavior problems.
• Child development/sexual development of children.
• Understanding and support for parents with children who sexually offend.
• Understanding of society’s perception of sexual offenders and coping mechanisms for potential problems.

• Addressing specific child components with adolescents:
• Open discussion of offense.
• Helping adolescent cope with feelings of guilt and shame.
• Helping adolescent understand pre-morbid mood disorder symptoms and strategies to effectively deal with them.
• Help adolescent develop effective coping and problem-solving skills
• Teach adolescent socially acceptable emotional/sexual age-appropriate relationships.
• Help adolescent improve self-esteem.
• Relapse prevention by integrating learned tools into daily use.

Sexual Offender Detention Alternative (SODA) was designed with a child component that addresses the following presenting problems and symptoms:

• Legal involvement
• Sexual acting-out symptoms
• Mood disorder symptoms
• Conduct disorder symptoms
• Substance abuse symptoms (if applicable)

Age range: 13 – 17

Developmental Delays:

This program was not developed for children with developmental delays, and has not been tested for children with developmental delays.

Treatment Involves Family/Support Structures:

This program involves the family or other support systems in the individual's treatment: Monthly multi-family group sessions involving all caregivers and adolescents in the same group.

Sexual Offender Detention Alternative (SODA) was designed with a parent/caregiver component that addresses the following presenting problems and symptoms:

• Personal and familial risk patterns and triggers.
• Dysfunctional family structure including poor marital relationship, absent caregiver, substance abuse in the home.
• Severe guilt feelings by caregivers regarding the child’s offense.

Treatment Involves Family/Support Structures:

This program involves the family or other support systems in the individual's treatment: Monthly multi-family group sessions involving all caregivers and adolescents in the same group.

Sexual Offender Detention Alternative (SODA) was designed to be conducted in a group setting; but has not been tested for use in a group setting.

Recommended group size:

Maximum of 8 adolescents.

Recommended Intensity:

60-minute weekly group sessions for adolescents. 60-minute monthly multi-family group sessions which include the adolescent as well.

Recommended Duration:

Each adolescent must attend a minimum of 52 sessions. Each caregiver must attend a minimum of 12 multi-family group sessions. The monthly multi-family group session consists of each child in the group along with a minimum of one parent/caregiver present. If a parent/caregiver misses a multi-family session, the child will have to remain in the program for an additional month until the parent/caregiver can complete the 12 session minimum requirement.

This program is typically conducted in a(n):

• Community Agency
• Outpatient Clinic

Sexual Offender Detention Alternative (SODA) includes a homework component:

Homework is used to emphasize current topics. Mood charts, behavior charts, and program concepts reviewed.

Sexual Offender Detention Alternative (SODA) does not have materials available in a language other than English.

The typical resources for implementing the program are:

• A group treatment area
• A/V for selected topics
• One licensed therapist and ideally an intern or assistant.

• Licensed mental health professional
• Extensive training and experience with an understanding of adolescent sexual abuse treatment

There is not a manual that describes how to implement this program; but there is training available for this program.

Training Contact:

• Thomas Petersen, PhD
  DrPetersen@copdoc1.com
  phone: (626) 278-0677

Training is obtained:

Practical (hands-on) training of licensed practitioners will be provided at the Glendora office, and during the actual group sessions. Didactic training will be arraigned, as needed and at (to be determined later locations) depending on the number of participants.

Number of days/hours:

• Intern training for 52 weeks in group.
  
• Formal training for licensed practitioners = Initial 8-hours of didactic training. Four to eight sessions of hands-on training in group.
• Advanced didactic training (4-6 hours) after 6-12 months.

This program has been reviewed and it was determined that this program lacks the type of published, peer-reviewed research that meets the CEBC criteria for a scientific rating of 1 – 5. Therefore, the program has been given the classification of "NR - Not able to be Rated." It was reviewed because it was identified by the topic expert as a program being used in the field, or it is being marketed and/or used in California with children receiving services from child welfare or related systems and their parents/caregivers. Some programs that are not rated may have published, peer-reviewed research that does not meet the above stated criteria or may have eligible studies that have not yet been published in the peer-reviewed literature. For more information on the "NR - Not able to be Rated" classification, please see the Scientific Rating Scale.

Child Welfare Outcomes: Not Specified

Currently, there are no published, peer-reviewed research studies for Sexual Offender Detention Alternative (SODA).

No reference materials are currently available for Sexual Offender Detention Alternative (SODA).