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Stephenson County approves MOU with Senesipi to pilot juvenile MRT program funded by probation fees
Summary
The county approved a memorandum of understanding with Senesipi to pilot Moral Reconation Therapy (MRT) for juveniles this summer, a peer-led cognitive-behavioral program expected to run 6 weeks for 5–10 participants and paid from probation service fees.
Stephenson County commissioners approved a memorandum of understanding with Senesipi to pilot a juvenile Moral Reconation Therapy (MRT) group aimed at reducing recidivism, county staff and the program director said.
Becky Jovanning, identified at the meeting as the director of clinical services at Senesipi, described MRT as a cognitive-behavioral, peer-led curriculum that targets criminal thinking and teaches coping skills. Jovanning said adult MRT typically runs 16–20 weeks but juvenile programming can be condensed and that a juvenile pilot can run about six weeks to fit adolescents’ attention and development.
“MRT is a very specific treatment. It is 16 to 20 weeks. It is a peer led group,” Jovanning said. She added that juvenile MRT uses simpler language and focuses on youth-specific issues including substance use and early trauma.
Staff said the pilot will aim for five to ten juveniles (maximum 10). County officials and the program director discussed using summer months for the initial cohort and described a plan for pre- and post-surveys to measure change; ultimate effectiveness would be measured by reduced reoffending if juveniles complete treatment and probation without returning to the justice system.
County staff said the pilot will be paid for from probation service fees. Commissioners approved the MOU by voice vote with no opposition recorded on the transcript. The MOU covers a single pilot group; staff said they may consider additional groups in 2026 depending on results.
At the meeting, commissioners and staff discussed whether some juveniles who had been ordered to complete a different cognitive program (Thinking for a Change) might be shifted to MRT if the juvenile court and probation officers support the change.
