Dr. Christensen from the University of Louisville's school of social work has begun a Sex Offender Certification Training Program in Georgia.  This program was offered to S&T by MHDDAD. Certification is obtained by attendance, classwork, and a final exam. Following completion of the eight day program, participants have to complete a six month practicum.  The most recent program was held in August for 8 days.  Yoshio Ruiz, a LMSW from S&T Assessment, was one of eighteen people to finish the training.  Yoshio, as well as the other class participants will be certified as sex offender therapists at the end of the practicum.

The program is taken from a course taught at the University of Louisville.  There are no differences in how the course and program are taught except for the time frame.  The material covered includes population findings, how to teach people the cycle of abuse, how to personalize the treatment, including the juvenile's family in the treatment, and how to conduct assessments with juveniles who offend.  The practicum component consists of implementing what was learned, as well as giving an in-service training. 

S&T currently offers a sex offender program for both adolescents and adults.  An area of particular interest is working with juveniles in groups across the state.  Yoshio will be the coordinator for the program, but as it grows, more therapists will be added.