Family Functional Therapy (FFT)

This program was part of a cost-benefit analysis completed by the Washington State Institute for Public Policy on several violence prevention and reduction programs, including six Blueprints programs: Watching the Bottom Line: Cost-Effective Interventions for Reducing Crime in Washington.

Functional Family Therapy (FFT) is an outcome-driven prevention/intervention program for youth who have demonstrated the entire range of maladaptive, acting out behaviors and related syndromes.

Youth, aged 11-18, at risk for and/or presenting with delinquency, violence, substance use, Conduct Disorder, Oppositional Defiant Disorder, or Disruptive Behavior Disorder. Often these youth present with additional comorbid challenges such as depression.

FFT requires as few as 8-15 sessions of direct service time for commonly referred youth and their families, and generally no more than 26 total sessions of direct service for the most severe problem situations.

Delivery modes:

Flexible delivery of service by one and (rarely) two person teams to clients in-home, clinic, school, juvenile court, community based programs, and at time of re-entry from institutional placement.

Implementation:

Wide range of interventionists, including trained probation officers, mental health technicians, degreed mental health professionals (e.g., M.S.W., Ph.D., M.D., R.N., M.F.T., L.C.P.).

To watch video of FFT session click here.