Al Heystek reflects on the formation of the Youthful Sex Offender Treatment Program. He notes that “Through this work, we’ve been able to protect public safety, reduce risk, and offer transformative, growth-producing counseling to young men on the margins of society.”
In April of 2019, Attorney Gerald Lykins wrote an article about the Youthful Sex Offender Treatment Program (YSOTP) in the Grand Rapids Lawyer journal. Here’s an excerpt:
For over 30 years, the Kent County Juvenile Court system has provided juveniles charged with sex offenses the option to participate in the Adolescent Sex Offender Treatment Program, referred to as ASOTP. ASOTP offers the charged individual a program to address their conduct through counseling and a term of probation designed to hold them accountable and, at the same time, rehabilitate them. ASOTP has proved to be highly successful in reducing recidivism rates from graduates and helping youthful offenders learn from their conduct.
For the past four years (since 2014–15), a group of therapists led by Randy Flood and Al Heystek of the Men’s Resource Center and Dave Berghuis of Berghuis Psychological Services, PC, has been working with State Rep. David LaGrand and Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker to roll out a similar program to young adults.
The Youthful Sex Offender Treatment Program, referred to as YSOTP, began taking participants in the fall of 2018. The program offered individuals between the ages of 17 and 24 who have committed a non-violent sex offense an opportunity to participate in structured rehabilitation. Like ASOTP, YSOTP is designed to hold individuals legally accountable for their conduct while also focusing on rehabilitation. Upon successful completion of the program, the individual may be offered a change of plea from their original charge to a different charge, permitting them to avoid the harsh impacts of the Sex Offender Registry Act (SORA).
In October 2018, YSOTP received a grant from the state of Michigan in the amount of $75,000 for screening and counseling costs—opening the program to all eligible candidates regardless of their financial ability to pay. Currently, there are approximately 10 individuals participating in YSOTP.
In February 2019, 17th Circuit Court Judge Paul Denenfeld agreed to assume the role of overseeing the YSOTP caseload. Judge Denenfeld brings approximately 10 years of experience handling ASOTP cases, and his addition to the program has strengthened both oversight and accountability for participants.
Many of the men who have participated in the Men’s Resource Center over its 25-year history have made significant progress in accountability and behavioral change through involvement with court-related diversion programs such as DVCCRT, now the Domestic Violence Action Network.
It’s one thing to be part of an established program and quite another to help build one from the ground up. But this is what we accomplished with YSTOP.
Getting this program off the ground felt like a heavy lift in many ways. But being a part of this court-related diversion program has been deeply gratifying. The cooperation and commitment required to make it a reality were extraordinary.
Creating a Successful Diversion Program
In 2014, then–State Representative David LaGrand challenged us as therapists to begin working on a similar program for young adults. Dave Berghuis of Berghuis Psychological Services, Randy Flood, Director of the Men’s Resource Center, and I began meeting to envision what it could look like. We consulted with Nick Bottomlee of ASOTP and learned how that program was structured and implemented.
Once we had an initial vision, we began discussing it with other stakeholders, namely the court system, and then Assistant Prosecutor Chris Becker. Over the next four years, the program took shape with Becker’s support, who, now as Chief Prosecutor, became the gatekeeper for applicants and advocated strongly for ensuring no one would be turned away due to lack of financial resources.
Fortunately, David LaGrand, who was serving as a State Representative at the time, assisted us in obtaining a state grant to support program costs. He now serves as Mayor of the City of Grand Rapids.
Prosecutor Becker’s gatekeeping involved analyzing the charges and seeking victim consent. Clinical intake and risk assessments were conducted by Dave Berghuis and Katy Pastoor to determine readiness and goodness-of-fit for the program.
Treatment services were provided by Berghuis and Associates and the Men’s Resource Center. At MRC, principal therapist Otha Brown worked with YSOTP clients, with support from Rebecca Buning, Becky Plantinga, and our practice manager, who assisted with the program’s administrative details.
Offering Transformative Services
What we discovered in the YSOTP clientele confirmed our initial hopes: These were largely under-socialized young men, receptive to treatment and guidance, rather than just hardened criminals. Through this work, we’ve been able to protect public safety, reduce risk, and offer transformative, growth-producing counseling to young men on the margins of society.
Since 2018, we’ve held monthly care team meetings to manage and support clients, track participation, and monitor recidivism.
Trusted attorneys like Jerry Lykins and Jeff Crampton, who had previously referred clients to MRC, became strong advocates in the program’s development. Jerry, in particular, has played a crucial role in keeping meeting minutes, planning agendas, and contributing to client discussions over an extended period.
The Public Defender’s office has also been very involved with YSOTP, both when Chris Dennie was at the helm and now with Attorney Julia Kelly becoming the new director of the Defender’s Office.
Probation officers have been essential to YSOTP’s practical implementation. JR LaFontsee has been a particularly strong supporter, offering regular feedback about client accountability and engagement during team meetings.
In 2019, Judge Paul Denenfeld formally assumed judicial oversight of YSOTP. His experience with ASOTP cases made him an ideal fit for ensuring the program’s success and legal rigor.
Offering Young Men a Way Up and Out
As I reflect on my upcoming retirement, I feel immense pride in what we’ve built together. YSOTP stands as a testament to what’s possible when legal, mental health, and community professionals come together with courage, compassion, and commitment.
It has been an honor to help launch a program that offers young men not just consequences, but the chance to transform, grow, and reenter society with greater accountability and hope. At the same time, the program helps fulfill our shared goal of securing public safety and protecting potential victims—demonstrating that rehabilitation and community protection are not mutually exclusive.
May its legacy continue to ripple through Kent County for years to come.
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