Terry Richardson, MSW, LCSW, NBCCH
Terry has worked in mental health since 1991, beginning with graduate school, he worked on several inpatient psychiatric units at hospitals in the Kansas City area. After receiving his Masters Degree in 1995, he spent several years working in the Kansas Correctional System, first as a mental health professional at Lansing Correctional Facility, then as Mental Health Coordinator at Topeka Correctional Facility.
In 1999 Terry relocated to Joplin but continued to work in Kansas in the neighboring city of Pittsburg as a family therapist with a privatized foster care system. As the result of his employer not being awarded the contract for renewal, Terry decided to take a break from his role as a clinician.
Following the events of 9-11-01 Terry felt compelled to re-enter the provider arena and began providing weekend psychotherapy groups for a regional hospital.
In 2002 he responded to a need expressed by the Joplin Municipal Court administrator regarding an alternative sentencing option to the 450 arrests being made annually for charges of misdemeanor theft, primarily shoplifting. Terry began reading all of the research on shoplifting and made the decision to create a program that would provide a positive learning experience, hence "Positive Returns" was born. Within a week of presenting the program proposal to the court, he received a resounding YES! to his proposal, creating an option for alternative sentencing and the court immediately began ordering defendants to register and complete the program.
Now, over nine years later, the program has an enviable track record of approximately greater than 70% completion rate with less than 5% recidivism!!
Yes, those are great statistics!!
Contact Information:
Healthepath Associates
608 S. Pearl Avenue
Joplin, MO 64801
Phone: (417) 626-7900
Fax: (417) 626-7903
health@healthepath.com
Office Hours:
Monday - Friday 8:30AM to 5:30PM
Our Founder: CEO of HEALTHePATH
and developer of the Positive Returns Program
