Using a standard battery of assessment instruments (MMPI, Woodcock-Johnson, Trauma Symptoms Checklist for Children) and clinical evaluations, youth undergo a comprehensive assessment and evaluation upon admission to YDI, including compilation and review of existing records. This comprehensive assessment will be used to formulate the Individual Development Plan (IDP) that will guide delivery of services in all other areas. In addition, these assessments provide a baseline by which progress in treatment may be objectively measured.

In addition to the standard admission assessments, YDI Journey clinicians conduct specialized assessments of sexual history and interest, including the Abel Screen of Sexual Interest, Abel Sexual Inventory and the J-SOAP-II. The J-SOAP-II is a checklist developed to review risk factors that have been identified in the professional literature as being associated with sexual offending for males between the ages of 12 and 18 years old. During the course of treatment, evaluations may also include polygraph examinations to encourage full disclosure of offensive behavior and sexual history, as well as to verify non-offending behavior while in treatment.

Group Counseling emphasizes peer helping and uses a cognitive behavioral approach. Youth are guided, by the use of the Pathways workbook and other cognitive-behavioral techniques, to examine issues surrounding their sexually abusive behavior, including developing victim empathy, controlling deviant sexual urges, avoiding triggers, interrupting distorted thinking and the offense cycle, and developing positive sexuality.

Youth participate in individual counseling with clinicians as indicated by a youth’s IDP. It is specifically anticipated that youth participate in a minimum of one hour of individual counseling each month as an adjunct to Group Counseling.

Unless contraindicated, youth and families participate in Family Counseling as specified in the youth’s IDP. A family systems approach, emphasizing developing appropriate supervision and boundaries within the home, is emphasized. It is specifically anticipated that most families will have a minimum of two hours of family counseling each month with weekly telephone contact by the therapist as an adjunct to counseling sessions.

In partnership with Essential Theatre, YDI offers training and participation in psychodrama as an adjunct to the treatment process for youth in the Journey program. Members of the theater company provide Playback Theatre, experience and training in psychodrama and role-playing techniques for both youth and staff.

Skills Training is integrated with both the psychoeducational program and the therapeutic recreation program. Using Keys to Innervisions as primary curricula, Skills Training focuses on developing the competencies and skills needed to live successfully as a productive citizen in our society. Activities of daily living are also used as formats for teaching and training in communication, interpersonal skills, anger management, impulse control, self-regulation and teamwork. If assigned to the program on weekends, the caseworkers assist youth in selecting recreational activities and locations that meet probation guidelines.

The primary curriculum for the Journey Program is the Pathways workbook published by Safer Society Press and/or other workbooks by the same author, Timothy Kuhn, (such as Roadmaps or Footprints) if these versions are more developmentally appropriate.

The Pathways workbook is now in its Fourth Edition, published in 2011 by Safer Society Press and incorporates the current "practice wisdom" for working with youth with sexual behavior problems. The Pathways workbook is a Cognitive Behavioral approach that is widely used with youth who have sexual behavior problems.

The curriculum is divided into three primary goals: Honesty, Understanding, and Transitions. Clinical staff will also be responsible to develop additional individualized treatment goals specific to the problem areas/ needs of each youth. Implementation of the Pathways Guidelines is not intended to be a "one size fits all", but is to be individualized to address primary treatment needs for youth with sexual behavior problems.