MEDIA Room

ODTC IMPLEMENTS POSITIVE BEHAVIORAL SUPPORT

Positive Behavioral Support (PBS) is a systematic, team-based and assessment-based problem solving method aimed at supporting people with developmental disabilities who display challenging behaviors. Positive Behavioral Support is a method which involves attempts to understand and consider all factors that influence behavior. The approaches can be varied and are adapted to the individual needs of the person, and include: a positive and structured environment, teaching of skills, a focus on strengths and positive behaviors, enhancing relationships and connections in the person's life, and a quality education.

Goals include:

• Providing a safe environment where individuals are supported in developing skills in self management.
• Preparing the person to live as independently as possible by teaching social, coping and living skills.
• Developing intervention plans for problem behaviors that promote skill development and relationship building, and designed to inhibit or reduce problem behavior

Guiding Principles of Positive Behavioral Support:

• Respecting the rights of all people, and treating others with dignity and in ways they want to be treated
• Utilizing person-centered planning, building on the strengths of the individual person.
• Assessing and understanding why problem behaviors occur, and the function of these behaviors.

Some of the Tools used in Positive Behavioral Support:

• Using positive methods to support functional replacement behaviors.
• Using positive methods to support the person before they engage in a problematic behaviors.
• Offering environments that support people and offering activities they enjoy participating in.
• Engaging in positive interactions with clients in order to further build relationships.
• Using Functional Behavioral Assessment. this is the systematic process of gaining information about the purpose of the problematic behavior. Included are treatment approaches related to changing systems, changing environments, teaching skills and focusing on positive behaviors.