Your interest in community-based positive behavior support has led you to a helpful starting place. This information will help you determine whether positive behavior support is the right fit for your needs, access resources to learn more about the approach, and review options for next steps. Here are ways you could move forward:
Learn about positive behavior support, what it is and how it works for supporting individual needs and creating systems in which those supports are more likely to produce lasting results. If you are wondering if you are already using the principles of positive behavior support, check “Got Positive Behavior Support?” or complete this Self-Assessment of Positive Behavior Support Practices. For more detailed information, review the article “Positive Behavior Support: Evolution of an Applied Science”.
Next, determine what goals you would like to achieve through positive behavior support. These may include:
Consider who is already part of your “support team” (e.g., family members, friends, co-workers, members of the same community group, service providers, administrators). Do they know about positive behavior support and/or would they support the approach? If so, share information with them.
If needed, seek out additional professional support from one or more of the following:
Consider joining a local support group or connecting with others who are familiar with community-based positive behavior support through social networking. Some examples include:
You may be drawn to positive behavior support in hopes of reducing problem behavior. It is good to start small, and at the same time understand that positive behavior support begins and ends considering people’s quality of life. Problem behavior might be happening because of bigger issues (e.g., undesirable living situations, exclusion from family or friends, daily activities or employment that are a poor match). Think about ‘low hanging fruit’ – easy changes that can positively impact people’s lives.
Help those you support to determine their goals and expectations for behavior. Design supports with them so they can strive for goals that are meaningful, including learning to do new things and creating the home, social, community, and work lives they want. For a list of questions to get to know a person, visit OregonISP’s available forms and scroll down to “supporting questions”. Learn more about Person-Centered Planning to improve the likelihood that goals and supports are matched to an individual’s preferences.
Determine what patterns are affecting behavior. This can be done by simply paying attention to circumstances that happen before behavior and what people seem to get or avoid through their behavior (e.g., attention, items or activities, avoiding demands) or through a more complete functional behavior assessment with the support of people who are trained in this process.
Arrange environments to support positive behavior and reduce the chances of problem behavior. For example, help people organize their belongings or schedules to fit their needs, build reminders into their days, and surround themselves with people who will support them. Learn more about what might be affecting people’s behavior using a tool like the Positive Environment Checklist.
Respond to what the behavior is communicating rather than the form the problem behavior takes. Think about ways to acknowledge positive behavior that people would appreciate – like praise, special activities, or privileges, or reducing work. Follow activities people have a hard time doing or do not like to do with activities that are more enjoyable. Help people learn to express their needs appropriately or manage their own situations. Pick one routine that is important and/or challenging and start using these principles during that routine to start. For examples of routines, see the Family Routine Guide.
Track changes in behavior and progress towards your own goals. Assist people you support to do the same! Change is hard and you both deserve to see the results of your hard work and have a chance to celebrate these changes together.
Access additional resources to guide you through the positive behavior support process.
Videos to support families you work with to teach skills and handle challenges during routines at home.
Supporting children’s behavior:
Locate published books on positive behavior support for families and other evidence-based programs for improving children’s behavior and family functioning.
