Positive Behavior Support - About Us

Leading Positive Behavior Support for All

The Association for Positive Behavior Support (APBS) is the home for people who are passionate about using PBS to change lives. We work across settings – school, family, community and systems – to make a real, meaningful difference in the lives of people with complex support needs.

Our members represent those who provide and those who receive PBS services, such as K-12 education professionals, mental health professionals and clinicians, researchers, professors, family members of people who need and receive PBS services, as well as those champions whose work supports kids, families and individuals.

Our Focus

At APBS, our focus is on the practical benefits of positive behavior support. We aim to foster the development of productive behaviors that support the achievement of life goals such as social relationships, employment, academic achievement, functional life skills, self-determination, health, and safety. Our approach is centered on the prevention and reduction of challenging or interfering behaviors, from low-level disruption and noncompliance to destructive behaviors such as aggression and self-injury. We firmly believe that through the competent and skilled use of PBS, and by focusing on humane, constructive, and educationally oriented strategies, all individuals, including those with complex behavioral challenges, can make significant progress towards these goals.

Positive behavior support (PBS) is a powerful tool that can be used by a wide range of support providers. PBS has been proven effective in preventing problem behaviors from developing and in meeting the needs of individuals with the most complex and challenging behaviors. At APBS, we are committed to enhancing the capacity and skills of school personnel, service providers, and families. Our goal is to equip them with the knowledge and resources to deliver behavior supports that are effective and contribute to an improved quality of life. By making positive behavior support practices and systems more accessible, we can empower all individuals, including those with complex needs and disabilities, to achieve their life goals in the vocation and community of their choice, and to be surrounded by their desired family and friends.

When individuals experience complex behavior challenges, the challenges should and can be resolved within their community and by a team of knowledgeable and caring providers rather than resorting to more intrusive and aversive strategies. We take a person-centered approach to ensure that individuals, and the people leading the process, have a voice in the goals developed. We, as practitioners, leverage PBS to support individuals and systems through enhanced collaboration and expertise to design effective positive behavior supports that maintain the individual’s dignity and preferred lifestyle. We believe that the result will not simply be a reduction in challenging behaviors, but also an improved social climate within schools and communities.

What is Positive Behavior Support?

Learn how positive behavior support transforms lives and explore its powerful application for all ages and in all settings. Join APBS today to access valuable resources and a network of professionals dedicated to improving lives through the principles of positive behavior support.

APBS Approach

We are a multidisciplinary organization made up of teachers, researchers, university professors, social workers, psychologists, school counselors, board-certified behavior analysts, administrators, family members, and beneficiaries who are committed to the application of positive behavior support within the context of the school, family, and community including across systems, including entire schools, organizations, for small groups, and individuals with complex support needs.

We believe in a set of processes that combines research from social, behavioral, and biomedical science and applies that information to the individual and/or their systems to reduce behavioral challenges and improve their quality of life. Both system-wide and individualized interventions used in positive behavior support are empirically documented and can be used by a wide range of support providers.

Mission Statement

At APBS, we aim to enhance individuals’ quality of life through the promotion of evidence-based and effective positive behavior support to realize socially valid and equitable outcomes for them and their families, schools, agencies, and communities.

Vision Statement

We connect members worldwide and serve as their primary resource for positive behavior support. We support networking, education, and learning opportunities for professionals who want to continue advancing the field and making an impact on the individuals and communities they serve.

Equity Statement

Our work informs individuals, institutions, and organizations through systems development and strategies to disrupt interpersonal and institutional inequity, discrimination, and racism. We promote equitable and meaningful outcomes for all. We are committed to equity, human rights, and social justice for historically marginalized and oppressed communities, families, practitioners, and students.

APBS Core Values

We Believe...

Empowered Decision Making.

We leverage a data-driven approach with data as the cornerstone of decision-making processes within the association. This approach involves strategically employing data at every level of the organization. This fosters an environment where data is not just an asset, but also the main driver of strategy, innovation, and operational choices.

Always Be You.

We celebrate uniqueness and individuality. Valuing everyone’s authentic self is not just part of the work we do, it is about the awareness and respect of the person doing it and building relationships with the community we serve. By combining personal and professional knowledge, we are able to deliver a personal, humanized service experience that displays the value our members bring to the PBS community in professional and personal settings.

Lift Others Up: A Commitment to Systems Change.

Together, we can do more and be more. For systems to effectively support PBS, they must be proactive, inclusive, flexible, and respectful of diversity.