Behavioral Consulting Services
STRIDE provides Indiana Medicaid Waiver Services to individuals who have intellectual and developmental disabilities, dually diagnosed individuals, and those on the autism spectrum. Our services meet the needs of those we provide services to and are conducted in-home, the community, adult day programs, and work settings. These services include assessments, creation of effective behavioral support plans, development of effective interventions, training to implement those plans, and support for the individuals, families and their staff to aid with the achievement of their established goals.
All individuals deserve to live, love, work, learn, participate, play, and pursue their dreams. Our focus is to help individuals identify and remove barriers that interfere with the ability to achieve their dreams and goals. Our staff are highly skilled and experienced therapists and consultants who offer support services that teach positive skills necessary to achieve increased independence, intentionality, and happiness.
Behavior Management
At STRIDE we believe that a primary motivating factor in all human life is the desire to connect with others in a meaningful manner and that behavior is a form of communication. It is often the language that people with limited abilities or skills utilize to express their wants, needs, feelings, and emotions. Problem behavior is often an attempt to get needs met using ineffective or self-defeating methods. Our job is to see the behavior as information rather than aggravation. The first step in behavior change is to build a trusting, respectful and meaningful relationship with the individuals we work with. We want to help all individuals gain the skills, knowledge and supports necessary to meet their needs effectively. Behavior management is a method of ensuring successful goal achievement.
Behavior Management is a system that is based on the premise that problem behavior is learned over time and maintained by consequences in the environment. Teaching new skills or offering appropriate replacement behaviors are goals of behavior management. Behavior management is implemented by conducting assessments and designing behavior support plans to identify, reduce, and replace maladaptive behaviors. Consistency and repetition are key components to behavior change.
Assessments and Behavior Support Plans are completed to target problem behaviors and provide the team with methods to work with the individual to reduce poor choice making and increase personal happiness by teaching appropriate alternative behaviors.
I am different, not less
-Dr. Temple Grandin
Our team consists of talented, experienced therapists and consultants
Meet the TeamFunctional Assessments
Functional Assessments (FA) are conducted to assist in identifying problematic behaviors. The purpose of the assessment is to identify the functions of inappropriate behaviors. The Functional Assessment utilizes various techniques and strategies to aid with the identification of the purposes of specific behaviors. The purpose of the FA is to provide guidance in selecting effective interventions to address problem behaviors. The assessment may include behavioral assessments, interviews with families, consumers, members of their team, personal observation, review of past documentation, and behavioral data collection.
Behavior Support Plans
The results of the FA are incorporated into the Behavior Support Plan (BSP). Replacement Behaviors (RB) or positive behaviors are outlined in the BSP. A plan for teaching these behavioral changes is developed, implemented, and presented in the BSP. Once the BSP has been approved by members of the team, individuals working with the individual will be trained to effectively implement the plan. Replacement behavior training will occur through repetition, rehearsal, reinforcement, and role modeling. The BSP is a living document that changes and evolves based on the goals and needs of the individual. Data tracking and analysis are ongoing to reflect the effectiveness of the modifications based on measurable outcomes regarding the frequency, duration and intensity of the specified behavior.
Our Behavior Consultants hold a minimum of a Masters Degree in either of the following: Clinical Psychology, Counseling Psychology, School Psychology, another Applied Health Service area of Psychology, Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA), Special Education, Social Work, or Mental Health Counseling. Our Behavior Consultants are routinely supervised by experts in behavior management and are licensed psychologists and Health Service Providers in Psychology (HSPP).
Examples Of Target Behaviors Addressed
Target behaviors are described in observable and measurable terms for clear consistent data collection.
- Physical Aggression
- Verbal Aggression
- Self-injurious Behavior
- Inappropriate Social Skills
- Impaired Coping Skills
- Refusal/non-compliance
- Self-isolation
- Elopement
- Minimal Participation in Activities of Daily Living (ADL’s)
- Lack of Self Advocacy
- Dependent Behavior
- Compromised Expressive Communication
- Impaired Attention to Task
- Disruptive Behavior
- Agitation
- Argumentative Behavior