Community SupportsPositive Behavior Support in the Community

The Children’s Placement Enhancement Project

The Boggs Center provides training and technical assistance to organizations participating in the Children’s Placement Enhancement Project (C-PEP). C-PEP is funded by the NJ Division of Developmental Disabilities to increase community capacity to support children who present extremely challenging problem behaviors who either are currently placed out of state or are at-risk for placement out of state. The Boggs Center offers Positive Behavioral Support (PBS) workshops and provides technical assistance to provider organizations in order to complete Functional Behavior Assessments, as well as to develop, implement, and adapt proactive intervention plans.

What is Positive Behavior Support?

Positive Behavior Support (PBS) is an evidence-based practice for addressing issues of problem behavior among persons with intellectual or developmental disabilities.  PBS is a problem-solving approach that focuses on reducing the frequency of undesired behaviors and improving the quality of life for individuals.  The term is often associated with techniques based on a systematic approach to understanding why a behavior makes sense to the individual and the use of interventions that focus on changing antecedents in order to prevent problem behaviors, rather than relying solely on manipulating consequences to manage behavior.

Training on Positive Behavior Support

The Boggs Center offers three workshops on PBS.  These workshops are mandatory for all C-PEP providers.  Workshops are offered in locations around the state.

View current workshop dates and register online

The following team members should attend all three workshops:

• Agency administrators/quality assurance personnel
• Unit or program director
• Behavior specialist
• Direct support staff

Basic Positive Behavior Supports for Individuals with Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities (Two Day Training)

• To be completed by agency personnel prior to the start of CPEP services
• Focus on environmental supports
• Introduction to Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA)
• Use of FBA findings to develop intervention strategies

Applied Strategies for Implementing Positive Behavior Support with Individuals with Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities
(Two Day Training)

• To be completed within two months after completing Basic Positive Behavior Support
• Greater focus on specific FBA techniques
• More case illustration
• Detailed support and intervention planning

Mental Health Supports for Individuals with Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities (One Day Training)

• To be completed by agency personnel prior to the start of CPEP services
• Review the relationship between mental health and/or mental illness and problem behavior
• Focus on coordinating behavior interventions with therapeutic supports

The Boggs Center Technical Support

Pre-placement assessment

• Records review
• Observation – home, school, current residence
• Interview – parents, teachers, caregivers
• Define the challenging behavior
• Describe the function of the challenging behavior
• Identify support needs and make preliminary recommendations for intervention

Technical assistance

• We provide technical assistance to agency staff in assessing and supporting individuals, and to agency administration in program development activities.

Project Director: Dan Baker, PhD
Project Manager: Phil Smith, PhD
Project Staff: Melissa Cheplic, Joyce Jelley, Michelle Mead, Renee Rodkey, Jessica Short
Support Staff: Gail Dipane Phone: 732-235-9300 Fax: 732-235-9330

The Boggs Center also provides extensive training and technical assistance in educational settings. View Positive Behavior Support in Schools.