1 Taking Positive Behavior Support to Scale in Juvenile Justice Settings C. Michael Nelson University of Louisville Jeffrey R. Sprague University of Oregon

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Taking Positive Behavior Support to Scale in Juvenile Justice Settings

C. Michael Nelson

University of Louisville

Jeffrey R. Sprague

University of Oregon

Cynthia Martin

NC Department of Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention

Taking PBS to Scale in Juvenile Justice Settings

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Agenda

• What “going to scale” means• Public Schools• Juvenile justice settings

• Exemplar presentation• NC Department of Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention

• Discussion


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Going to Scale with PBS

• Public Schools• Building• District• State

• National– OSEP– Samsha– NIH

• Juvenile Justice• Program• Facility• System (State)

• National– OJJDP– NASDSE


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Core Features of SW-PBS Relative to Scaling Up

1. Establishment of local implementation capacity

2. Continuous self-assessment1. Intervention fidelity2.Student outcomes

3. Evaluation and integration of multiple behavior-related initiatives

4. A commitment to long-term effort(Sugai, Horner, & McIntosh, in press)


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Questions to ask

• How can we make our behavior support process – Help students accept responsibility?– Place high value on academic engagement

and achievement?– Teach alternative ways to behave?– Focus on restoring the environment and

social relationships in the school?


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School-wide Systems of Positive Behavior Support

• Incorporate best practice in professional development and system change (teams)

• Emphasizes the use of assessment information to guide intervention and management decisions (Blueprint, EBS Survey, www.SWIS.org )

• Focus on increasing the contextual fit between problem context and what we know works

• Focus on establishing school environments that support long-term success of effective practices (3-5 years)


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School-wide Systems of Positive Behavior Support

• Local initiatives tie into district/state/national goals

• Expectations for student behavior are defined by a building-based team with all staff input

• Positive behavior support is implemented consistently by staff and administration through an instructional approach (Teach & Practice)

• Student behavior is monitored and staff receive regular feedback

• Positive behavior support strategies are designed to meet the needs of all students


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Lessons Learned• Plan for sustained implementation & expansion early &

formally• Invest in & adapt evidence-based practices to local

context• Give priority to relevant, measurable outcomes• Treat school as basic unit for change, & districts/states as

main organizational units• Establish demonstrations & data to enhance

understanding• Invest early in local implementation capacity

– District/state coordinator– Coaches

• Emphasize continuous regeneration for efficacy, relevance, priority, & fidelity

• Positively reinforce successive approximations of implementer behavior


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The core features of PBS in JJ

• Emphasis on prevention• Adoption of evidence-based practices

(especially function-based behavior support)

• Development of the systems needed to support and sustain effective practices – Especially the role of the coach– Emphasis on local capacity – Data-based decision making at the local

level – Adaptation of the procedures to fit each

local context.


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How are these features different in JJ contexts

• Staff come from very different backgrounds with very different assumptions about problem behavior

• Security and safety are much more important

• Very high risk population: challenging to staff


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Implications

• Greater need to define and teach behavioral expectations • Make the environment (a) predictable (b) consistent, (c) safe,

and (d) positive• High need for active instruction on appropriate behaviors.

– Because kids already have learned wrong-way…you need multiple trials, and training to fluency

• High potential for peer-based deviancy training – Focus on contingencies in which all benefit when each does well

• Data – Need additional outcome measures (e.g. incident reports…

physical restraint incidents..)• Extra need for teamwork

– Because environment is high-risk…staff need to work well with each other.

– Staff members need to be able to predict and depend on each other

– Greater likelihood that support is provided 24 hours…so link staff development across day.


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Facility-Level PBS Teams

• Team is different– School, law enforcement, mental health, ????

• meets monthly at school– Continuous assessment of school progress and problems– Implement discipline systems

• Team provides staff training/coaching across the year and is continuously available

• Team gives status report monthly to all staff– Office Referral patterns and updates– Successes and Concerns


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Begin with the end in mind

• The goals of an initiative for JJS should focus first on student outcomes

• There should then be goals related to features of the JJS setting

• There should then be goals related to behavior of staff

• Establish an initiative that will produce durable effects

• Never train teams without training the coaches and trainers who will sustain the effort.


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Goals

• Improved behavior• Improving educational

outcomes• Creating a safe culture and

environment• Better transition supports• Reducing recidivism


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Goals

• Develop system for working with client behavior (staff too!)– Continuum of consequences (+/-)– Universal tone/ basic steps (i.e., de-escalation,

etc.)

• Develop a comprehensive, coherent, rewarding, effective training system– Evaluation, rewards for performance

• Developing well paced achievable timeline for implementation


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Non-school

Systems

ClassroomSystems

Individual Student

Systems

Facility-wideSystems

Facility-Wide Positive Behavioral Support Programs


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Data Collection

North Carolina Juvenile Online Information Network (NC-JOIN)

• database of information that can aid in analyzing student demographics, behavior alerts, infractions, hearing results, person submitting behavior report, location of infraction, etc.


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Obstacles

• Funding• Buy-in• Staff Relationships• Moving beyond Universals• Conflicting Initiatives • Turnover• Standardization


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Addressing Issues

Funding

Streamline Initiatives

Creative Incentives

Support from Department of Instruction


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Addressing Issues

Buy-in

All Levels of Management Behind Initiative

Student Results

Change Results

Communication


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Core Teams

Representative of all branches of Department

o Teacherso Counselorso Psychologistso Hearing Officerso Social Workerso Securityo Center for Prevention of School Violenceo Intervention/Preventiono Educational Serviceso Staff Development Trainerso Chief of Staff Officeo Directors


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Addressing Issues

Staff Relationships

Communication

TET Training/Paradigm Shift

Equal Representation on Committees


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TET Training

The therapeutic environment:• Creates a structured setting

focused on therapeutic activities;• Promotes positive relationships

between youth and staff;• Reinforces youth skill acquisition

through focused staff-youth interactions; and

• Provide opportunities for youth to practice in establishing new patterns of values, thoughts, and behaviors.


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TET Training

Motivation Enhancemen

t Therapy

Model ofCare

Clear Systemic Understanding of Goal: Therapeutic Environment

Adequate Strong Team Staff Leadership Work

Positive Behavior Support

Therapeutic Environment Training

(IMS + Core)


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Addressing Issues

Moving beyond Universals

Combining Efforts

Educating all Staff

Networking between all Youth Development Centers


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Addressing Issues

Conflicting Initiatives

Combining of Initiatives with Same Goals


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Combining of Initiatives

Secretary’sYouth

LeadershipAcademy

PerformanceBased

Standards

InterimMotivational

System

Canteen

PositiveBehaviorSupport

PerformanceRedirectionCommittee


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Addressing Issues

Turnover

TET Training as part of New Employee Orientation Training

Future TET component in BasicTraining for all new employees

Appeal to new employees tobecome member of PBS


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Addressing Issues

Standardization

Legislative Mandates

Policy & Procedures

Safety & Security


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Lessons Learned

• Leadership support from all levels is crucial for PBS success

• There should be extensive student involvement in the planning and implementation of PBS

• PBS is a strong motivational component that has an effect on the most negative behavior


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Q&A Session

Documents

1 Taking Positive Behavior Support to Scale in Juvenile Justice Settings C. Michael Nelson University of Louisville Jeffrey R. Sprague University of Oregon