WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP TO CREATE A STATE-WIDE PBIS IMPLEMENTATION PLAN: PERSPECTIVES OF EXTERNAL SUPPORTERS AND THE ROLE OF PBIS COACHES IN JUVENILE FACILITIES

Brenda Scheuermann, Ph.D.• Texas State University

Tichelle Bruntmyer, M.Ed.• University of Missouri

C. Michael Nelson, Ed. D.• University of Kentucky (emeritus)

Session ObjectivesParticipants will:

1. Learn about PBIS in the Texas Juvenile Justice Department’s state-level facilities.

2. Learn about specific coaching activities used to support PBIS implementation in secure care juvenile facilities.

3. Gain knowledge of coaching facilitators, or factors that increase the effectiveness of coaching activities.

4. Learn about coaching barriers, or factors that impede effectiveness of coaching activities.

5. Acquire an understanding of recommended coaching structures and personnel.

Who are we?• Brenda Scheuermann

• Coordinates of Graduate Programs in Behavioral Disorders/Positive Behavior Supports at Texas State University

• Provides technical assistance for the Texas Juvenile Justice Department• Education • State Programs

• Tichelle Bruntmyer• Special Education lecturer, Texas State University• Doctoral Candidate, University of Missouri

Texas Juvenile Justice Department• Oversees all stages of post-adjudication

• Short- and long-term detention• Probation• Parole

• Education and State Programs• Distinct and separate programs• Trying to improve collaboration and coordination

• Education• Oversees all education programs: Special Education, vocational

education, 504, GED, RtI, etc.

• Many agency changes since 2009

About the Texas Juvenile Justice Department (TJJD)

• 2013 Average Daily Population = 1,109• 6 secure facilities

• Gainesville = 252• McLennan County

• McLennan RTC (64)• McLennan Long-term (192)• Phoenix Program (24)

• Evins (136)• Ron Jackson

• Ron Jackson O & A (112)• Ron Jackson Long-Term (96)

• Giddings (208)

About TJJD, continued• 2013

• Burglary – 21%• Aggravated assault – 11%• Simple assault – 10%• Aggravated robbery – 10%

• Ethnicity• Anglo = 18%• African-American = 35%• Hispanic = 46%• Other = 1%

• Gender• Male = 92%• Female = 8%

About TJJD, continued• Age at commitment

• Age 12 or under = 1%• Age 13 = 3%• Age 14 = 9%• Age 15 = 20%• Age 16 = 43%• Age 17 = 23%• Age 18 = 2%

• Median age (2011) = 16

Mean Length of Stay• 2011

• New admissions = 18 months• All intakes = 15.9 months

• 2013• New admissions = 18.3 months• All intakes = 16.4 months

Placement• Boys

• Placed by treatment need (Capital and Serious Violent Offenders; Sex Offenders; Chemical Dependence; Mental Health)

• Prior to 2013: • One facility for mental health treatment• Crisis Stabilization Unit for severe mental health needs

• Girls• Placed in one facility – assigned to dorms by treatment need

• Mental Health Treatment Program

SB 1362: 2009

TJJD PBIS Initiative Chronology

Education

2010 – presentContract with Texas State, Dr. Nelson

External Special Education Coaches

External PBIS Coaches

Technical Assistance

2012 – presentTJJD PBIS Coordinator (Education)

2013 – 2014: Extensive Review

TJJD PBIS Initiative Chronology

State Programs

2014: Contract with Texas State

External PBIS Coach

Technical Assistance

2014 – TJJD PBIS Coordinator (State Programs)

PBIS COACHING IN JUVENILE SECURE CARE

Key questions1. What is “coaching”?

2. Why is coaching needed?

3. How is coaching done?

4. What skills do coaches need?

5. What do we know about facilitators for and barriers to effective coaching?

What is coaching?• A critical component in acquiring new skills and producing

generalized behavior change as part of new education initiatives (Joyce & Showers, 1982)

• Occurs directly and indirectly after initial training, with the people implementing the new skills

• Improves fidelity of implementation through• Active, repeated prompts• Modeling• Positive feedback, and • Corrective feedback to reduce errors (Horner, 2009).

• Essential to sustained implementation with fidelity (Horner, 2009; and others)

Why is coaching needed?• Administrators, support personnel, and direct care staff are

attempting to apply tools that are based on advanced behavioral principles, concepts, and techniques• Modeling• Shaping• Positive reinforcement• Stimulus control• Behavior reduction principles and techniques• Data-based decision making

• There is a tendency to focus on the most obvious components, such as reinforcement systems

• Old habits die hard!

How is coaching done?• Direct, on site

• Immediate prompts and feedback• Coach can use all observational data to make decisions about

coaching needs• Environmental enhancements• Adult-youth interactions

• Indirect• Can be used for technical assistance

• Can youth bring/take Cougar Cash when they transfer on/off dorm?• We’re going through Cougar Store items too fast. Should we reduce number

of Cougar Cash tokens given?

• Can be used to focus attention on critical elements• How many security referrals were there from café last month?• What rules lessons have been taught? When? Who is teaching the lessons?• How are you reminding youth about rules before each activity?

How is coaching done, continued• Modeling

• Model critical techniques during training• Communicate expectations• Review expectations• Reinforce expectation-following behavior• Use prompts and reminders• Use verbal acknowledgements

• Coaching tools• Verbal prompts• Support materials

• Scripts• Videos• Detailed instructions

• Written feedback• Positive reinforcement (certificates, written comments)

2010: Coaches

•External Coaches – Served 2 – 3 facilities• Provide technical assistance, models, • Development and Implementation of PBIS

• Internal Coaches - one per facility • Organize• Facilitate • Lead PBIS Efforts • Work with External PBIS & Special Ed

Coaches

2010: External PBIS Coaches

• 6 half-time positions• 1 full-time position• Make on-site visits• Maintain close contact with internal coaches

• Provide models, feedback• Conduct or assist with PBIS team meetings• Conduct assessments

2010: Special Education Coaches

• 2 full-time positions & 2 half-time positions• Advanced training and experience in applied behavior

analysis, PBIS• BCBA (certified or in-progress)

• Conduct behavioral assessments and develop interventions for five identified youth per facility

• Ensure fidelity of intervention implementation• Develop protocols and templates for monitoring students

at targeted and tertiary levels

AN EXPLORATORY SURVEY OF THEPERCEIVED VALUE OF COACHING ACTIVITIES TO SUPPORT PBIS IMPLEMENTATION IN SECUREJUVENILE EDUCATION SETTINGSScheuermann, Duchaine, Bruntmyer, Wang, Nelson, & Lopez (2013).

2011 survey of TJJD PBIS team members and TxState external coaches about coaching activities during 2010-2011 PBIS initiative

What do we know about facilitators for effective coaching?

PBIS Team Members• Administrator support• External coach available in-person and by email and

telephone

External Coaches• Guidance from university supervisor• Established and functioning PBIS team• Knowledgeable internal coach

What do we know about barriers to effective coaching?

PBIS Team Members• Attitudes

• Direct-care staff view expectations for PBIS as unrealistic, insufficient, or incompatible with their philosophy

• Insufficient buy-in from administrators, staff• Logistical barriers

• Multiple shifts• Corrections versus Education • Time for meeting, planning, carrying out PBIS duties• Need for training

• Confusing initiatives and programs within agency• Coaches with insufficient knowledge about juvenile

corrections

Barriers, continued

External Coaches• Lack of buy-in or active resistance• Competition with other initiatives• Insufficient central office leadership

LET’S HEAR FROM A COACH!Experiences and recommendations

What skills do coaches in secure care facilities need?• Broad and deep understanding of systems-level PBIS

principles, concepts, and practices• Advanced knowledge of individual-level PBIS concepts

and practices• Understanding of juvenile corrections – Systems,

priorities, limitations• Education - Understanding of best practices in

instruction and classroom management• State programs – Understanding of security issues,

correctional officers’ training, treatment programs and related personnel, organizational structures and hierarchies

The role of a PBIS coach in JJ• Provide a “big picture” perspective

• Maintain objectivity with regard to student behavior and need

• Provide data-based decision making expertise with regard to behavior and academics

• Support and facilitate cohesion among various initiatives

How coaching compliments a statewide initiative

• University-based coaches provided continuity of care across the agency

• Again, external coaches can maintain higher levels of objectivity

• Data collection and analysis expertise facilitates data-based decisions, as well as accurate fidelity and outcome measures

• Expertise in academic instruction, students with severe challenging behavior, and both school-wide and individual PBIS meet a variety of needs in a number of settings

Lessons learned• Buy-in: the Achilles heel of PBIS in JJ

• Support needs of students and staff are similar to those in traditional schools, only more pervasive

• The need to understand competing initiatives and the role of all other professionals in the building

• Building relationships is crucial and often difficult

• Present all data in the most positive light

• Remain respectfully resolute - firm in conviction and direction, yet always considerate of the expertise and experience of the agency staff

CURRENT STATUS OF PBIS IN TJJD

PBIS

• Education• Continuous implementation

since 2010• 2010-2011

• External and internal coaches• Technical assistance

• 2011-2012• Internal coaches• Technical assistance

• 2013 – present• PBIS Coordinator• Technical assistance

• 2014• Internal coaches

• State Programs• 2014 – Decision to

adopt PBIS facility-wide, in state-level programs

TJJD State PBIS Leadership Team

• Representatives from each TJJD division:• Education• Treatment• Correctional Staff• Assessment• Special Education

• Meet monthly• Coordinate & oversee the PBIS initiative

PBIS CoordinatorsEducation•Full-time•Background in special education•Leads all PBIS planning and training activities

State Programs•Half-time•Learning about PBIS as we go•Leads all PBIS planning and implementation activities

Education

•Universal tier fully implemented in all facilities

•Tier 2 supports and procedures ready for training

•Tier 3 in development

PBIS Teams

Rules Matrices: Education, Dorms

Staff Expectations Matrix

Lesson Plans

Acknowledgement Systems: Education

Acknowledgement Systems: Dorms

Discipline ReferralForm (Education)

FET Scores – Education (2011, 2014)

Ron J

acks

on

Corsic

ana/

MRTC

Gidd

ings

Evins

Mar

t II

Gain

esvil

le0

102030405060708090

100

2011 AverageSummer 2014

Coaching

Education• PBIS Coordinator does all external coaching activities• Technical assistance from Brenda Scheuermann and Mike

Nelson• Internal coaches are being hired

Dorms• Scheuermann and one other external coach

Coaching activities• Meeting with leadership teams• Training

• Central office personnel• Direct care staff• Trainers

• On-site visits• Structured observation checklists• Written feedback• Certificates to acknowledge “high-fidelity” PBIS-related behaviors

• Support materials for staff• Scripts for lessons, precorrection• Videos that model how to give positive feedback• Detailed instructions for implementing each component

• Indirect support

PBIS Implementation Checklist

QUESTIONS TO GUIDE PLANNING

RECOMMENDATIONS

Questions to Guide Planning1. What is the scope of your PBIS initiative?

• One facility versus many facilities• Dorms only or education only versus facility-wide• Universal tier only versus all tiers• What problems are you trying to solve?

2. What internal resources are available?• Staff with behavioral expertise (psychologists, counselors, case workers,

behavior specialists, etc.)• Consider central office staff, itinerant staff, and facility staff

3. What external resources are available?• University partner?• Regional education service centers?• IMPACT resources• PBIS.org

Recommendations• Invest in extensive support in the beginning, with an eye on

building internal capacity• Training• On-site coaching

• Develop a long-range implementation plan, with target goals, dates, and benchmarks

• Develop a robust evaluation plan• Efficacy• Fidelity• Social validity• Cost effectiveness• Long-term impact

• Identify who will be in charge at every level (dorm, facility, central office)

Resources

• National PBIS Technical Assistance Center• www.pbis.org

• Integrating and Mobilizing Preventive Actions for Collaborative Tiered youth supports (IMPACT)

Contact Information• Brenda Scheuermann

• brenda@txstate.edu• 512-245-2267

• Tichelle Bruntmyer• tichelle@txstate.edu• 512-245 - 2157