Behavior Support Program
About:
Kootenay Family Place Behavior Support Services are intended to provide individual behavior support to children and youth who have been diagnosed with Pervasive Development Disorders, including Autism, Autism Spectrum Disorder and Asperger's Syndrome. The program is designed to increase the child's capacity to pursue their own goals and participate as full and valued citizens in their communities.
The objective of Kootenay Family Place Behavior Support Services is to assist families in their attempts to understand and support their child with Pervasive Development Disorder to develop to their maximum potential. The Behavior Consultant works with the family and child/youth to assess each child and family’s functioning to develop an Initial Action Plan and a Behavior Support Plan that will address maladaptive behaviors of the child/youth or their support network and will recommend a course of action to promote adaptive behaviors within each child and family’s ability.
Behavior Support Services are also intended to support families of children and youth diagnosed with Pervasive Development Disorder to increase the capacity of family to respond effectively to their child and his/her specific challenges both at home and in the community and to increase their ability to integrate the Behavior Plans into the family’s existing support structure.
What ages are eligible for services?
Children and youth ages 6 to 19 years, who reside in the West Kootenay Boundary Region.
How do I get services?
All referrals are through the Ministry for Children and Family Development, Children and Youth with Special Needs Social Workers. Families will be referred to MCFD Chidlren and Youth with Special Needs Social Workers upon diagnosis with the BC Autism Assessment Network. The Social Worker will then inform families of services available for their child and help them with applying for Autism Funding.
Where do the services take place?
Services may be provided in any venue that is relevant to the child's needs. This includes, but is not limited to, the child's home, school, communty programs, recreation and leisure facilities, churches, day care, homes of extended family and/or friends.
What happens in the Program?
Informal assessments by the parents, child/youth, caregivers or involved professionals are undertaken in order to determine the areas of need or concern. Such assessments will help to clarify any issues of concern and provide the consultant with the information needed to establish programs and strategies. The assessment will be specific to the child or youth as well as the setting. The child's strengths and needs will be identified as well as factors in the environment that may be influencing the child's behaviour.
Treatment will offer systematic and well-researched approaches to teaching appropriate behaviours and decreasing inappropriate behaviours, including but not limited to:
- Positive Behaviour Supports - Visual supports, Structured Teaching, Physical structures
- Applied Behaviour Analysis - Discrete Trial Training
- Relationship Development Intervention Therapy
- Greenspan-Floortime - Integrated Play - Social Skills Training
- Picture Exchange Communication - Augmentative Communication
- Sensory Integration
- Social Stories - Comic Strip Conversations - Social Autopsies
Contact:
Teri Ferworn, Behavior Consultant
Kootenay Family Place Behavior Support Services
Neighbourhood House, Box 3144
Castlegar, BC V1N 3H4
250-365-5616 ext 257 or 1-888-644-5616
fax 150-265-5792
behaviorsupport.kfp@telus.net
Behavior Support Resource Library
Links:
www.actbc.ca for parent resources and training opportunities
www.kbas.ca for parent support network
for autism funding info & forms
http://www.cf.gov.bc.ca/autism/programs/forms.htm
http://www.cf.gov.bc.ca/autism/index.htm
for autism checklists
www.autism.com/ari/atec
www.autismcanada.org/chat.htm
