Positive Behavior Support Program Activities

The Positive Behavior Support Program has six main activities: PBS brainstorming, technical assistance and mentoring, person-centered planning, short-term individual assistance, Triple P, and training and continuing education opportunities.

If you have trouble accessing any of the following forms, please contact Angela Demoss.

PBS Brainstorming

A one-hour brainstorming session with a positive behavior support specialist from the Positive Behavior Support (PBS) to discuss specific ways to implement PBS strategies for an individual. This service is available to anyone in West Virginia interested in positive behavior support or anyone serving a WV resident with an intellectual/developmental disability, traumatic brain injury, and/or serious emotional disturbance.

Eligibility Requirements:

Be a resident of WV or be a caregiver of a WV resident.

Click here for the PBS Brainstorming Application

Technical Assistance and Mentoring

We provide technical assistance and mentoring to help professionals and teams find solutions for challenging behaviors. This consists of providing remote guidance and feedback to professionals conducting functional behavior assessments and developing behavior support plans or leading team brainstorming activities. When an individual who is already receiving behavior support services requests individual assistance, we will work with the individual’s team to provide technical assistance and mentoring.

Eligibility Requirements:

Be a professional in WV that serves individuals with an Intellectual / Developmental Disability, Traumatic Brain Injury and/or Serious Emotional Disorders.

Click here for the PBS Technical Assistance and Mentoring Application

Person-Centered Planning

We provide person-centered planning to individuals as well as agencies working with individuals with disabilities. Person-centered planning is a fun interactive eight-step process that focuses on the individual’s dream and what they want for their future. It helps participants develop goals and create an action plan for achieving their goals and increase their quality of life.

We use tools such as Making Action Plans (MAPs) and Planning Alternative Tomorrows with Hope (PATHs) to graphically facilitate person-centered planning with the participant and their team. Person-centered planning generally occurs in the person’s home or location of the focus person’s choosing with a support team of their choosing. The MAPs process takes about 1.5 - 2 hours to complete and the PATHs generally takes 2-3 hours to complete. These can be modified for individual needs.

Eligibility Requirements:

Person-Centered Planning can be used for people, families, or organizations. The only requirement is that the person centered planning must be conducted in WV.

Click here for the PBS Person-Centered Planning Application

Short-Term Individual Assistance

We provide short-term individual assistance to people with intellectual/developmental disabilities, traumatic brain injury and/or serious emotional disorders who are at risk of out of home placement and need help addressing specific dangerous or life-threatening behaviors. Short-term individual assistance is provided to individuals who are not receiving Title XIX Waiver or other behavior specialist services for this purpose.

Eligibility Requirements:

The individual must:

Be a WV resident
Have a documented Intellectual / Developmental Disability or Traumatic Brain Injury diagnosis
- Individuals with a co-existing serious emotional disorder / mental illness will be given priority
Be a willing participant in the process
Have a stable placement with a stable team and caregivers
Have a team that is willing to collect data, implement the Positive Behavior Support Plan (PBSP) and be committed to the person and their growth through the process
Not have access to a behavior specialist through another service
Have a dangerous or life-threatening behavior

Please note: We will not be able to specifically address suicidal, homicidal, and sexualized or substance abuse behaviors. We only target observable and measurable behaviors such as physical aggression, property destruction, self-injurious behavior, etc.

A Behavior Specialist will be providing guidance to the individual and their team to teach them how to create an individualized positive behavior support plan (PBSP) for the individual. It is the duty of the participant and their caregivers to provide functional behavior assessment information (FBA), implement the PBSP, collect data, and provide follow-up information.

An example of short-term individual assistance would be:

Initial consultation over the phone
- Set up home visit
- Initial quality of life questionnaire
- Explain outline of services
- Get general behavior background information
Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA) information gathering (face to face)
- Facilitate a person centered planning tool with the person and their team
- Ask the person and caregiver questions
- Review and complete assessment forms
- Direct observations in varying settings
Teach the caregivers to translate FBA information into Positive Behavior Support Plan (PBSP) interventions
Write the PBSP with the person and their team
Troubleshoot problems and check for contextual fit
Train the person, caregivers, and team to implement the interventions in the PBSP
Follow up 1 month post PBSP implementation to collect fidelity data

Please note that while program staff will make every effort to review referrals and provide services quickly, the PBS Program is not equipped to accommodate emergency situations.

Click here for the Short-Term Individual Assistance Application

Triple P

Triple P is an evidence-based parenting program that provides structured lessons, collaborative problem-solving and guided coaching. The three Ps in ‘Triple P’ stand for ‘Positive Parenting Program’ which aims to improve not only behavior of children but the family environment as a whole. However, it ultimately relies on parent goals and self-direction for long-term use. It does not tell you how to be a parent, but is more like a toolbox of ideas and approaches. You choose the strategies you need. You choose the way you want to use them. You reflect on how you are utilizing them. It is all about making Triple P work for you.

Standard Stepping Stones (Individual Sessions)

For parents or caregivers of children with a disability up to 12 years of age, who have moderate to severe challenging behaviors
Includes initial assessment, role-play, practice, and feedback with CED staff, with between-session homework
Ten 1 to 2-hour sessions, delivered in home or at CED clinics
Provides planning for "high-risk" situations and how to manage them

To make a referral to Triple P or to ask questions of a Triple P certified provider, please call 855-558-4296.

Training and Continuing Education Opportunities

We provide a limited number of quarterly-scheduled trainings to professionals on topics such as person-centered planning, positive behavior support, and trauma-informed care. These trainings will primarily be located in Morgantown and Charleston.