The Matthew Reardon Center presents 

Positive Behavior Supports Workshop

When behaviors speak louder than words, positive behavior supports help us listen. 

Friday, March 26, 2010

Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum, 175 Bourne Ave, Pooler, GA

The High Wycombe Room (upstairs)

9:00 – 3:00 p.m.

 When people hit others or themselves, run away, or tantrum, we generally refer to these as problem behaviors.  If these occurred only occasionally, we may shrug them off and chalk it up to “just the way this person acts.”  When these behaviors occur frequently, we often find ourselves getting pulled into a vicious cycle of stronger reactions leading to higher levels of behavior.  Positive behavior supports (PBS) can help break this cycle.  Problem behaviors are commonly seen in the lives of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.  We think that this is due partly to difficulties in learning and communication, but also due to limited choices and low expectations.  The PBS approach has three components – Understand, Prevent, Replace!  It starts with analyzing how problem behaviors can be functional – that is, looking at how they may serve as a means of communicating or getting one’s way.  Family members and service providers then develop plans to prevent the behavior by anticipating the needs of the individual before the problem occurs.  And, finally, they begin to teach the individual new skills or behaviors that will replace problematic behaviors by helping the person meet those needs independently.            

PBS has been shown to be effective in extensive field testing with families and in service settings.  Our goal is that people should experience the greatest level of independence possible and participate fully in home, school or workplace, and community life.      

Daniel Crimmins, Ph.D. is the Director of the Center for Leadership in Disabilities which is a University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD) at Georgia State University in Atlanta.  In this role he oversees a range of training and technical assistance programs that have the goal of improving services for individuals with disabilities of all ages.  Dan received his B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. in psychology from Binghamton University, and completed an internship in clinical psychology at the University of Mississippi Medical Center.  He has worked in direct service settings, in the schools, and at the university level for more than 30 years, focusing on the dissemination of positive behavioral supports and effective educational practices for students with complex disabilities.   

Stacey Ramirez is the Director of Individual and Family Supports at the Center for Leadership in Disability.  In this role she disseminates resource information specific to disabilities.  She also manages training programs such as the Facilitators Forum that enhances the practice of person-centered planning.  Ms. Ramirez has a career interest in educational and community inclusion with a particular interest in furthering the human rights of people with developmental disabilities.  Prior to coming to Georgia State University-College of Health and Human Sciences, Ms Ramirez was the Health and Human Rights Coordinator with the Department of Human Resources in the Office of Developmental Disabilities. She was appointed by the Governor to the 2009 Olmstead Planning Committee.  She is a 2007 graduate of Partners in Policymaking and is a Critical Incident Training (CIT) educator on developmental disabilities for local police forces.   Ms Ramirez is the proud mother of three boys, one of whom has autism.

For more information call Jennifer McGee at 912-355-9098 or email at jennifermcgee@matthewreardon.org

Click here to download registration form pbs_savannah_march_26