Center for Disabilities and Development (IA UCEDD) Launches the "Positive Approaches to Challenging Behaviors" Training Program

April 23, 2009

The University of Iowa's Center for Disabilities and Development (Iowa's UCEDD) recently launched "Positive Approaches to Challenging Behaviors," a series of 12 two-day, regional train-the-trainer programs for community service providers who are helping individuals transition to homes in community settings through the Partnership for Community Integration, Iowa's Money Follows the Person (MFP) grant. A collaborative effort of Iowa's UCEDD, the Iowa Department of Human Services and community providers throughout the state, the program offers participants information on current best practices in positive behavior support, along with interactive, practical opportunities and tools to apply the training to their own case studies.

The training program was developed in response to MFP stakeholder input, which identified two critical needs that must be met to assure individuals with challenging behaviors are able to transition successfully to community settings. The 70-member MFP Partners group, which includes providers, policy makers, members of the direct care workforce, and consumers and their families, identified behavior supports training as the number one priority. In addition, these stakeholders requested a face-to-face program that not only would train those who provide care for individuals transitioning to community settings, but also would teach them to train and mentor others who provide home- and community-based services.

"Positive Approaches to Challenging Behaviors" aligns with the web-based curriculum offered by the College of Direct Support, which is being pilot tested in Iowa as part of the MFP demonstration. These two new training opportunities are intended to support the addition of three new individualized-support services proposed for inclusion in Iowa's MR Waiver: behavioral programming, crisis intervention and mental health outreach.

For more information contact:
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 319-384-6797