POLICY AND PROCEDURE
House of New Hope
POLICY: JFS-2-5-13-A14
TITLE: Behavior Intervention Policy
EFFECTIVE DATE: 2/03
AUTHORIZED BY: Board of Trustees
REVISION DATE:
It is the policy of House of New Hope that foster caregivers utilize the least restrictive and most positive
behavior intervention procedure necessary to adequately correct or render safe a specific incident. Only
behavior intervention procedures designed and approved by the Treatment Team and documented in
the Individual Service Plan shall be used by a foster caregiver.
The following behavior intervention procedures or combination of procedures represents the full range
of available techniques to be employed by foster caregivers:
A. Least Restrictive Behavior Intervention Procedures
1. Altering the identified antecedent event to prevent the occurrence of the behavior (e.g.
2.
3.
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5.
providing choice, changing the setting, offering variety and a meaningful curriculum, removing
environmental pollutants such as excessive noise or crowding, establishing a predictable routine
for the individual);
Teaching the individual alternative behaviors that produce the same consequences as the
inappropriate behavior (e.g. teaching the individual to make requests or protests using socially
acceptable behaviors, teaching the individual to participate with alternative communication
modes as a substitute for socially unacceptable attention-getting behaviors, providing the
individual with activities that are physically stimulating as alternatives for stereotypic, selfstimulatory behaviors);
Teaching the individual adaptive behaviors (e.g. choice-making, self management, relaxation
techniques, and general skill development) which ameliorate negative conditions that promote
the display of inappropriate behaviors;
Manipulating the consequences for the display of targeted inappropriate behaviors and
alternative, acceptable behaviors so that it is the alternative behaviors that more effectively
produce desired outcomes (i.e. positively reinforcing alternative and other acceptable behaviors
and ignoring or redirecting unacceptable behaviors); and
Encouraging an increase or decrease in targeted behavior through positive reinforcement (e.g.
praise, pat on the back, privilege, or reward).
B. Moderately Restrictive Behavior Intervention Procedures
1. Teaching or encouraging stress management (e.g. prompted relaxation, deep breathing); and
2. Teaching through transfer of learning (e.g. essay or report writing, sentence writing).
C. Most Restrictive Behavior Intervention Procedures
1. Disciplining unwanted behavior through loss of privilege (e.g. losing or restricting the benefit of
participation in a targeted activity, losing or restricting the benefit to use or play with a targeted
item, losing or restricting access to a targeted person or group);
2. Disciplining unwanted behavior through confinement to one location (e.g. chair, corner); and
3. Disciplining unwanted behavior through isolation from others (e.g. bedroom, backyard).
POLICY AND PROCEDURE
House of New Hope
4.
Passive physical restraint (therapeutic hand holding or wrapping arms around child until selfcontrol is regained i.e. “bearhug”).
The use of specific restrictive behavior interventions, behavior management techniques or aversive
procedures may be damaging to the mental or physical health of a foster child that suffers from the
effects of post-traumatic stress and/or other mental disorders or physical conditions. Examples include,
but are not limited to children with:
1. Mental retardation, communication disorders, pervasive developmental disorders (e.g.
autism, Asperger’s Disorder);
2. Mood disorders (e.g. depression, bipolar disorders);
3. Anxiety disorders (e.g. panic disorder, phobia);
4. Dissociative disorders;
5. Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (e.g. victims of physical and sexual abuse);
6. Any other disorder, circumstance or condition that would contraindicate such restrictive
behavioral intervention; and
7. Children with disorders, conditions or circumstances that are beyond their ability to control
(e.g. ADHD, psychotic disorders, biochemical disorders).
In order to minimize further damage to a child, appropriate behavioral intervention strategies must be
approved by the Treatment Team prior to utilization.
When a foster child presents with a physical or psychological disability, the Treatment Team must
include a person that is qualified to appropriately address the specific needs of the disabled child with
regard to the design and implementation of behavior intervention procedures.
A Treatment Team shall include a person deemed as a “qualified mental health professional” (e.g. LSW,
LPC, PCC, LISW, RN, MD, DO, Psychologist) in the designing, approving, monitoring and supervision of
the implementation of the behavioral interventions.
Implementation of the behavioral interventions must be by a licensed foster caregiver or approved
respite caregiver.
Behavioral intervention policy must be approved by the Board of Trustees.