sails group's behavioral in-home philosophy

Sails Behavioral InHome Sails Behavioral InHome Philosophy Philosophy

Our Motto:Our Motto:

Always be Always be FAIR, FIRM and FAIR, FIRM and CONSISTANTCONSISTANT

Our PhilosophyOur Philosophy

To create behavioral change in all whom To create behavioral change in all whom we serve through positive rewards based we serve through positive rewards based plans designed specifically for each plans designed specifically for each consumer that incorporate general time-consumer that incorporate general time-tested strategies and techniques which tested strategies and techniques which follow our motto of always being follow our motto of always being Fair, Fair, Firm Firm and and CONSISTENTCONSISTENT with each with each consumer.consumer.

Pre Placement:Pre Placement:A. Completion of pre-placement assessment and consumer A. Completion of pre-placement assessment and consumer

interview. This should give you the: interview. This should give you the: • history, history, • family dynamics, family dynamics, • current status, current status, • current positive and maladaptive behavior, current positive and maladaptive behavior, • likes and dislikes, likes and dislikes, • health, medical and dental issues, health, medical and dental issues, • sleep patterns, sleep patterns, • level of care needed,level of care needed,• skills, skills, • current diagnosis and medications, current diagnosis and medications, • etc. of the consumer referred. etc. of the consumer referred.

Pre Placement:Pre Placement:A. ContinuedA. Continued

This is required by licensing and must be This is required by licensing and must be completed prior to a placement decision completed prior to a placement decision being made. This will enable you to being made. This will enable you to determine if the consumer is manageable determine if the consumer is manageable and if he/she is a proper and if he/she is a proper ““fitfit”” for your for your home and other consumershome and other consumers

Pre Placement ContinuedPre Placement Continued

B.Consumer and family to visit the home, B.Consumer and family to visit the home, explain philosophy, give tour, introduce explain philosophy, give tour, introduce staff, observe prospective consumer and staff, observe prospective consumer and dondon’’t allow them to do or get away with t allow them to do or get away with anything that you would not ordinarily anything that you would not ordinarily allow once placed.allow once placed.

Pre Placement ContinuedPre Placement Continued

C. Administrator and House Manager to review all C. Administrator and House Manager to review all notes and materials received in the consumernotes and materials received in the consumer’’s s packet. packet.

Identify main targeted maladaptive behaviors and Identify main targeted maladaptive behaviors and possible areas of skill training and log onto possible areas of skill training and log onto ““BaselinBaselinee”” data recording form. data recording form.

Setting the Stage:Setting the Stage:

Preparing consumer and circle of support for our Preparing consumer and circle of support for our approach, letting them know that they must abide by approach, letting them know that they must abide by all house rules and maladaptive behaviors will not be all house rules and maladaptive behaviors will not be tolerated. Proper behavior and following all house tolerated. Proper behavior and following all house rules will lead to special rewards and/or activities. rules will lead to special rewards and/or activities. This Setting of the stage will occur in the following This Setting of the stage will occur in the following manner:manner:

Setting the Stage ContinuedSetting the Stage Continued

A.A. With the consumer, prior to placement, at With the consumer, prior to placement, at placement and on-ward.placement and on-ward.

B.B. With the parent/family/conservator, at the pre-With the parent/family/conservator, at the pre-placement meeting, during visits to home, at the placement meeting, during visits to home, at the placement and on-ward.placement and on-ward.

Setting the Stage Continued:Setting the Stage Continued:

C.C. With school or day program, if already attending, With school or day program, if already attending, introduce company and philosophy immediately, introduce company and philosophy immediately, work out a communication plan, compare behavior work out a communication plan, compare behavior plans and strategies and try to match as closely as plans and strategies and try to match as closely as possible.possible.

Setting the Stage Continued:Setting the Stage Continued:

D. With school or day program, if newly starting, D. With school or day program, if newly starting, introduce company and philosphy at pre-placement introduce company and philosphy at pre-placement visit to site, work out communication plan, and plan visit to site, work out communication plan, and plan a behavior plan with them stressing our approach a behavior plan with them stressing our approach and philosophy thereby creating a more consistent and philosophy thereby creating a more consistent 24 hour/day behavioral approach.24 hour/day behavioral approach.

The Initial StageThe Initial Stage

May last 1 to 90 days depending on the consumer and May last 1 to 90 days depending on the consumer and their needs. This is the testing/settling in period. their needs. This is the testing/settling in period. There are two possible scenarios upon move-in, the There are two possible scenarios upon move-in, the consumer will either have a consumer will either have a ““honeymoonhoneymoon”” period period and then begin displaying maladaptive behaviors and then begin displaying maladaptive behaviors (testing) to see what they can get away with now (testing) to see what they can get away with now that they are comfortable in their new environmentthat they are comfortable in their new environment

The initial Stage Continued…The initial Stage Continued…

or they will display these behaviors immediately at an or they will display these behaviors immediately at an extreme level in an attempt to control their extreme level in an attempt to control their environment and establish dominance. Our job is to environment and establish dominance. Our job is to maintain our will and endurance to outlast them by maintain our will and endurance to outlast them by being FIRM and CONSISTENT no matter what the being FIRM and CONSISTENT no matter what the behavior and opposition is.behavior and opposition is.

Strategies:Strategies:

A.Be Firm, When a consumer is displaying an unwanted A.Be Firm, When a consumer is displaying an unwanted behavior, donbehavior, don’’t smile or laugh, display a serious t smile or laugh, display a serious demeanor, stand your ground and give short direct demeanor, stand your ground and give short direct verbal instructions while maintaining eye contact verbal instructions while maintaining eye contact with the consumer from a safe distance. Always with the consumer from a safe distance. Always know your position in the room.know your position in the room.

A ContinuedA Continued

If you are alone and feel like you may be attacked, If you are alone and feel like you may be attacked, strategically have an exit plan such as a piece of strategically have an exit plan such as a piece of furniture in between you and the consumer. If two furniture in between you and the consumer. If two staff are present, you will support each other.staff are present, you will support each other.

Strategies ContinuedStrategies Continued

B.Be Fair, Never ask one consumer to do anything that B.Be Fair, Never ask one consumer to do anything that you would not ask any other consumer to do. Treat you would not ask any other consumer to do. Treat all consumers the same, with respect, dignity and all consumers the same, with respect, dignity and kindness.kindness.


C. Never use foul language, purposely injure, demean or C. Never use foul language, purposely injure, demean or scream at a consumer. No form of abuse will ever scream at a consumer. No form of abuse will ever be tolerated.be tolerated.


D. Constant praise, Praise comes in many forms such as D. Constant praise, Praise comes in many forms such as verbal, physical, reward and recognition. Each verbal, physical, reward and recognition. Each consumer should be praised no less then once every consumer should be praised no less then once every half an hour and more frequently if possible. The half an hour and more frequently if possible. The more issues and behaviors a consumer has, the more more issues and behaviors a consumer has, the more frequent the praise must be.frequent the praise must be.

D. ContinuedD. Continued

Praise fills the space of negative behaviors, the more Praise fills the space of negative behaviors, the more praise the less the behaviors. Always praise the praise the less the behaviors. Always praise the positive activity or behavior. Say,positive activity or behavior. Say,““Great job this Great job this morning getting up on time for schoolmorning getting up on time for school”” not just not just ““Good job this morningGood job this morning””..


E.Continuous training and positive support:E.Continuous training and positive support:

A negative behavior requires immediate attention A negative behavior requires immediate attention from staff, be firm and let them know what they did from staff, be firm and let them know what they did was not o.k. and that was not the proper way to was not o.k. and that was not the proper way to behave. Demonstrate and explain the proper behave. Demonstrate and explain the proper behavior and ask them to display it if possible.behavior and ask them to display it if possible.

E. ContinuedE. Continued

Any negative behavior is a teaching opportunity. Any negative behavior is a teaching opportunity. Through out the training let them know how well Through out the training let them know how well they are listening, calming down, repeating, giving they are listening, calming down, repeating, giving eye contact, etc. Praise all positives even if a eye contact, etc. Praise all positives even if a negative had recently occurred.negative had recently occurred.


F. Skill training and house hold chores provide many F. Skill training and house hold chores provide many training opportunities, and if done together, (all staff training opportunities, and if done together, (all staff and consumers) will provide a positive teamwork and consumers) will provide a positive teamwork environment in the home. These are excellent environment in the home. These are excellent Positive training opportunities where a great deal of Positive training opportunities where a great deal of praise and actual learning takes place.praise and actual learning takes place.


G. In-home activities and Outings, these are crucial to G. In-home activities and Outings, these are crucial to the happiness and success of our consumers. The the happiness and success of our consumers. The consumers should go on outings as much as possible. consumers should go on outings as much as possible. The preferred scenario is once daily Monday- Friday The preferred scenario is once daily Monday- Friday if they have school/day program and twice daily on if they have school/day program and twice daily on weekends, holidays and other days off. Special weekends, holidays and other days off. Special outings are to be used as rewards for consumersoutings are to be used as rewards for consumers’’ good behavior if applicable.good behavior if applicable.


H. Be Vigilantly Consistent, Never let an inappropriate H. Be Vigilantly Consistent, Never let an inappropriate behavior go unaddressed. behavior go unaddressed. This is the key to our This is the key to our behavior program.behavior program. This is the key to every consume This is the key to every consumerr’’s success with KFF/SAILS. Each individual staff must s success with KFF/SAILS. Each individual staff must consistently address each consumer and their consistently address each consumer and their behaviors in exactly the same way. No issue is too behaviors in exactly the same way. No issue is too small to address, it will fester and grow and will small to address, it will fester and grow and will become a bigger issue. become a bigger issue.


I. We do not believe in punishment of any form. We I. We do not believe in punishment of any form. We believe that good behavior is to be rewarded, offer a believe that good behavior is to be rewarded, offer a positive consequence to a positive behavior. Never positive consequence to a positive behavior. Never offer a positive or negative consequence to a offer a positive or negative consequence to a negative behavior. negative behavior.

I. ContinuedI. Continued

A negative behavior is to be immediately addressed A negative behavior is to be immediately addressed and the consumer is to be reminded that because of and the consumer is to be reminded that because of this negative behavior they did not earn their reward this negative behavior they did not earn their reward for this time period but will be able to earn the next for this time period but will be able to earn the next positive reward with appropriate behavior.positive reward with appropriate behavior.

I. ContinuedI. Continued

A description of what the expected positive behavior A description of what the expected positive behavior is, would be given at the time and as often as needed is, would be given at the time and as often as needed to constantly remind the consumer of their goal.to constantly remind the consumer of their goal.


J. Environment, the home should always be maintained J. Environment, the home should always be maintained in a clean, organized and fresh smelling manner. in a clean, organized and fresh smelling manner. There should only be one consumer per bedroom There should only be one consumer per bedroom and no more then two sharing a bathroom. Rooms and no more then two sharing a bathroom. Rooms should have full sized beds with comfortable should have full sized beds with comfortable mattresses, sheets, pillows, blankets and comforters.mattresses, sheets, pillows, blankets and comforters.

J. ContinuedJ. Continued

Consumers should have plenty of clothing that is clean, Consumers should have plenty of clothing that is clean, ironed and organized. They should also have their ironed and organized. They should also have their rooms decorated to their taste. Have personal rooms decorated to their taste. Have personal entertainment equipment, if interested in that. This entertainment equipment, if interested in that. This provides consumers the comfort and space, which provides consumers the comfort and space, which results in less agitation and more relaxation results in less agitation and more relaxation therefore fewer behaviors.therefore fewer behaviors.

Documentation of behavioral frequency and severity Documentation of behavioral frequency and severity will assist administrators and behaviorists in will assist administrators and behaviorists in determining the effectiveness of the program and determining the effectiveness of the program and strategies for each individual consumer; therefore, strategies for each individual consumer; therefore, proper and accurate documentation is incredibly proper and accurate documentation is incredibly important to us and the consumers in measuring important to us and the consumers in measuring their progress.their progress.

The Maintenance Stage:The Maintenance Stage:

Once the consumer has moved in, settled in and major Once the consumer has moved in, settled in and major behaviors are under control, a strict maintenance behaviors are under control, a strict maintenance program in implemented to keep each consumer on program in implemented to keep each consumer on a continuous path of proper behavior with more of a a continuous path of proper behavior with more of a focus on skills and social training.focus on skills and social training.

sails group's behavioral in-home philosophy

Services