Behavior Management

At Green Chimneys we believe that positive reinforcement creates an environment that fosters growth and development. Positive reinforcement motivates youth by praising or rewarding desired behaviors when they are demonstrated. We see behavioral challenges as opportunities for learning, growth, and change.

Green Chimneys programs and services – whether residential, educational or community-based – are part of the continuum of care for youth who struggle with social, emotional, behavioral and academic challenges. We provide intervention services designed to equip youth, and their families, with the skills, knowledge, resources and supports that they need to live healthy, productive lives.

Safety is one of the most important components of a therapeutic community

A variety of behavior support techniques are employed to consistently manage our student environment safely and effectively. These techniques, along with tools to make informed decisions in crisis situations, are provided for all direct care staff based on the Cornell University Therapeutic Crisis Intervention Curriculum, 7th edition. Staff receives extensive training and refresher sessions in effective de-escalation techniques, our preferred method of management.

Treatment team members develop an Individual Crisis Support Plan for each student as a means of coordinating behavior management techniques across the various program areas in a consistent manner. This plan considers the child’s particular history, alerts, age, cognitive functioning and emotional development; provides a guide for crisis intervention that includes preventive measures and physical interventions (if and when necessary); and is designed for all staff working with that child to understand:

  • Specific warnings about particular safety concerns
  • Potential triggers
  • High risk behaviors
  • Specific intervention strategies
  • Their role in providing a unified approach in meeting each child’s needs

Therapeutic Support Services

The Therapeutic Support Services (TSS) team maintains a constant presence and utilizes a proactive, trauma-informed approach to crisis prevention and intervention to promote measurable, positive changes in the ability to manage stressful situations. TSS specialists use techniques from Therapeutic Crisis Intervention (TCI), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and PBIS to promote social-emotional learning, with a focus on crisis prevention and intervention.

Redirection Rooms
Redirection Rooms offer youth a break from program, allowing their behaviors to be assessed and to stabilize the child’s behavior in a different environment for a short period of time. Use of redirection rooms is indicated by increased difficulties in the dorm or classroom and in instances when crisis intervention within the program area is unable to ensure the safety of the child and others. Youth can be referred to the room by staff members, or they may request their own program break.

Sensory Room
The Sensory Room is a designated space created for children to utilize various sensory items to self- or co-regulate with a chosen staff member. It provides access to an array of items for sensory input, such as crash pads; light boxes; tactile objects; kinetic sand; weighted blankets; and rocking chairs, to name a few. The Sensory Room is available to any child at any time upon request, or as part of their individual support plan.

Push In Services
Therapeutic Support Specialists are assigned to specific school and residential buildings to offer preventive support to youth. Specialists can be available to offer youth support in their program area or support youth in transitioning back into their expected program.

A Philosophy of Care Built on Seven Guiding Principles

  • We value and promote Human-Animal and Nature-Based Interactions, understanding the impact they have on social development and emotional growth.
  • We provide supports that are Trauma-Informed to create an environment of safety and promote empowerment to the individual while allowing them to heal.
  • We provide children, their families, and our staff with opportunities for learning and growth by establishing expectations and goals that are Individualized and Strength-Based.
  • We are Family-Centered, recognizing that families are the experts on their child and that strong family and community connections are essential to positive growth and change and a sense of well-being.
  • We believe that Positive Reinforcement creates an environment that fosters growth and the development of skills.
  • We value a Collaborative Culture built on professionalism, accountability, respect and the unique contributions of all team members.
  • We are committed to constant Quality Improvement through continuous data collection, evaluation, research and adaptation.

Multi-Tiered System of Supports

A Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) is a proactive and preventative framework that integrates data and instruction to maximize student achievement and support social, emotional, and behavioral needs from a strengths-based perspective. At the Tier 1 – or universal – support level, ALL students receive school-wide supports, including, and not limited to, Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS), Social Emotional Learning curriculum based on Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) skills, and restorative practices. Some students require additional intervention and continue to receive high-quality Tier 1 support, as well as targeted support through Tier 2 or more intensive support through Tier 3 interventions. When a student’s needs have been met, additional supports gradually reduce and the student graduates to the universal (Tier 1) level of intervention.

Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS)
As outlined in Green Chimneys’ Guiding Principles, positive reinforcement is essential to behavioral change. Our behavior management practices are founded on established cognitive-behavioral theories – learning (both academic and emotional/behavioral) comes from establishing clear expectations for behaviors and providing positive reinforcement for those behaviors. As such, we employ the use of systems of positive reinforcement, including Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) to support and encourage the use of pro-social, healthy and safe behaviors.

Behavior management systems in use in any program area must be based upon the principles of positive reinforcement. Children earn points for following both school- and dorm-wide expectations, as well as working towards meeting their individual goals, which are created by the child’s treatment team in collaboration with the child and their family. Positive behaviors are rewarded with additional privileges, both on and off grounds, as well as recognition and encouragement.

All students are working on the tenets of ROCK, the acronym for Green Chimneys’ PBIS behavior guidelines:
Respect
Ownership
Communication
Keep Safe

Behavior Management via Kickboard
All direct care staff in the classrooms and the residential units are tasked with recognizing behaviors in real time through the Kickboard system. Kickboard is a behavior tracking system used by many schools to enhance their PBIS efforts. Kickboard allows staff to positively reinforce behaviors in the moment and, through the use of technology, work directly with the children while logging pro-social behaviors as they happen; allowing for both verbal recognition, and trackable data.

“Rock Bucks” are awarded for positive behaviors and logged into each child’s Kickboard profile to be available as a reward. “Bucks” are cashed in at the campus store for goods (hygiene products, apparel and electronics), off-grounds experiences, and extra privileges on campus. Program staff track each student’s progress and Bucks earned; all students have access to see how they are performing.

Response to Intervention (RTI)
Green Chimneys’ Response to Intervention (RTI) is a component of our MTSS system and how we identify students’ academic and social emotional gaps and incorporate supports to help meet their needs. As is the case with any multi-tiered system of support, RTI is comprised of three levels of supportive services.

Tier 1 supports are universal interventions that are available for all youth and embedded into the general program. Tier 2 includes more intensive supports for youth and can be delivered in small groups. At Green Chimneys, this may include Respite skills groups and individual coaching, Farm, Recreation, or Art therapy, Check-In-Check-Out, or Mentoring. Tier 3 supports are the most intensive services; they are more individualized and can include Functional Behavior Analysis (FBA) and an individual Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP).

Specific youth data points are reviewed regularly by the RTI Team to determine entrance and exit from the different tiered supports. Youth may also be referred for those services by self, parent, or treatment team. Youth who meet the threshold for tiered services will receive those services until exit criteria are met; the treatment and RTI teams will monitor progress regularly and make adjustments as needed.