Webcast Series: Implementing Behavior Support Strategies in Vocational Rehabilitation Practices

The Center on KTDRR and the American Institutes for Research are supporting webcasts and a Community of Practice that examine issues and challenges around evidence-based practice and vocational rehabilitation (VR). The Center on KTDRR is pleased to present the 7th and 8th webcasts in a two-part series on "Implementing Behavior Support Strategies in Vocational Rehabilitation Practices." The first webcast introduces comprehensive behavior supports and discusses how they can be used to support VR consumers. The second expands on the first presentation to provide more in-depth information about the behavior assessment and intervention process.

The webcasts follow the thread of the relationship between research and practice as it relates to supporting individuals with disabilities returning to work. The webcast organizers do not mean to endorse specific interventions as an appropriate approach for VR, but rather to explore how research has been conducted and applied, through training, to inform VR practices.

Session	Topics	Date
1	Comprehensive Behavior Supports for VR Clients This is the first webcast in a two-part series. A dialogue with a researcher, an autism research coordinator, and an employment resource consultant examines behavior support for VR clients and why it is needed. Also discussed are key issues that VR practitioners should consider in providing behavior support to clients.	December 7
2	Behavior Assessment and Intervention for VR Clients: A Closer Look This is the second webcast in a two-part series. The panel of researcher, autism research coordinator, employment resource consultant, and positive behavioral support facilitator examine the application of behavior support services in more detail, including functional behavior assessment, plan development, and implementation.	December 9

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About the Presenters

Christine H. Barthold, PhD, BCBA-D, LBA, is an Assistant Professor of Special Education/Applied Behavior Analysis at George Mason University. At the university, she coordinates the Applied Behavior Analysis program. The main focus of her clinical work is the application of evidence-based strategies, especially Applied Behavior Analysis, in community settings with adults with significant disabilities. Dr. Barthold's past research and clinical work include consultation in the schools around the use of behavioral assessment and intervention methods with children with ASD and related developmental disabilities. She has also worked extensively with individuals and families across the lifespan.

Jessica Stehle, MA, CRC, is Virginia's Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS) ID/DD Employment Resource Consultant. Jessica works with ten DARS offices and community partners to promote competitive integrated employment opportunities for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Jessica has been with DARS for five years, previously serving as a vocational rehabilitation counselor for transition youth with disabilities. Jessica also supports DARS' autism services through integrating evidenced-based research into the agency's autism service delivery. Jessica has contributed to the development and implementation of formalized trainings, assessment tools, guidance documents, and DARS autism-focused service model. Jessica has presented on autism and effective vocational rehabilitation practices at local, state, and national levels.

Richard Kriner MS, CRC, LPC, PBSF, CWIP, is responsible for supporting DARS' involvement in ASD focused projects and activities, managing VR participation on research activities, ensuring knowledge dissemination to stakeholders, and integrating evidenced-based results into DARS service delivery. Richards has presented on Autism and effective VR practices through state and national conferences, national webcast, and contributed to professional journals and practice briefs. At the state level he has played a key role with integrating findings from evidence based research on VR practices for individuals with autism into practice through the development and delivery of formalized trainings, policy development, and the implementation of new autism-focused service models. He joined DARS in 2002 as a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor with a specialty caseload in long-term mental illness.

Justin Creech, PBSF, will join the other presenters for the second webcast in this series. He is the founder of Positive Behavior Consulting, LLC, a company that provides Positive Behavior Supports to individuals with mental health and intellectual disabilities. He has worked in close collaboration with the Partnership for People with Disabilities as an endorsement board member, teacher, and mentor to help increase overall knowledge and the number of qualified PBS providers in Virginia. As a result of this ongoing effort, in 2010 he received the "Linking people, changing lives" award for making a significant difference on behalf of self-advocates and families, which was presented at the 25th anniversary of VCU’s Partnership for People with Disabilities. Justin has also assisted with expanding Positive Behavior Supports services within the Department of Aging & Rehabilitative Services through trainings and workshops. He currently serves on the Region IV REACH Advisory Council and ID/DD Child Crisis Initiative and is working closely with the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services and other stakeholders to provide a comprehensive behavioral systems plan to the Commonwealth of Virginia.