Training Coming Spring 2024

The following are upcoming virtual trainings offered by the Institute on Community Integration, free of charge; registration is required. Click on each title to get additional information, training dates and times, and registration information for each event.

PBS Intensive Trainings (6 Training Days, the Last Training is on the Following Date)

June 12, 2024
9:30 am- 3:30 pm CT

Positive Supports Series

Free Awareness Trainings are Available Introducing Positive Supports.

Introductory Trainings

Already Recorded: PBS with CBT to Treat Anxiety in Children and Adults with IDD

Intensive Trainings

One Session Left!

Integrating PBS with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to Treat Anxiety in Youth and Adults with IDD- Intensive Series

This training is for people with a background in positive behavior support who want to learn more about how to integrate cognitive behavioral strategies into the planning process. This 2-day training event is scheduled for:

May 1 & 10, 2024
9:00- 11:30 am CT

New Resources Available

Skill Building Plans: Using Staff and Family to Support Person- Centered Skills Growth

The Institute on Community Integration (ICI) asked organizations, providers, and family members around the state of Minnesota what would help them be successful implementing positive supports and person-centered practices for the people they serve. Their input led to the creation of the Resource Guide for Developing and Implementing Skill- Building Plans.

This resource guide is intended to be used by team members who are leading organization- wide positive support using a three- tiered model that starts with universal strategies for everyone (tier 1), creates ways to monitor quality of life and more minor challenges children and/or adults are encountering and implement person- centered positive supports (tier 2), and includes individualized positive behavior support plans that can assist people who are needing a more complex and involved problem solving approach (tier 3). This resource guide can be used at different tiers as a way to prompt, teach, and model individual social skills with children or adults. The resource guide includes tools and strategies for creating the plan needed for teaching, modeling, and supporting social and emotional skill development. However, the focus of this first version of the guide is mainly focused at tier 1.

Providers and family can work together to create a skill- building plan at tier 1 so that everyone practices and celebrates the social skills that reflect culturally relevant values. Once the skill- building plan is agreed upon, providers, family, and direct support professionals (DSP) practice the new social skill. Social skills are monitored and successes are reinforced and celebrated in ways that are meaningful to people in the setting. Skills are introduced in new routines and settings and/or with new people so that, over time, social skills deepen and expand as people learn and grow. The skill- building plan is a way to make sure everyone is using predictable and consistent strategies to increase positive social interactions. The resource guide includes tips for using data to record progress on the use of these social skills. All of the tools needed to create a plan, teach new skills, and monitor progress are included at the end of the resource guide and can be copied or printed to write notes and work with others in the planning process.

Smiling man employee with down syndrome wearing apron writing down notes in clipboard while young smiling woman instructing him in his waiter duties

Resource Spotlight: Encouraging and Building Relationships

Positive Social strategies are used to build positive relationships with others. Often these relationship skills are not directly taught and instead people are expected to learn on their own with little support. Directly teaching the following types of positive social strategies can help staff and people served in a more effective way to create a positive climate. Examples of these positive social strategies include, actively listening to what a person is saying, using a nonjudgemental approach when speaking, and reflecting back what is heard by another person during conversations. These types of social interaction skills can greatly improve the quality of life of anyone who is wanting to make new friends or get along with colleagues, staff, or family. There are many resources on this topic that have been designed for adults who have disabilities.

The following resources are from the positive social strategies page on mnpsp.org.

One way to assess your own strengths related to positive social strategies is by completing a self- assessment, the Positive Social Strategies Self- Assessment. This brief assessment can be used before and/or after interacting with others. Using a self- assessment to reflect on how you interact with others can increase your awareness and improve your skills.

Making and keeping friends can be challenging. Two resources specific to helping people build friendships with others are available on mnpsp.org. The first resource is a podcast, On Friendship and Connection with Angela Amado.

Another resource, Friends Connecting People with Disabilities and Community Members was designed by Dr. Amado. This manual, broken into six sections, provides information about how to assist a child or adult with a disability in developing meaningful relationships.

Listening is a large part of effective communication. The following videos, The Power of Deliberate Listening and The Art of Listening, are both helpful resources for improving active listening skills.