Positive Behaviour Supports

Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) Services at Belong Health
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At Belong Health, Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) is a person-centred approach dedicated to enhancing an individual’s quality of life by understanding and addressing challenging behaviours. Our approach integrates principles from applied behaviour analysis while strongly emphasising human rights and values. We prioritise proactive strategies, focusing on prevention and skill-building, rather than reactive measures.

What Does a PBS Practitioner Do?
At Belong Health, our PBS practitioners are specialists trained to support individuals with challenging behaviours. They work closely with individuals and their support networks to ensure the best outcomes. Their key responsibilities include:

Assessment: Our practitioners conduct comprehensive evaluations to understand the functions of challenging behaviours, which include:

• Functional Behaviour Assessments (FBA)
• Interviews with individuals and caregivers
• Direct observations in natural environments
• Data analysis to identify behaviour patterns and triggers

Planning: Developing personalised Positive Behaviour Support Plans (PBSP) is at the heart of what we do. These plans encompass:

• Proactive strategies to prevent challenging behaviours
• Skill-building activities that encourage positive behavioural alternatives
• Environmental adjustments to minimise triggers and provide better support
• Crisis intervention plans for immediate response to severe behaviours

Intervention: Our team at Belong Health implements the PBSP by:

• Training individuals and their support networks on the new strategies
• Demonstrating interventions and offering direct support
• Gradually reducing direct support as the individual gains independence

Monitoring: We ensure interventions are effective by:

• Continuously collecting and analysing data on behaviour changes
• Adjusting the PBSP as necessary based on ongoing evaluations
• Regularly reviewing progress with the individual and their support network

Collaboration: Collaboration is key at Belong Health, and our practitioners work in partnership with:

• Families and caregivers to maintain consistency across settings
• Other professionals, including educators, therapists, and medical personnel
• Community organisations to integrate various support services
  
  
  
  

Benefits of Positive Behaviour Support at Belong Health
​Enhanced Quality of Life:
Individuals experience improved relationships, increased independence, and more active participation in the community.
Skill Development:
We emphasise teaching new skills that replace challenging behaviours, fostering personal growth.
Sustainable Change:
By addressing root causes, our PBS approach promotes lasting behavioural changes.
Empowerment:
At Belong Health, we equip individuals and their support networks with the knowledge and tools to manage behaviours proactively.
Human Rights Focus:
​Our approach is aligned with human rights, ensuring dignity and respect for all individuals.

Restrictive Practices at Belong Health
​1. Definition and Purpose

• Restrictive Practices are interventions or strategies that limit the rights or freedom of movement of an individual, used only when necessary to ensure safety and reduce harm. At Belong Health, these can only be prescribed by a Specialist PBS Practitioner under NDIS Guidelines.
• These practices are considered a last resort, implemented when all other less restrictive strategies have been exhausted or deemed ineffective.

2. Assessment and Identification

• A comprehensive assessment is conducted to identify the specific behaviours of concern and the underlying triggers.
• Restrictive practices are identified as necessary only if they are essential to protect the individual or others from immediate harm.

3. Development of the Behaviour Support Plan

• The BSP outlines the circumstances under which restrictive practices may be applied, ensuring they are clearly defined, justified, and used minimally.
• The plan must include proactive strategies aimed at reducing the need for restrictive practices, focusing on teaching alternative behaviours and modifying environmental triggers.

4. Ethical Considerations and Human Rights

• The use of restrictive practices at Belong Health aligns with human rights principles, ensuring the individual's dignity and autonomy are respected.
• Ethical guidelines require that these practices are used only for the shortest time necessary and are regularly reviewed to ensure they remain essential.

5. Implementation and Monitoring

• The BSP specifies who is authorised to implement restrictive practices and under what conditions.
• Ongoing monitoring is critical to assess the effectiveness and necessity of restrictive practices, with data collected regularly to inform decision-making.
• The plan includes a process for the gradual reduction and eventual elimination of restrictive practices, as the individual’s behaviours improve.

6. Review and Adjustment

• Regular reviews of the BSP are conducted to evaluate the continued need for restrictive practices, ensuring they are still appropriate and effective.
• The plan is adjusted based on the individual's progress, with the goal of reducing reliance on restrictive practices as the individual develops safer and more adaptive behaviours.

7. Documentation and Reporting

• All instances of restrictive practices must be thoroughly documented, including the rationale for their use, the duration, and the outcomes.
• Reports are shared with relevant stakeholders, including the individual (where appropriate), their family, and any regulatory bodies, to ensure transparency and accountability.

8. Collaboration and Support

• Collaboration with the individual’s support network, including family, caregivers, and other professionals, is essential to ensure consistency in the application of the BSP.
• Training and support are provided to all involved parties to ensure that restrictive practices are implemented safely and ethically, with a focus on reducing their use over time.
  
  
  

Who Can Prescribe Restrictive Practices?
Restrictive practices can only be incorporated into a Behaviour Support Plan (BSP) by a Specialist Behaviour Support Practitioner. At Belong Health, our practitioners are specifically trained to assess complex behaviours and determine when, if ever, the use of restrictive practices is necessary. Their expertise ensures that any restrictive interventions are carefully considered, ethically justified, and applied in the least restrictive manner possible. Our practitioners thoroughly document the rationale for their inclusion, ensuring that all other positive and less restrictive strategies have been exhausted. Moreover, they are responsible for ensuring that these practices are used as a last resort, monitored closely, and regularly reviewed with the goal of reducing or eliminating their use over time.


A Counselling Approach at Belong Health
Once a Behaviour Support Plan (BSP) is established, counselling sessions at Belong Health can play a crucial role in supporting a client with Behaviours of Concern. Our counsellors use strategies like cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) to help clients understand the thoughts and emotions driving their behaviours. Counselling also provides a safe space for clients to practise new coping mechanisms and reinforce the positive behaviours outlined in their BSP. By regularly reviewing progress in a supportive environment, clients can gradually gain insight and confidence, leading to more sustainable behavioural changes.


Using Telehealth at Belong Health
Telehealth at Belong Health offers a flexible and accessible format for delivering counselling sessions to clients with Behaviours of Concern, particularly after a Behaviour Support Plan (BSP) has been developed. Through secure video conferencing, clients can engage in sessions from the comfort of their own homes, which can reduce anxiety and create a more conducive environment for open discussion. Telehealth allows for consistent monitoring and support, enabling our counsellors to adjust interventions as needed in real-time. This continuity of care is crucial for the successful implementation of BSPs, ensuring that clients have the ongoing guidance and encouragement they need to achieve positive behavioural outcomes.


The Role of Counsellors in Behaviour Support Plans at Belong Health
​Counsellors at Belong Health are integral to the ongoing success of Behaviour Support Plans (BSPs). After the development of a BSP, counsellors work closely with clients to help them understand the underlying triggers for their Behaviours of Concern. They provide therapeutic support to address any emotional or psychological factors contributing to these behaviours. Through regular counselling sessions, clients can develop healthier coping mechanisms, gain insight into their behavioural patterns, and receive continuous reinforcement of the positive strategies outlined in their BSP. The combination of counselling and behaviour support ensures a comprehensive approach to managing and improving Behaviours of Concern.

FAQs about Positive Behaviour Support at Belong Health
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What types of behaviours does PBS address?
PBS at Belong Health addresses a variety of behaviours, including aggression, self-injury, property destruction, non-compliance, social skills deficits, and communication challenges.
Who can benefit from PBS?
PBS is effective for individuals of all ages and abilities, including those with developmental disabilities, autism spectrum disorders, mental health issues, and acquired brain injuries.
How long does it take to see results with PBS?
The time frame varies. Some individuals may observe changes within a few weeks, while others might need several months of consistent intervention.
Is PBS a one-time intervention?
No, PBS at Belong Health is an ongoing process involving continuous assessment, intervention, and adjustment, designed to evolve with the individual's changing needs.
How is PBS different from other behaviour management approaches?
Unlike punitive or reactive approaches, PBS at Belong Health emphasises understanding the reasons behind behaviours and employs positive, proactive strategies to encourage change.
Who can prescribe restrictive practices?
Restrictive practices can only be incorporated into a Behaviour Support Plan (BSP) by a Specialist Behaviour Support Practitioner. At Belong Health, our practitioners are specifically trained to assess complex behaviours and determine when, if ever, the use of restrictive practices is necessary.

Accessing our services

Let's Work Together

Medicare
You can get a referral from your/your child’s GP for OT/SP on a Chronic Disease Management (CDM) plan this gives you 5 sessions for OT per calendar year with a $60 rebate available on each session. A Helping Children with Autism/PDD/ or an eligible disability package (20 sessions between allied health professionals, as set up by a Paediatrician/Psychiatrist) which gives your child under 16 years a $75 rebate per session for the 20 sessions, you can use up to 10 sessions per Health Professional (up to 10 for OT/SP) and you will need a separate referral letter from your child’s Paediatrician for each Allied Health Professional you are seeking services from. 
For Psychology you can request a Mental Health Care Plan (Registered Psychologist) from your GP for 10 individual and 10 group Psychology sessions per year.  Medicare rebate is $96.65 per session.

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Private Health
Your Private Health fund may cover up to 75% of the cost of OT, SP or Psychology sessions if this is included in your cover, be sure to call them or check your policy for details.

No referral or self referral
You do not require a referral for accessing OT, SP, RMT, Counselling or Psychology services.

​Referrals to Belong Health
We are Medicare and Private Health fund registered for OT, SP and Psychology.

EPC/Team care arrangements/Chronic disease (CDM) and Helping Children with Autism (HCWA) or GP management plans and Mental Health Care Plans (MHCP) for Psychology and self-referrals are all acceptable.

WA NDIS Registered Provider  

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NDIS Registered Provider
We are an NDIS Registered Provider
Whether you or your child have NDIS funding that is NDIS Managed, Third Party Plan Managed or you are Self-Managing your funds, you are able to use your funding to cover the full cost of therapy services plus travel costs. You will need provide us with your/your child’s NDIS number and plan details ahead of your first session. Once you have booked a session or contacted us, our team will be in touch to discuss our service agreement and provide you with our services price list. 

Have a question? or need more information

Our friendly team are happy to help call us on 08 9586 3634 or send us a message