Sustainability of PBS Implementation: State-wide Planning in Kansas

March 27, 2008

Rachel Freeman

University of Kansas

Defining Sustainability

How do you know it when you have it?

Stages of Change for PBS Projects

• Initial Implementation– Focus on development of systems– Identify and cultivate trainers– Create conditions for success– Establish evaluation systems

• Expansion– Reorganize curriculum & training systems– Recruit and train larger numbers of professionals– Redesign evaluation measures to assess

expansion

Stages of Change for PBS Projects

• Sustainability– Evaluation systems identify areas of need– Fidelity of implementation becomes major

focus– Focus is on continual renewal of trainers

within the system– Continuous improvement of training system – Embedded funding and policy work at state,

regional, and local levels

How Do We Know? Becoming Aware of Implementation Stages

• Questions that are being asked change at different stages:– Initial: implement training– Expansion: expand across state– Sustainability: build into preservice training

• Level of energy that you place in evaluation change– Initial: Learn how to use the leadership team checklist for

“getting started”– Expansion: add indicators for tertiary systems to the checklist

and trainer expansion issues may be added– Sustainability: add preservice indicators to checklist and

evaluate link between inservice and preservice• Efforts to embed funding mechanisms assist in

sustainability

State-wide Interagency Planning: Dynamic Systems & Moving Targets

• Multiple PBS projects within state & across different human service systems

• Sustainability will be achieved in some places within the state while other programs are in transition

• Dynamic nature of state systems require us to expect change– Directors change– Some funding sources end, others begin

• Statewide planning processes require us to continually adjust

Kansas State-wide Positive Behavior Support Planning

PBS Kansas Interagency

Focus Support

Across the LifespanEducation

SW-PBS

Early Childhood Mental Health & Early Childhood

Education

Education Funded

SWPBS (8 Districts)

Collaboration with SRS

KIPBS Tertiary of Trainers Program

Mental

Health

Kansas Institute for PBS (KIPBS)

Tertiary Training Program

Community Support Services (Developmental

Disabilities)

Multiple Medicaid Waivers

Children Family

Services

Embed Philosophy

& Tools Across State

Services

Tertiary Trainers

of Trainers (KIPBS)

Social and Rehabilitation Services

What Key Features Must Be Present for Sustainability?

Leadership Team

FundingVisibility Political

Support

Training Coaching Evaluation

Active Coordination

Local School Teams/Demonstrations

PBS Systems Implementation Logic

Key Features: Fidelity of Implementation & Data-based Decision Making

• Fidelity of implementation – monitoring of large scale expansion data is a state investment– Universal– Secondary– Tertiary

• Maximize use of limited funds by utilizing interagency training systems

• State level data-based decision making systems are established– SWPBS– Across human service programs

Key Features: Meeting Structures, Reinforcers, & Flexibility

• Dedicated communication systems– Interagency data based decision making regularly occurs– Mechanisms for reporting & celebrating– Educational awareness opportunities embedded within state

systems• Functional reinforcer systems for state professionals

– Politicians are in the news visiting local schools and organizations implementing PBS

– Families are rallying around state professionals celebrating data gathered in an organization or region

• Evaluation systems are used to adjust to – constantly changing training needs– Sensitivity to other new initiatives and how they will impact PBS

efforts

Sustainability Issues• Layers of training systems for different levels of capacity

building– Expert trainer level both – Inservice and preservice– District/organizational team level– School/small group Team level

• Target population of trainings vary– Teams - Family Members– Coaches - Community– Coordinators - Legislators– Preservice - Administrators– State Professionals - And many others.……..

What Shifts Are Needed to Move Towards Sustainability

“This is What We Have Always Done”

Eight Elements of Sustainability (Fullan, 2005)

1. Public service with a moral purpose2. Commitment to changing context at all levels3. Capacity building by networking 4. Build relationships vertically 5. “Deep Learning” through data-based decision

making for tough problems6. Dual commitment to short and long term goals7. “Cyclical Energizing” (Sustainability is not a

linear process!)8. Leaders at all levels

PBS is Reflected in State Policy, Language, Culture

• Preservice certification systems– Teacher preparation– Social work– Psychology– Counseling– Etc.

• Language and use of PBS is part of every day conversation– PBS is no longer just the “public broadcasting system”– Google searches for the acronym pulls up positive behavior

support sites• Policy (state, region, local levels)• Medicaid & other funding streams dedicated to PBS

Identifying Stakeholders Needed to Increase Sustainability &

Assessing Functional Reinforcers

Expanding Stakeholders• Consider what reinforcers occasion behavior

amongst interagency leaders• What outcome data are these individuals

looking for– Substance prevention– Behavioral health

• How do these outcomes correlate with PBS efforts?– Connect resources to target regions in need of

capacity building– Use data across programs to identify areas that

need more intensive community intervention

Comparing those Seeking PBS Training Across Kansas With Other Initiatives

Green=Facilitator

Dark blue=Student

Gray=Student, Auditor

Brown=Auditor, Instructor

Red=Student, Facilitator

Yellow=Student, Facilitator, Facilitator/Instructor

Light blue=Student, Facilitator, Auditor, Facilitator/Instructor

Salmon=Student, Auditor, Facilitator

Creating Sustainability When Americans Are Looking for the

Next “Big Thing”

    

Data, Systems, Practices: The key to Sustainability

• Funding streams flow, dry up, and change• Federal, state, and local pressures vary• Reinforcers for state professionals will also

change over time• ABA, PBS, and other terms come and go…but

underlying values and core principles remain the same

• Focus on strong data-based decision making to facilitate– Consensus driven processes – Systematic training systems