In conjunction with Mental Health Awareness Month, the Disability Rights Center of the Virgin Islands presented a webinar Wednesday that outlined steps to take when working with young people with mental health concerns.
Shammi Carr and Dawn O’Bryan of the Disability Rights Center moderated the program.
The first presenter was parent advocate Rebecca Russell, who spoke eloquently about her son, born with Down syndrome. From the time he was young, she needed help communicating with and understanding him correctly. Over the years, she learned to help him through his “behavioral trauma” and express himself verbally without slapping himself. With the help of Disability Rights Center, they learned to connect after he felt emotionally safe.
“Seeking help is not a sign of failure and I had to learn that,” she said. “Shifting our language is very important. We must move from ‘that’s wrong to something positive — let’s try something else, let try another way.’”
Now, at the age of 20, when he is frustrated, he takes a deep breath and “finds the words,” said his mother.
Fellow presenter Haley King, clinical director of applied behavior analysis at Island Therapy Solutions on St. Thomas, shared “evidence-based strategies” for how teachers, therapists, and administrators can interact with children. Applied Behavior Analysis, she explained, is the science of behavior change, focusing on observable behaviors, she said.
ABA has been found to increase desired behaviors and decrease undesired behaviors. It promotes the child’s independence and supports academic and social success, King said.
The strategies include antecedent interventions — proactively adjusting the environment to support positive behavior. These approaches may involve modifying the difficulty of a task, clarifying instructions, or removing stimuli that may lead to distress or challenging behaviors.
Teaching alternative behaviors and positive reinforcement can make a difference, i.e., instead of yelling, the student is asked to raise his/her hand, according to the clinical director.
Another strategy is to ask for the easy tasks to be completed first and then build up to the more difficult challenges.
Students can track their own behavior using lists and signs that can give visual support, especially for nonverbal or anxious clients, King said.
To be successful, King said to be consistent with directions, use data to make decisions, collaborate with team members, and don’t expect to control behavior but try to empower the student.
“The child should not be punished if the behavior is related to the disability,” King said.
There was a question-and-answer period before the webinar ended.
To contact the Disability Rights Center of the Virgin Islands, call 340-772-1200.
