Children's Services Division

Alternative Behavioral Learning Environment (ABLE)

Program Description:

ABLE is an intensive, highly controlled, structured after school program that addresses the behavioral needs of children and youth, aged 5 to 18, who have developmental disabilities and chronic and severe maladaptive behavioral impairment(s), require a highly structured environment, and cannot integrate into a regular or special needs after-school environment. ABLE serves a maximum of 24 children. ABLE is staffed with Behavioral Instructors, degreed professionals with training and expertise in behavior programming, intervention and aggression control. The ratio of adult to child/youth is 1:2. ABLE also provides carry-over behavioral training into the home, school and community environments, ensuring continuity in the child's total behavior management.

Core service components include:

1)	Day Training Activities - Age-appropriate social, recreational and pre-vocational activities provided in a highly structured and supervised environment. Both individual and small group (4 - 6 students) activities are provided in accordance with an individualized curriculum;
2)	Community Inclusion - Age-appropriate social and recreational activities that promote inclusion and opportunities for generalization of skills and replacement behaviors through program implementation in community settings are provided in the community;
3)	Transportation - Transportation is provided from the program to the children's homes for the children who cannot be transported by parent or caregiver. Additionally, transportation is provided to all children to community inclusion activities.
4)	Nutrition - A nutritious snack is provided to each child daily.
5)	Assessment - Functional skills and behavioral assessments are conducted in the home, school and after-school environments by trained professionals;
6)	Behavioral Programming - Individualized behavior programs designed to address severe maladaptive behaviors and teach functionally equivalent behaviors and adaptive skills are developed by trained Behavior Specialists and approved/monitored by a Certified Behavior Analyst in strict accordance with state guidelines and with the approval of the District 10 Local Review Committee.

Upon enrollment, students immediately enter an age-appropriate structured curriculum, consisting of a wide range of scheduled activities such as arts and crafts, organized games, outdoor sports, computer activities, music and dance, and prevocational training for adolescents. Curricula is structured to ensure that at least one active and one passive activity are implemented simultaneously to allow student flexibility, movement and choice. Each student has an individualized pictorial activity schedule to assist them with managing their daily schedule. The behavioral staff utilize visual feedback mechanisms and other non-verbal cues, such as charts, graphs and pictorial symbols, to help students self-manage their individual programs.

ABLE staff maintain daily documentation of the frequency, severity and duration of targeted behaviors, and will revise programs accordingly. Once an effective behavioral plan is developed and implemented at ABLE, Behavioral Instructors meet with family members and school personnel to teach various techniques to use in these environments. All behavior analysis activities are integrated with other educational and in-home services and are developed, implemented and monitored in a cooperative and coordinated manner by the Behavioral Instructors.

ABLE operates "regular days" from 2 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. with transportation provided home from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. (on regular school days); "extended days" from 12 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. with transportation provided home from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. (on early release school days); and "full days" from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. with transportation provided from the children's home in the morning to the program and home in the evening from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. (on school teacher workdays).

Outcome Management System:

Effectiveness Indicators:

	a) Maximize the percentage of individuals served who demonstrate progress on objectives for acquisition of adaptive behaviors.
	Target: 80% Measurement Tool: Individual Progress Reports/Graphs Reporting Period: October 1 through September 30

Each October, the Behavior Specialist will obtain a percentage of children served who demonstrated progress on acquisition objectives by dividing the total number of children who progressed by the total number of children served and multiplying by 100.

The analysis will include statement of performance in relation to targeted outcome and past performance; significant variables, if any, which may correlate with performance; and a follow up plan outlining action steps for improved performance, where indicated. The report will be submitted to the Associate Director of Children's services annually by November 1 and will be shared with individuals served, staff members, the Board of Directors and stakeholders.

	b) Maximize the percentage of individuals served who demonstrated progress on objectives for reduction of maladaptive behaviors.
	Target: 80% Measurement Tool: Individual Progress Reports/Graphs Reporting Period: October 1 through September 30

Each October, the Behavior Specialist will obtain a percentage of children served who demonstrated progress on reduction objectives by dividing the total number of children who progressed by the total number of children served and multiplying by 100.

The analysis will include statement of performance in relation to targeted outcome and past performance; significant variables, if any, which may correlate with performance; and a follow up plan outlining action steps for improved performance, where indicated. The report will be submitted to the Associate Director of Children's services annually by November 1 and will be shared with individuals served, staff members, the Board of Directors and stakeholders.

Efficiency Indicators:

	a) Minimize average annual cost of care of persons receiving services/supports
	Target: 5% below budgeted cost of care (based on cost of care from previous year) Measurement Tool: Financial Database/Expenditure Reports Reporting Period: October 1 through September 30

Each October the Coordinator of Quality Assurance or designee will determine average cost of care per person receiving services/supports by dividing the total budgeted operating expenses by the projected annual census. Subsequently, the Coordinator of Quality Assurance will compare the average annual cost of care for the ending fiscal year to the budgeted cost of care to determine the percentage of increase or decrease from the previous year.

The analysis will include statement of performance in relation to targeted outcome and past performance; significant variables, if any, which may correlate with performance; and a follow up plan outlining action steps for improved performance, where indicated. The report will be submitted to the Associate Director of Adult Services annually by November 1 and will be shared with individuals served, staff members, the Board of Directors and stakeholders.

Satisfaction Indicators:

	a) Maximize consumer satisfaction scores for parents of children receiving services/supports.
	Target: 90% of the individuals will report overall satisfaction Measurement Tool: Satisfaction Survey Reporting Period: October 1 - September 30

Data will be calculated for each service area by dividing the number of individuals who report satisfaction by the total number of survey respondents and multiplying by 100 to obtain the percentage of individuals who report overall satisfaction.

The analysis will include an examination of performance in relation to targeted outcome and past performance; significant variables, if any, which may correlate with performance; and a follow up plan outlining action steps for improved performance, where indicated. Responses to survey questions will be examined to obtain specific input that will be directly applied to the quality improvement plan. The reports will be submitted to the Associate Director of Children's Services annually by November 1 and will be shared with individuals served, staff members, the Board of Directors and stakeholders.

Outcomes Management Results:

Program: Alternative Behavioral Learning Environment

Analysis of Findings:

Data findings for both acquisition and reduction objectives reveal that performance exceeded targeted outcomes. During the reporting period, a Behavioral Support Team was established and an assigned Behavior Specialist working under the supervision of a Certified Behavior Analyst was provided to support the ABLE team. It is anticipated that the children will continue to demonstrate progress on their objectives.

Performance on the efficiency indicator exceeded the targeted outcome of 5%. Analysis of budget and expenditure report data reveals that ABLE expenditures were 11% below budgeted costs.

Social Service Specialists administered satisfaction Surveys in between December 1999 and February 2000 to the parents of the children in the ABLE program. Nineteen surveys were completed and returned out of a possible 24 that were disseminated. One hundred percent (100%) of the respondents indicated overall satisfaction. Of the nineteen respondents, 14 (74%) reported that they are very satisfied. Many of the parents reported that they are very impressed with the behavioral services, structure of the program and communication between ABLE staff and the parents and school faculty. The target criterion of 90% was exceeded with the actual percentage of individuals who reported overall satisfaction at 100%.