Portfolio Project: Overview and Objectives

EDUC 766: Instructional Strategies and Assessment Methods

By: Tammy Olson Olsonp1@cox.net 402-490-2191

Submitted 11-1-12

PROJECT OVERVIEW
Project Title
Training New Supervisors in Consultation, Observation, and Evaluation Techniques in a Behavioral Counseling Program

Sponsoring Organization
Behaven Kids is the sponsoring organization. Behaven Kids is a unique and innovative set of programs and services designed to build positive child behaviors. The goal at Behaven Kids is to support parents and caregivers so children can be successful at home, in school, and in the community by offering practical solutions to a range of problem behaviors (www.behavenkids.com). The services offered by Behaven Kids include a Specialized Day Program, counseling services, training and workshops, books, and child behavior coaching.

Project Overview
Behaven Kids is in the process of franchising. As each franchise location begins serving children and families, supervisors will need to be hired and trained to provide appropriate supervision and consultation with new therapists. Currently all training, consultation, and supervision is being provided by the Behaven Franchising, LLC office in Omaha, Nebraska and is being charged to the franchisees at an hourly rate. This type of supervision is costly and inefficient; therefore, each site will need to have supervisors trained and staffed on-site. As a result, training will need to be developed to effectively prepare Community Coordinators for their positions at each franchise location. Community Coordinators will be employed by each franchise and will supervise and consult with their sites therapists who will provide all counseling services done at their Behaven Kids location. Training the Community Coordinators to provide consultation and supervision will help the long term goals of Behaven Kids, one of which is to provide effective and efficient counseling services to children and families. The long-range goal of the Community Coordinator training will be to ensure that all therapists are providing effective and efficient services, to ensure model fidelity, and to ensure that Behaven Kids standards are being followed. The training will include supervision techniques such as giving feedback, praising staff, reviewing documentation, conducting observations of counseling sessions, and handling parental and staff complaints. Given the scope of the entire training project, only a couple of units will be discussed as part of this portfolio project. The units for discussion will be 1) Reviewing Incident Reports and 2) Conducting Therapy Session Observations. The primary audience will be all Community Coordinators hired at each Behaven Kids location. The secondary audience will be the therapists who receive supervision and consultation from the 2

supervisors being trained. Both Community Coordinator and Therapists are Masters level, Licensed or Provisionally Licensed Mental Health Practitioners. They are typically highly motivated to learn the information and attend the training because it is the first introduction to their new job duties. Community Coordinators have usually been Therapists at Behaven Kids prior to being promoted into this position. Most of our Therapists have between 0-3 years of experience prior to being hired. Community Coordinators typically have 2-6 years of experience before being promoted. The training materials will be tested with the first group of Community Coordinators who need to be trained. The training will be instructor led with local participants attending at the Omaha Behaven Kids office. Long distance participants will join the virtual session using web-based conferencing tools. If time permits, on-line pre- and post-testing will be used for formative evaluation.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Learning Objectives Alignment Template
Name of Unit: Reviewing Incident Reports Terminal Objective: At the end of this unit, the learner will be able to identify times when a therapist should complete an Incident Report. Enabling Objectives Assessment Idea Absorb Activity Do Activity Connect Activity
According to the Behaven Kids Therapy Model (BKTM), the learner will list a minimum of 8 times when a therapist would need to complete an Incident Report. Given a list of events, the learner will identify which would require the completion of an Incident Report.

Terminal Objective: At the end of this unit, the learner will be able to review a completed Incident Report to assess and plan further steps that are necessary. Enabling Objectives Assessment Idea Absorb Activity Do Activity Connect Activity
Given a completed Incident Report, the learner will decide whether next steps are necessary and suggest appropriate next steps. Given next steps scenarios, the learner will judge whether the chosen steps were adequate and appropriate.

Terminal Objective: At the end of this unit, the learner will be able to provide necessary feedback based on a completed Incident Report from a therapist. Enabling Objectives Assessment Idea Absorb Activity Do Activity Connect Activity
Given a completed Incident Report the learner will judge whether it was filled out correctly or incorrectly. Using the model, the learner will give feedback based on the correct and incorrect portions of a completed Incident Report.

Name of Unit: Conducting Therapy Session Observations Terminal Objective: At the end of this unit, the learner will be able to identify times during a therapy session when the therapist followed the Behaven Kids Therapy Model (BKTM). Enabling Objectives Assessment Idea Absorb Activity Do Activity Connect Activity
After observing a therapy session, the learner will judge when the therapist correctly and incorrectly utilized the model.

Terminal Objective: At the end of this unit, the learner will be able to prioritize the areas of improvement noted during an observation of therapy sessions. Enabling Objectives Assessment Idea Absorb Activity Do Activity Connect Activity
After observing a therapy session, the learner will prioritize (in order of importance) the necessary areas of improvement.

Terminal Objective: At the end of this unit, the learner will be able to provide necessary feedback based on an observation of a therapy session. Enabling Objectives Assessment Idea Absorb Activity Do Activity Connect Activity
Given a completed Therapist Observation Form, the learner will judge the forms effectiveness and completeness. After observing a therapy session, the learner will correctly fill out a Therapist Observation Form. Based on a therapy observation, the learner will prioritize the areas for improvement. Based on the strength and areas for improvement observed during a therapy session, the learner will give feedback according to the model.