The Urgent Need for a Trauma-Informed Approach to Addressing Behavior

This event is being offered virtually. A link will be shared with all registrants. 

The pervasive impact of trauma on a child’s development often manifests in challenging behaviors at school that interfere with his/her access to the curriculum. Although the full impact of COVID-19 has yet to be analyzed, this last year has had a profound impact on all students and many have undoubtedly had a traumatic experience due to loss of teacher/peer connections, loss of loved ones, or other extensive family stressors. This interactive, online workshop will examine the systemic impact that trauma has on a child’s brain development and behavior. Specific, evidence-based interventions that can be utilized in developing behavior support plans for students with a trauma history will be discussed, and participants will have the opportunity to see how these interventions are applied in practice through the use of case studies via “Breakout” rooms.  Resources and strategies to scale-up behavioral supports and connect school-wide PBIS with trauma-informed practices on a program/school and district-level will also be reviewed.

Workshop Objectives:

By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:

1. Describe the systemic impact of trauma on a child’s brain development and behavior.
2. Identify at least 5 evidence-based practices to consider when selecting interventions for children with a trauma history.
3. Describe the key elements of a “FAIR plan” when developing trauma-informed behavior plans for school-aged children and adolescents.
4. Identify how school-wide PBIS and trauma-informed practice can be integrated to support all students through a tiered-supports model.

About the Speakers:

Anne Donovan, M.Ed, BCBA, LABA

Anne Donovan has been serving as the Director of ACCEPT Education Collaborative’s School Consultation & Assessment Services for over 10 years. She received a Master’s Degree in Education and is a licensed special education administrator and Board Certified Behavior Analyst. Anne has extensive experience working with public school districts and Collaboratives to develop a range of special education programs and services and provide professional development opportunities to build districts’ capacity to meet the needs of diverse student populations. She has presented at numerous conferences and workshops on a variety of topics in the field of Special Education, and she also serves as an Adjunct Faculty member at Bridgewater State University and Framingham State University where she teaches graduate-level courses. Anne’s interests include special education program development and improvement based on systemic evaluation. She has an advanced certification in Organizational Behavior Management (OBM) and works to apply these principles in the program evaluations she conducts in order to help administrative teams determine strengths and areas for improvement within their school district’s special education programs. She has also participated in several initiatives with the Massachusetts DESE, including being a trained strategic planning facilitator using the Planning for Success (PfS) framework.

Jillian Bennett, PhD, BCBA-D, LABA

Dr. Jillian Bennett is a licensed clinical psychologist and Board Certified Behavior Analyst. She has completed clinical training at major hospitals, such as Bradley Children’s Hospital (a Brown affiliate), and private institutions, such as the May Institute. She specializes in assessing and treating children, ages 1-15, with a variety of challenges, including autism, attention difficulties, learning problems, anxiety, and/or other emotional or behavioral disorders. She has post-doctoral training in neuropsychology and worked at a group practice for almost 8 years before starting her own practice, Bennett Assessment and Behavior Center for Children, LLC. Although most of her time is devoted to conducting comprehensive neuropsychological evaluations, she also provides Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), behavior therapy, Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), parent support and therapy, early executive functioning skill training (ages 3-7), and clinical and behavioral consultation to parents, schools, and private agencies. As a behavior analyst, she has worked in homes, schools, and private centers. She has experience developing an ABA program, supervising clinicians and BCBAs, and training parents and staff. She specializes in assessing and treating children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. She utilizes ABA methodologies in her practice but has previous experience using a Floortime approach in Early Intervention and a TEACCH approach in a summer camp setting. Dr. Bennett is unique in her training in both assessment and treatment. She believes that an evaluation with an accurate diagnosis and a well-formulated conceptualization of the child’s specific social, behavioral, emotional, and developmental challenges is critical in formulating an effective treatment plan. She combines her behavioral skills with her post-doctoral assessment training in neuropsychology to provide comprehensive care to children and their families. Her approach is family-oriented, culturally sensitive, and child-focused. She is a strong advocate for children with developmental disabilities and mental health needs. Dr. Bennett conducts school observations, attends IEP meetings, and works collaboratively with several school teams to help identify and execute the appropriate services for each child. She believes, “Every child wants to do well. It is our job to figure out how to help them achieve this goal.”