Going Beyond Case Management

Written by: Leigh Anne Wenning, Superintendent

Did you know that the Champaign County Board of Developmental Disabilities (CCBDD) provides support for adults and children beyond case management or service coordination? CCBDD employs a full-time Behavior Support Coordinator for children and adults with challenges to assist them in living full and safe lives.

As a former Behavior Support Coordinator (BSC) myself, we are fond of saying that “all behavior is communication.” It’s the BSC’s job to find out what the person is communicating and assist them in finding different ways to express themselves or meet a need.

The BSC can complete assessments, review documents, spend time with the individual, as well as complete observations at home, school, day programs or worksites. Next steps are to engage with the inter-disciplinary team to develop strategies that assist the individual in their daily lives. These strategies are typically implemented by the person’s family or staff after they have received training. The BSC then monitors and adjusts strategies as needed.

Our Behavior Support Coordinator at CCBDD has a bachelor’s degree and many years of experience working directly with people with challenging behaviors. She has also undergone specialized training in order to write behavior support plans. However, because we rely on the person’s family and direct support providers to implement strategies, it truly is a team effort to assist the individual in living their best life.

For more information on the services provided at the Champaign County Board of DD, please visit our website at www.champaigncbdd.org and make sure to follow us on Facebook (@champaigncbdd.org).