Behaviour and Allied Health Services

Kim Konowec

Giselle Tadros

Natasha Calafate

Jessica Aguero

Natasha Tmusic

Claudia Masina

Shannon Hernon

Liam Jones

Ashleigh Seaton

Eve Timms

Kimberly Herivel

Lauren Nash

Helen Amos

Samantha Hiley

Ashleigh Seaton

Audrey Hiley

Merrin Boulton

Natasha Tmusic

Giselle Tadros

Jessica Aguero

Kylie Sauvao

Consider the following questions in relation to behaviour:

• Do you feel like you can no longer manage your child’s outbursts?
• Do you find yourself saying ‘don’t …’ all the time?
• Is the person hurting themselves, others or property?
• Are you late to everything because of refusal to move?

Did you think ‘yes that’s us!’ to one or more of these?

Behaviour support aims to improve the quality of a person’s life through understanding why the person is using behaviours that are of concern for themselves, or those around them.  Everything happens for a reason, and the concerning behaviour is one way of communicating what is happening for them, inside and out. Interaction’s BAHS practitioners primarily use a set of research-based strategies used to increase quality of life and decrease problem behaviour, by teaching new skills and making changes in a person’s environment. The support combines:

• Valued outcomes
• Behavioural and biomedical science
• Validated procedures
• Systems change to enhance quality of life and reduce problem behaviours

How can Behaviour Support help me?

Behaviour support is a group effort between the person, their carers and any other important people in their life. This could include people like their doctor, workplace, school, therapist or Support Coordinator. Interaction’s practitioners can play a role too. Our team are all skilled in behaviour support assessment and intervention, using methods that are evidence based or informed and collaboratively developed. They are able to work with you to understand the situation, build on the support networks skills and strengths and design a plan that considers the person’s unique situation. Practitioners are able to support people at all stages of life, from early childhood all the way through to ageing.

Under the NDIS, Interaction’s team of practitioners can provide support services under the support cluster ‘Improved Relationships’. There are two support items participants can ask for:

• Specialist Behavioural Intervention Support
• Behaviour Management Plan, training in management strategies

Some of the services and activities that can be offered under improved relationship include:

• Behaviour Assessment (and Report)
• Development of plans such as a: Behaviour Intervention & Support Plan (BISP); Incident Prevention & Response Plan (IPRP); or Skill Development Plan.
• Support with Restricted Practices Authorisation (RPA) processes
• Training in any plans or related skills/knowledge e.g. what is Prader-Willi Syndrome? What is Depression? This can be delivered to Individuals or groups.
• Skill development e.g. reward systems, developing routines, building independence, social skills, understanding and handling emotions, problem solving
• Consultation e.g. during crisis, transition

Sometimes, the family in the participant’s life (e.g. siblings, parents) also need individual support, due to the impact of the person’s situation. This could either be through developing support skills and also therapy or counselling. Therapy and counselling may be available for family members under the ‘Improved Daily Living’ support cluster. This could be for issues such as; grief & loss, bullying, stress & coping, sibling support, building resilience and health behaviour change such as sleep practices.

Interaction’s team of practitioners can provide all of our service options as a one off, short or longer term support, through consultancy or as a fee-paying option. Payment may come from the participant, their family, an involved service or alternative funds/schemes. This is also a useful option where other services would like to provide in-house development or to their own stakeholders.

• Individual supports e.g., crisis, transition to school, complex/multidisciplinary review, disciplinary specific considerations;
• Systemic support e.g., house practices, integration of syndrome specific practices, barriers to implementation;
• Staff training, e.g., teaching skill development, mental health, grief and loss, sibling support, introduction to positive behaviour support, restricted practices;
• Individual and/or group therapy e.g., Triple P, SibWorks, Emotion Based Social Skills Training (EBSST), REACH Wellbeing.

Interaction have training spaces of different sizes and therapy rooms available for use. We can also travel to you. Please click here to fill in the Referral Form online, or click here to download our Referral Form for the quickest response to your query.  Alternatively, call us on 1300 668 123 or complete the form below.

Interaction’s Psychologists specialise in providing individual and group therapy to children, adolescents and adults with intellectual/developmental disability, as well as their carers and support people. You or the person you care for might have significant challenges with emotion regulation and interpersonal relationships, or might be experiencing a range of emotional, behavioral and social difficulties. Our therapists are here to help support people with a variety of presentations including grief and loss, adjustment issues, depression, anxiety, stress, relationship and family breakdown and trauma.

At Interaction, we provide therapeutic interventions that are tailored to each individual client. All our interventions are evidence-based, and our therapists are flexible in their approach and responsive to client needs. We believe in the importance of generalising skills outside of the therapy room, and encourage the involvement of other support people – where appropriate – such as a support worker or family member, to assist in practicing new skills. As such, sessions can be held with an individual, a family or with the individual and a carer/family member.

Interaction’s therapists practice in line with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) and relevant legislation.

There are two pathways to accessing Interaction’s therapy services:

1. Improved Daily Living Support Budget – Interaction is a registered NDIS provider and is able to provide therapy to participants with funding through their NDIS Plan. This can occur at our head office in Bella Vista, or at another location (e.g., home or school). Please note travel costs apply for therapies outside of our head office.
2. Fee-for-Service – Interaction can provide therapy to clients who choose to pay for their sessions.

Interaction has extensive experience providing training to professionals and carers. We can offer a standard package on a topic area, or specifically tailor and develop a training package that suits your organisations needs.

We are currently taking expressions of interest for upcoming Mental Health First Aid training sessions.

Please call 1300 668 123 or email alliedhealth@interactionservices.org to discuss your organisation’s training needs.

Interaction now offers support and training for parents with intellectual disability. Click here to learn more.