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We believe JRC to be the most consistent and powerful behavior modification treatment program available.

1. Each student’s problems are analyzed into component behaviors. These include overt (outer, observable) as well as covert (inner, non-observable) behaviors, and verbal as well as nonverbal behaviors, that need to be increased or decreased in frequency.
    

2. A daily recording sheet is developed for each student. This sheet is used to record data throughout the day on the frequency of the student’s desired and undesired behaviors. It also serves to guide all direct care staff members in the particulars of that student's educational and treatment program.
    

3. Under the direction of the student’s clinician, a treatment team designs a treatment program to increase desired behaviors and decrease undesired behaviors. The particulars of the student's treatment plan are specified on the daily recording sheet. The student's program designer, case manager, clinician and teacher monitor the results of the treatment plan on a daily basis by means of JRC's networked charting software (click here to watch a video clip about this software). Appropriate adjustments in the treatment program are made immediately if needed. The treatment program makes use of the following treatment systems, among others:

   1. Behavioral Contracts in which, if the student can go for a period of time without showing certain undesired behaviors, he/she is rewarded. There are contracts for the major problem behaviors, both short- and long-term. There are also a variety of contracts for special periods and activities such as the overnight, transportation, eating, etc. All contracts run concurrently (at the same time).
       

   2. Programmed Opportunities, in which stimuli that normally might trigger problem behaviors are deliberately presented. If the student handles the problem without displaying problematic behaviors he/she is rewarded. If not, he/she is corrected.
       

   3. Daily Aim. An aim is set as the upper limit of the number of problem behaviors the student should show on a given day. If the student beats his/her aim, by showing fewer behaviors than the aim, he/she is rewarded.
       

   4. Point and token reward systems. Students earn points or tokens for desired behaviors. The points or tokens can be turned in for other rewards such as money and preferred activities. Points can be earned for desired behaviors. Points are employed not only to motivate the diminishing of problematic behaviors, but also to motivate academic learning.
       

   5. Correction of problem behaviors. Problematic behaviors, when they occur, are given corrective consequences. A common corrective consequence for the higher functioning students would be a point(s) fine.
       

   6. Self-management. Students learn to select behaviors in their own repertoire that they wish to change and to use behavioral treatment procedures to change them, applying the consequences themselves and charting their own behavioral progress. Students meet as a group with a clinician periodically to review their charts, discuss possible changes in their treatment strategies, exchange ideas, etc.
       

   7. Behavioral Rehearsal. In selected cases, students practice how to handle problematic situations by experiencing the triggering stimulus for some problematic behavior and rehearsing either how to handle it properly and/or a corrective consequence.
       

   8. Contingent residence upgrades or downgrades. As the student's behavior improves, he/she is able to advance to a higher level of residence where the privileges are greater, the staffing is less intense, and where there may be fewer students living in the residence. Conversely, if the student's behavior regresses, he/she is demoted to a lower level of residence.
       

   9. Contingent classroom upgrades or downgrades. Improvements in the student's behavior may also lead to the student being advanced to a higher level of classroom that has more privileges, less staffing and more advanced activities and rewards. And conversely, where required, a student may move from a higher level classroom to a lower level.
       

4. The same educational and treatment systems are in effect in both the residences, in the classrooms, during transportation and during field trips. In addition, the same carefully trained and monitored staff members work in the residences, in the classrooms, during transportation and on field trips. These steps insure as much consistency in carrying out the treatment and educational programs as is humanly possible.

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