Founded in 2020, Behavioral Health supports people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and mental health diagnoses to develop the tools and resources each person needs to navigate life’s many moments. The Arc employs a robust team of Clinicians, Lead Clinicians, and Behavioral Health Associates who exclusively support these overlapping disability and mental health diagnoses, meeting people where they are and creating environments where they feel supported and encouraged.
In many ways, The Arc’s Behavioral Health team doesn’t just include our clinical team – it also consists of every Direct Support Professional (DSP) who supports someone receiving behavioral health services. Because DSPs work with the people they support every day, they play a critical role in helping Clinicians better understand each person and implement strategies they develop together.
Our Behavioral Health team partners with DSPs, relying on their insights and experiences to support them on how to adapt to any situation and best support someone in the full context of their Behavior Support Plan. This partnership not only builds trust, it also builds DSPs’ skills and confidence in providing excellent support whenever and wherever it’s needed.
Fostering New Skills for DSPs
Our Behavioral Health team works with every DSP to grow their behavioral health management skills, whether they have decades of experience or are brand-new to the profession. DSPs who have worked in the field for many years often express excitement at having this resource to meet the person they support where they are at that moment. DSPs who are new to the field share in the excitement and are often eager to expand their skills to provide this much-needed support.
This partnership is essential for DSPs like Sandy and the person she supports, Joe. Sandy is a new DSP and wasn’t sure how to best support Joe when he felt overwhelmed. After talking with colleagues, Sandy reached out to the Behavioral Health team for guidance. The team was able to help Sandy look at Joe’s behavior from new angles and provide strategies to ensure she was meeting Joe where he was in the moment. This collaboration not only led to the development of a Behavior Support Plan for Joe, it is an example of how Behavioral Health and DSPs must work together to provide the best support possible for each person.
Immediate Support in Critical Moments
One of the most impactful ways our Behavioral Health team supports DSPs is through immediate intervention during critical moments. DSPs receive training on how to respond in specific situations, keeping people safe, requesting support, or using relevant skills and strategies to de-escalate situations until additional support arrives.
For example, if a person receiving services has difficulty regulating their emotions while out in the community, DSPs are able to lean on the behavioral health team to prevent their own overreacting, underreacting, or misinterpreting behavior. When this very situation happened recently, a DSP recognized the behavior immediately and worked with their team to determine the appropriate next steps. They called a Clinician for support and partnered to support the person in distress using all the skills and strategies they learned.
Because our DSPs are partners with our Behavioral Health team, the people we support receive high-quality crisis management support no matter where they are, and DSPs feel confident and prepared, knowing they can provide timely and effective support when it’s needed most.
Enhancing Communication Skills for Sensitive Situations
Whether or not someone is using words to communicate, communication skills are critical to growing life skills and receiving support.
Recently, Denise, a DSP, had to have a difficult conversation with the person she supported. Denise was able to rely on our Behavioral Health team for guidance and support in navigating this uncomfortable situation. First, the Clinician met separately with Denise to address her concerns, develop a plan together, and practice the skills needed to have a healthy, safe conversation. When it was time, all three met together, and the Clinician modeled effective communication techniques that all three were able to use during the conversation to resolve the issue.
This tailored support not only boosted Denise’s confidence but also equipped her to manage similar situations more effectively in the future. This approach underscores our team’s commitment to enhancing the overall quality of interactions between DSPs and the people they support.
Building Capacity for Exceptional, Person-Centered Care
As our services continue to evolve, the collaboration continues to illustrate how our Behavioral Health team and our DSPs depend on one another. Delivering exceptional, person-centered behavioral healthcare relies on the deep knowledge DSPs bring, allowing clinicians to develop strategies that enhance what the DSPs are already doing.
Our Clinicians and DSPs are building a network of behavioral health support that follows people receiving services wherever they go. The Arc’s commitment to this collaborative approach ensures that we are providing the most comprehensive, holistic, person-centered support possible, whether in the community, in a person’s home, or in their Clinician’s office.