Behavior Intervention

Monarch School’s Behavior Department is led by a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) / Certified Ohio Behavior Analyst (COBA) Director, and it consists of Behavior Analysts, Behavior Specialists, and Registered Behavior Technicians (RBTs). To support Monarch School students who face behavioral challenges, the Behavior Department implements the following:

• School-wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) is a prevention model.  It is based on the premise that all students can benefit from well implemented, evidence-based practices for improving student behavior.  School-wide PBIS provides informed decision making based upon an analysis of data that guides the process of assessing students’ needs and providing additional levels of behavioral support to students in need. In accordance with the Ohio Department of Education’s Policy on Positive Behavioral Intervention and Support, PBIS utilized at Monarch School encompasses a wide range of positive strategies to reinforce desired behaviors, decrease the recurrence of challenging behaviors, and teach appropriate alternative behaviors to students.
• The goal of PBIS is to provide support at different levels of intensity based on what the student needs at the school wide (Tier 1), targeted (Tier 2), and individual (Tier 3) level of support. The PBIS prevention-oriented framework applies to all students, all staff, and all settings. School staff complete annual training to identify conditions such as where, under what conditions, with whom, and why specific inappropriate behavior may occur.  School staff also complete annual training on the supports that correspond with each tier of the PBIS model

Restraint Policy   

Monarch School is committed to using the least restrictive interventions when working with students. The crisis prevention model we use, Safety-Care®, is designed to be least to most restrictive and emphasizes the use of the most positive and least coercive approach that is likely to be safe and effective. Staff are taught to attend to triggers and signals of students in the environment. When signal behavior from a student is observed, staff are instructed to implement de-escalation strategies such as helping the student to communicate needs and wants, prompting an alternative, safer behavior, or waiting by monitoring the situation and giving the student time. When pertinent, the staff are instructed to implement the student’s De-escalation Plan. Only when these less restrictive interventions fail to prevent harm to the student and/or others, may the use of restraint occur. The type of restraint approved for use at Monarch School is physical holds by staff. The use of restraint may only be used in emergency situations. Monarch School prohibits preauthorizing restraint and/or seclusion. The use of restraint and/or seclusion is not permitted for any other purpose, such as coercion, discipline, convenience, or retaliation by staff.

Restraint Complaint Process:  If a parent or guardian has a concern related to a restraint, he or she may communicate this by contacting Monarch School at 216-320-8945 or Bellefaire JCB’s Client Advocate, Juliet Stephens LSW, at 216-320-8216.

Please click here to read Monarch School’s Restraint Policy

Please click here to read Monarch School’s Time Out and Isolated Time Out Policy

Anti-Harassment, Anti-Intimidation, or Anti-Bullying Policy

It is Monarch School’s policy to provide an educational environment free from harassment, intimidation and bullying. Monarch School is committed to protecting its students from any form of physical, verbal or mental abuse. Please click here to read Monarch School’s Anti-Harassment, Anti-Intimidation, or Anti-Bullying Policy