Behavioural Supports Alberta

What is BSA (Behavioural Supports Alberta)?

A community of research, interest and practice. BSA is a provincial network of service providers, caregivers, policy and decision makers, researchers, and academics interested in supporting:

  • Individuals across the lifespan with congenital, acquired or developmental disabilities, mental illness, addictions, brain injury, dementia, and other neurological conditions who exhibit challenging responsive behaviours
  • Those who support or offer care to them.

What are Challenging/Responsive Behaviours?

All behaviour - whether disruptive or not - is seen as having meaning. Responsive behaviours are forms of communication exhibited intentionally or unintentionally, and expressed in actions, sounds, words and gestures. Such behaviours may be a reaction or response to something important to a person within the internal and external environmental, and regarding one's personal, social, or physical environment, state or experience. Examples of responsive behaviours include repetitive vocalizations, verbal or physical aggression, or wandering.

Preventing and managing responsive behaviours can be a challenge for clients, families, co-residents and regulated and non-regulated health care professionals. Co-ordinated efforts may help to identify:

  • Ways to best support and train healthcare providers to:

  • Understand the person and the behaviours being exhibited
  • Prevent, or respond effectively and safely to behaviours using a person- and family-centred approach that is least restrictive and least intrusive
  • System and cross-ministerial needs and strategies
  • Guidelines regarding care provision and best practices
  • Strategies to help implement and sustain best practices
  • Research opportunities that can inform evidence-based practice

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