What is APBS?

The Association for Positive Behavior Support is an international organization dedicated to the advancement of positive behavior support. APBS strives to expand application of this approach with children, adolescents, and adults with problem behavior.

The Association is made up of professionals, family members, trainers, consumers, researchers, and administrators who are involved and interested in PBS. APBS, as a unifying home for these individuals from various communities and backgrounds, is a multidisciplinary association seeking members from all fields with interests in behavior support.

The Association for Positive Behavior Support is currently being shaped through the activities of 10 working committees and is directed by a 12 member board. Nominations for board membership are solicited from members. If you are interested in participating in a committee or exploring leadership opportunities, please email Tim Knoster (Executive Director of APBS) or call (570) 389-4081.

Back to Top

APBS Mission and Vision

Mission and Vision Statement (Effective September, 2007)

Mission:
The Association for Positive Behavior Support (APBS) is an international organization dedicated to improving the support of individuals in order to reduce behavioral challenges, increasing independence, and ensure the development of constructive behaviors to meet life goals in the areas of social relationships, employment, academic achievement, functional life-skills, self-determination, health, and safety. We believe that the competent and skilled use of PBS (i.e., focusing on strategies that are compassionate, constructive, and educationally oriented) can help individuals make meaningful progress toward these goals.

The Association for Positive Behavior Support is a multidisciplinary organization made up of professionals (teachers, researchers, university professors, and administrators), family members, and consumers who are committed to the application of PBS within the context of the school, family, and community including across systems (e.g., entire schools, organizations), for small groups, and for individuals with complex needs for support.

Vision:
The vision for APBS is to bring about changes in public policy in the areas of prevention, early intervention, education, adult services, and family support through the development, dissemination, and continual evaluation of PBS systems and outcomes.

Approach:
Positive behavior support is a set of processes that combine information from social, behavioral, and biomedical science and applies this information at the individual and/or systems level to reduce behavioral challenges and improve quality of life. Both systems-wide and individualized interventions used in PBS are empirically documented and can be used by a wide range of support providers.

The Association for Positive Behavior Support is currently supported by the activities of several working committees and a 12 member board. Nominations for board membership are solicited from our members. If you are interested in participating in a committee or exploring leadership opportunities, please e-mail Executive Director Tim Knoster or call (570) 389-4081.

Back to Top

What Does APBS Do?

The APBS is an active body, focusing its attention on dissemination, education, and public policy efforts. It:

• Serves as an international forum for individuals interested in PBS
• Hosts a conference every year
• Supports and promotes the Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions
• Publishes a quarterly newsletter
• Manages and links websites on PBS practices, systems and examples
• Engages in policy development around the provision of behavior support
• Establishes a directory of members to facilitate interaction among individuals interested in positive behavior support practices
• Works to establish national standards that define competency in the application of positive behavior support
• Encourages the training of professionals skilled in PBS practices through the development of training materials, and the embedding of PBS content in relevant professional certificate and degree programs
• Promotes access to state-of-the-art books and literature pertaining to PBS.

Back to Top

Back to Top

APBS Standards of Practice

Learn more about how the APBS Standards were created and who was involved.

Download the APBS Standards of Practice

Back to Top

APBS Policy Statement

Access a copy of the The Association for Positive Behavior Support (APBS) policy statement.

Back to Top

APBS Network

The Association for Positive Behavior Support is now offering regional networking opportunities. Access the documents below for more information about creating an “APBS Network” in your regional or state (e.g. APBS Network of New York or APBS Network of the New England Area).

APBS Network Description

Petition to Establish an APBS Network

Back to Top

APBS By-Laws

Learn more about the Association for Positive Behavior Support By-Laws

Back to Top