Vancouver-based nonprofit Innovative Services NW got a $25,000 grant from the Community Foundation for Southwest Washington that will go toward helping children with behavioral challenges.
Through a project called Positive Behavior Support in Early Childhood, a board-certified behavior analyst will study “the behavior of a child in order to apply interventions to bring about meaningful and positive change in the child’s behavior including academics, social skills, reading, communication and adaptive living skills,” said a news release from Innovative Services. The techniques are called applied behavior analysis. The goal is to remove barriers and help children reach their full potential.
“I’ve been working with children for over 20 years, and there is no other treatment available that makes as significant progress as [applied behavior analysis] does, for the maximum potential of the child in everything they do,” Lori Moorehead, Innovative Service’s board-certified behavior analyst, said in the news release. “It also gives families the tools, support and guidance on how to continue to teach and advocate for their child for the rest of their lives.”
The project will benefit low-income and at-risk children in Clark County who have behavioral issues due to developmental disabilities such as autism or who have experienced developmental delays, family violence, homelessness, chemical dependency, incarcerated parents, or involvement with Child Protective Services or the foster care system.
