A collaboration shaping the future of Positive Behaviour Support

A new strategic partnership has been formally signed between the University of Melbourne and MedHealth to deliver a series of micro-credentials that will build the expertise of MedHealth’s Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) practitioners.

PBS is a person-centred approach that supports people with a disability who display challenging behaviours. It encourages practitioners to look at the individual’s environment and assess how it can be changed to better meet that person’s needs.

Evidence-based and human-centred, PBS essentially aims to empower people with disability to lead the life they want to live.

Critical to this is equipping PBS practitioners with the practical training and knowledge they need to effectively work with individuals, and to develop strategies and behaviour plans that prioritise independence. This will be delivered under the banner of the MedHealth Academy School of Positive Behaviour Support, developed in collaboration with the University of Melbourne.

“So many people can benefit from behaviour support and, in turn, it is so important to support the people who are working alongside individuals and their families. We are delighted with the way this partnership has progressed with the University of Melbourne and hope this is just the tip of the iceberg,” adds Tim Morphy, Chief Executive Officer of MedHealth.

MedHealth’s NDIS Division supports over 15,000 participants across Australia through providers including Ability Action Australia, Outcomes Connect Australia and Real Therapy Solutions, delivering occupational therapy, psychology, speech pathology and Positive Behaviour Support.

“We deliver Positive Behaviour Support to some of the most vulnerable Australians and we want to continue to raise the bar for our PBS practitioners,” explains Dorothy Frost, MedHealth’s Head of Clinical Capability & Innovation.

“We want to ensure that everything our practitioners deliver is evidence-based, best practice. Working with the University that has such a strong reputation in this field, helps us achieve that.”

The NDIS Workforce Capability Framework has no minimum qualification or experience level for NDIS behaviour support practitioners. This means that practitioners who join the sector bring diverse levels of skills and expertise. Some come with allied health degrees, some have been frontline support workers, and other people transition from different industries and so have limited experience of supporting people with disabilities.

“Compared to other allied health professions, the PBS industry is a relatively young field and qualifications specific to Positive Behaviour Support are still in development,” says Dr Elli Riley, MedHealth’s PBS Clinical Lead and Psychologist.

“We see tremendous value in standardising training for behaviour support practitioners – it uplifts the capability of our team members and the industry more broadly, and enhances outcomes for people with disability.

“While we already have comprehensive internal training for our practitioners that includes training, supervision and ongoing professional development, the partnership with the University of Melbourne enhances that existing training and allows our PBS practitioners to receive an industry-recognised university accreditation.”

So far this year, around 200 MedHealth practitioners have enrolled in the online micro-credential programs. There are currently three programs for MedHealth PBS practitioners that have been developed by Professor Keith McVilly, Foundation Professorial Fellow for Disability & Inclusion at the University of Melbourne.

“It’s fantastic to see how these courses have taken off,” says Professor Mcvilly – Clinical Psychologist and Professor of Disability and Inclusion at the University of Melbourne.

“For a course that began with support from DFFH in Victoria as a time-limited program for a small number of practitioners, it has come a long way. We are now making this program available nationally. It's incredibly rewarding to see so many practitioners embrace a more evidence-based and compassionate approach to supporting people with disability."

Stacey McCarthy, a recipient of PBS, supports efforts to build the expertise of practitioners.

“I had no idea what to expect from PBS. I didn't really even know what it was. My PBS practitioner, James, spent many sessions with me on the phone, talking through the function of the behaviour and how I could change the way I approached my son, Andrew, to get a more peaceful household,” she says.

“James helped me to understand Andrew in a way I had never been able to before. For the most part, PBS isn't just about support for the person with a disability — it's support for the whole family.”

Through the MedHealth Academy School of Positive Behaviour Support, entry level or new practitioners complete a micro-credential focused on assessment and planning. More advanced practitioners can enrol in programs centred on autism affirming practice and specialist forensic disability practice.

The online programs include self-paced learning, live webinars and assessment.

They are part of the suite of professional development opportunities offered by Melbourne Professional Education (MPE) which works with the University of Melbourne’s experts to equip professionals, industry leaders and government bodies with knowledge and skills to build sustainability knowledge and to address strategic challenges in industry and government.

Dr Riley hopes the collaboration between MedHealth and the University will contribute to a widespread push to elevate PBS training across Australia.

“PBS is an essential service for people with disability to enhance and safeguard their quality of life. It supports people to live the life they want and quality behaviour support is essential to that,” she says.

Ms Frost says MedHealth is already exploring ways to expand the collaboration and offer a wider suite of micro-credentials.

“We are working with the University to develop more modules in specific areas and are excited to look at other options going forward.”