Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA)

A Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA) is completed when an individual displays problematic behavior that is attributed to developmental, cognitive and / or communication impairments. An FBA is used to determine the cause of an individual’s challenging behavior by identifying the proposed function of those behaviors, triggers to avoid, when the individual is most likely to display challenging behaviors and formal recommendations / interventions to support functional improvement and skill development. Recommendations provide guidance to assist teams with specific problematic behavior, behavior modification techniques, replacement behaviors and coping strategies, and utilizing community resources to facilitate relationships between clients and community providers.

A formalized FBA report typically takes approximately 3 months from the date of FBA intake to discharge and includes the following:

Diagnostic interview
Interviews with family and direct support staff
Records review
Results of administered assessments
Current interventions in place and data
Direct observation of the individual in the residence, vocational site, and/or community setting in which the challenging behavior occurs
Formal recommendations / intervention strategies which can be used to develop a formal Behavior Support Plan (BSP) and Safety Plan