Session E7 | WORKSHOP
Tracks
Stream E
| Sunday, May 18, 2025 |
| 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM |
Overview
(Part 1 of 2) Forensic disability clients: Positive Behaviour Support and the Good Lives Model | Dr Astrid Birgden, Dr Christina Kozar, Dr Frank (60mins)
Presenter
Dr Christina Kozar
Consultant Forensic Psychologist
Forensic disability clients: Positive Behaviour Support and the Good Lives Model
10:30 AM - 12:45 PMAbstract
The purpose of this workshop is to provide an interactive forum to introduce the application of Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) and the Good Lives Model (GLM) to the assessment, treatment and support of forensic disability clients.
The aim of PBS is to increase quality of life and reduce behaviours of concern. For forensic disability clients, the addition of the GLM of offender rehabilitation is appropriate in reducing the likelihood of re-offending. In common, PBS and GLM are humanistic and strengths-focused frameworks that engage, rather than coerce, behaviour change. In both models, treatment is based on an evidence-based functional behaviour assessment and clinical case formulation in order to best utilize internal resources (the client’s motivation and capacities) and external resources (team-based and multidisciplinary approaches with service providers to ameliorate risks while ensuring therapeutic engagement).
The workshop will address:
The Why: Theoretical underpinnings to support forensic disability clients;
The What: The assessment and treatment of forensic disability clients; and
The How: Harnessing the individual-environment interaction.
The aim of PBS is to increase quality of life and reduce behaviours of concern. For forensic disability clients, the addition of the GLM of offender rehabilitation is appropriate in reducing the likelihood of re-offending. In common, PBS and GLM are humanistic and strengths-focused frameworks that engage, rather than coerce, behaviour change. In both models, treatment is based on an evidence-based functional behaviour assessment and clinical case formulation in order to best utilize internal resources (the client’s motivation and capacities) and external resources (team-based and multidisciplinary approaches with service providers to ameliorate risks while ensuring therapeutic engagement).
The workshop will address:
The Why: Theoretical underpinnings to support forensic disability clients;
The What: The assessment and treatment of forensic disability clients; and
The How: Harnessing the individual-environment interaction.
.....
Dr Birgden established one of the first of four BISTs in Melbourne in 1990. She co-wrote the Victorian Positive Practice Framework, led the first draft of the NDIS PBS Capability Framework, and wrote the NDIS Compendium of PBS Resources. She has applied the GLM to sexual, violent and drug-related offenders.
Dr Astrid Birgden
Just Forensic
Forensic disability clients: Positive Behaviour Support and the Good Lives Model
10:30 AM - 12:45 PM.....
Dr Birgden has 30 years’ experience working in corrections, courts and disability services. In corrections, she was the first psychologist appointed in the Adelaide Remand Centre, managed statewide sex offender treatment and then a statewide reducing re-offending framework in Victoria, and established and managed a drug treatment prison in Sydney. In courts, she established the family violence courts in Melbourne. In disability services she was in the initial development statewide forensic disability services in Victoria and is currently an NDIS Behaviour Support Specialist. Dr Birgden has been a consultant since 2011 working across Australia. International UN and EU-funded work has included torture prevention with police and military in Nepal and Sri Lanka, training counsellors/prison officer in St Kitts, and addressing drug treatment issues in the Seychelles to address a Somali pirate problem. Dr Birgden is published in offender rehabilitation, therapeutic jurisprudence and human rights.
Dr Frank Lambrick
Private Practice and University of Melbourne
Forensic disability clients: Positive Behaviour Support and the Good Lives Model
10:30 AM - 12:45 PM.....
