CARE BH Consultants can provide training on how to increase the functional communication skills of students so that they can learn how to get their basic wants and needs met. When students who are low verbal or non-verbal are taught a more effective way to communicate with others, they are less likely to engage in problematic behaviors.

CARE BH Consultants will model for staff how to engage students so that they are motivated to use the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) or a communication device (AAC or SGD) to gain access to the highly reinforcing items. It has been our experience that staff benefit from modeling and hands-on training in the classroom setting on how to increase the functional communication skills of students on their caseload. Opportunities for teaching functional communication skills can be embedded to all aspects of the instructional program and should be a primary goal for staff working with students ages 3-8 and/or with students who are low verbal or nonverbal and have not established an effective way to communicate with others.