Solutions We've Been Waiting For

One of the greatest benefits of the Build a Better Life Toolkit is how this technology targets breaking the “Cycle of Lost Tools”.

Losing important support tools that the client/student needs, is a constant issue for those with disabilities. Lost Support Tools triggers many disruptions and dangers for the people being served including: 

· Frustration

· Depression

· Loss of Skills—Blocked Learning

· Undesirable Behaviors

·  Trauma

If left unchecked, the can trigger greater escalations that can lead to things such as:

· Crisis Hospitalizations

· Homelessness

· And Even Loss of Life.

Preventing the loss of the support tools is one of greatest benefits that The Toolkit can offer.

To understand how BBLT addresses this need, it's important to understand how the “Cycle of Lost Tools” works. 

Tools Working

· In this first stage, the best therapeutic tools are being used to support the client.

· When all Care Providers/Para Educators use the same tools in the same way—the individual and the support team are successful—and life is good.

Transition

In this stage there’s a significant change in the client’s life. Such as:

o Experienced support staff leave—

o New  Staff start working with them.

o The client/student moves to a new home, school or living situation.

o There’s a new diagnosis or health need.

Tools Lost

· At this point, tools are missing—tools are lost—and the client/student’s life is disrupted.

· Discomfort begins to build and escalate

Crisis/Disruption

In this stage, the disruption builds to a tipping point.

· The student/client’s frustration increases.

· Undesirable behaviors occur.

· Crisis behaviors escalate.

· Life-threatening situations may occur, causing traumatic disruptions and danger.

Many times, Care Providers/Paraeducators might be overwhelmed by the crisis and quit.

Intervention

· Expensive resources are activated to try to end the crisis. 

· This might include:

o Behavior support

o Stabilization Interventions

o Hospitalization 

o Out of home placement

o Expensive therapeutic support to pay for support tools that had been lost

Tools are Recovered—Tools are Lost

· Slowly, positive momentum starts to build again.

· New Care Providers/Paraeducators are trained

· Things improve

o But some tools are never recovered

At this point, the “Cycle of Lost Tools” starts all over again.

BREAKING THE CYCLE

The vision of the BBLT is to break The Cycle of Lost Tools that triggers this perpetual crisis and provide a training program that LASTS from setting to setting, enabling each client to live their BEST LIFE.

The “Secret Sauce” within Build a Better Life Toolkit is found in its foundation: Evidence-Based Practices (EBPs) from Therapy and Education.

AND IT'S A GAME CHANGER

BBLT Uses Two Key Evidence-Based Practices:

1. The Interdisciplinary Approach

Research shows that when the same support tools are used in the same way across all settings of a person’s life:

· Outcomes Improve for the client/student

· Costs Decrease 

OUTCOMES IMPROVE: Consistency reduces crisis. When supports work together, life becomes calmer, more joyful, and less reactive. 

COSTS DECREASE: When you reduce the crisis it Saves Money, because you don't have to keep paying  to re-create or replace LOST TOOLS over and over again.

2. Evidence-Based Practices from Education

BBLT also uses Evidence-Based Educational Training Strategies in its digital system that’s teaches care providers and paraeducators to learn, drill, and master therapeutic support skills. 

THE MISSING PIECE IN MOST TRAINING MODELS

It’s important to note that both of these EBP approaches aren’t new—in fact, they are the gold standard of training.  

But in REAL LIFE, Care Provider/Paraeducator training systems haven’t been able to sustain EITHER one of these EBP Strategies in a consistent way. 

And it’s not hard to understand why.

TURNOVER:  Think about the constant turnover and changes of care providers and paraeducators.  How do you SUSTAIN THAT LEVEL of training year after year—team after team?

All it takes is ONE CLUMSY TRANSITION—and then tools are lost—and you’re back at square one.

UNPREDICTABLE CHALLENGES:  Consider the complex and unpredictable daily challenges in a special ed classroom or residential agency.  

We want to bring the Best Care—which means training staff is a priority—but how do you stay consistent with the level of Evidence Based Training when you’re always navigating on-going changes and challenges?

It’s been impossible to sustain.

UNTIL NOW.

Build a Better Life Toolkit  has Targeted this EXACT Issue by creating a plug-and-play digital resource that links these two Evidence-Based Strategies into a training system that fits the world of disability support.

The Toolkit is designed to do some of the “heavy lifting” for agencies/schools, so that this higher level of digital training can easily be integrated in stride while providers are working in the field as they support the client/student in daily life.

This creates a sustainable pathway for these tools to be passed from team to team—year after year, throughout the client’s journey.

Our dream is that over the years, each client/student’s Toolkit would grow and become a LEGACY RESOURCE for the person, so that it could be passed on from support team to support team throughout their lifetime. 

That Is The Toolkit Solution.