PURPOSE: To help parents of children with behavior disorders to improve their relationship with the child, improve the child’s self-esteem, improve their child’s attention and compliance to instructions and provide effective discipline.

PROCEDURE: A specially trained licensed therapist teaches parents a research-based Behavior Management Program. Then the parent and the child are provided a room, a table and toys and the parent is equipped with a hearing-aid-size radio receiver. In an observation room with a one-way mirror and a transmitter, the therapist observes the progress of the parent and child and coaches the parent until they have mastered the Behavior Management Program. Parents are taught:

1) how to use play to develop and maintain positive parent-child relationships while making the child want to mind

2) how to use labeled praise to help a child think of himself or herself as loved, respected and good

3) how to use distraction to stop negative behavior

4) how to use strategic ignoring to change negative behaviors into positive ones

5) how to use when-then statements to get children to comply with requests

6) how to get children to stop trying to argue parents out of something by using the broken record technique

7) how to use time out as an effective disciplinary tool when needed

FEES: $80.00/hr (approximately 14 hours). Insurance, Medicaid and Healthwave reimbursement are accepted. Otherwise, fees are adjustable based on a sliding fee scale according to income and number of dependents living in the home.

ACCESS/REFERRAL: Call Riverton or Columbus office and ask for the service by name – Parent Child Interactive Therapy (PCIT)

CONTACT PERSONS PHONE NUMBER: Riverton (620) 848-2300, Columbus (620) 429-1860