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BEHAVIOR SUPPORT SERVICES
Thank you for your interest in Ireland Home Based Services to be your
Behavior Support Services Provider
WHAT TO EXPECT FROM IHBS BEHAVIOR SUPPORT SERVICES:
Services will honor your unique strengths and needs, support your dignity and rights, respect your preferences, decisions, and values, and protect your privacy, with a focus on positive, self-affirming, safe, collaborative, and effective services. We have a seasoned, experienced team of behavior clinicians from whom you can choose to work with (based upon availability).
Services will include:
- Transparent, collaborative services with you and your team in a manner that you best understand.
- Frequent face-to-face visits and consultation from a chosen behavior clinician in the most natural environments possible, including home, community, work, and day programs with input from you, your family, and your support team.
- Services are provided at the times and on the days that are most convenient for the consumers including evenings and weekends.
- Access to 24-hour on-call ongoing and crisis management support from the consumer’s chosen clinician and covering clinicians when the clinician is out of the office.
- Clinical review and supervision of assessments and plans is provided by Dr. John F. Ireland, PhD, HSPP.
- Development of a thorough, extensive, needs-based Functional Analysis of Behavior assessment when services start and ongoing as your needs change.
- A comprehensive, individualized and strength-based positive Behavior Support Plan is developed based upon assessed needs with your input, your family and your support team members to address POSITIVE skill development, which could include:
- Improving social skills
- Improving communication skills
- Developing/strengthening appropriate anger/frustration management skills
- Developing/strengthening appropriate coping skills
- Improving attention to tasks
- Developing/strengthening appropriate communication skills
- Improving self-advocacy skills
- Management of signs and symptoms of mental health concerns
- Family, caregiver and provider training by your chosen clinician on the developed Behavior Support Plan across all environments (including but not limited to home, work and school, when applicable) to promote consistency with interventions across environments.
- Ongoing assessment of your needs and the implemented Behavior Support Plan for any needed changes. Written reports of status/progress at least monthly and quarterly or as otherwise requested by you and others you approve us to give updates to
- Consultation behavior support services available for group homes, providers of all different types of services including staff training and full behavior support services
Am I Eligible for Services? You are if:
- You or your family member has a Medicaid Waiver through the Bureau of Developmental Disability
Services - Have elected to receive Behavior Support Services/Behavior Management through your Waiver
How Do I Make a Referral?
- To make a referral or for questions, please contact Karen Sommer at any of the following:
- Cell: 812-319-4665
- Office: 812-479-1856
- Email: ksommer@ihbs.us
- You can talk with your Medicaid Waiver Case Manager
Feel free to contact Karen Sommer for any questions you may have:
- Cell: 812-319-4665
- Office: 812-479-1856
- Email: ksommer@ihbs.us
Clinical Team
Amber Smith
Director of Waiver Services (Previously Amber Happe)
Amber has worked for Ireland Home Based Services since 2016 as a Behavior Clinician and was promoted to Director of Waiver Services in August 2022. Amber has a master's degree in social work and brings over 15 years of experience working in social services. Amber has extensive background in working with individuals with development disabilities as well as complex medical issues. Amber's work history includes working in case management through the Medicaid Waiver program, and a skilled nursing facility working to coordinate care for those with complex medical issues and behavioral issues.
Karen Sommer
IHBS Manager/Behavior Clinician
Karen has worked for Ireland Home Based Services since 2003 as both a Behavior Clinician and as the Manager of Waiver Services. Karen holds a Bachelor of Music in Music Therapy and a Master of Science in Health Services Administration. She is approved by the State of Indiana as a provider of Behavior Support Services. Karen has worked with people with developmental disabilities and mental health conditions in both a clinical, programmatic role and an administrative role for over 25 years. Her past experiences include providing behavior support services for persons with developmental disabilities in residential and group home settings, providing therapeutic therapies for an acute, inpatient psychiatric hospital, and providing general programming and supervisory roles for residential services for persons with developmental disabilities.
David Decker, LCSW
Behavior Clinician
David has worked for Ireland Home Based Services since 2007 as a Behavior Clinician. He has a Masters in Social work and is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW). David has over 24 years of experience providing community based and residential social services, both as a clinician and clinical supervisor. David's experience includes providing community based services to those with mental health and behavioral issues, including those with developmental disabilities. He has provided clinical, therapeutic supports to those in inpatient setting and residential placement settings. In addition, David has experience working within a therapeutic foster care setting. This experience included training foster families, facilitating placement and providing on-going therapeutic support to the children placed.
Pam Sherrard, LSW
Behavior Clinician
Pam has worked with Ireland Home Based Services since 2004 as a Behavior Clinician. She has a Master's degree in Social Work and is a Licensed Social Worker (LSW). Pam has over 18 years of experience working in behavioral health including providing therapy services in clinical settings and working with persons with many different mental health and developmental challenges. Additional experience includes providing counseling support for persons with mental health diagnoses both in home-based and clinic settings.
Rachael Schipp, LCSW
Behavior Clinician
Rachael Schipp has worked for Ireland Home Based Services since 2016. She transitioned into a role as a Behavior Clinician following working as a Home Based Therapist within the company. Rachael is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and holds a Master's Degree in Social Work. She has experience providing therapy to adults, children, and families with a wide variety of mental health and behavioral needs. Rachael has previous experience working with adults with intellectual disabilities from her time spent providing direct care services within a supported-living agency.
Dr. John F. Ireland, PhD, HSPP
Dr. Ireland is the Founder of Ireland Home Based Services which has provided in-home and community-based supports for families and children since 1994. Dr. Ireland holds a PhD in Clinical Psychology from the University of Arizona and is a Licensed Psychologist and Health service Provider in Psychology (HSPP) in the State of Indiana. He has over 30-years of experience as a practicing psychologist in Southwest Indiana and is a former Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of Evansville. Dr. Ireland has provided psychological services with a focus in vocational rehabilitation for over 20-years and was the Director of Clinical Services for Deaconess Hospital inpatient and outpatient services from 1988 - 1994. Additionally, his experience includes being the director of a child development lab with a focus on Autism. Dr. Ireland provides clinical supervision for all the behavior clinicians within the Ireland Home Based Services Medicaid Waiver Behavior Support Services team.
Laken Stokes
Behavior Clinician
Laken Stokes has worked for Ireland Home Based Services since 2019 as a Behavior Clinician. Laken has a Master's of Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) from Ball State University. Laken has over 10-years' experience working with individuals with developmental disabilities and mental health diagnoses, as well as children on the Autism Spectrum in an ABA clinic. Laken's work history includes working as a direct care professional in a residential setting, providing counseling-based services for day-program clients with mental health diagnosis, and helping individuals with disabilities seek employment in the community and providing support.
Karissa Rushing
Behavior Clinician
Karissa has worked for Ireland Home Based Services since January 2023 as a Behavior Clinician. Karissa has a background in education and obtained her Master's degree from Concordia University in Educational Administration. Karissa is currently attending the University of Southern Indiana to obtain her doctoral degree in Education Leadership. She has over 14 years of experience working with children and adults diagnosed with intellectual disabilities. She is well versed in communication techniques and fostering independent living skills in individuals with intellectual disabilities. Karissa has worked in the public school system as a Special Education teacher and as a Technical Assistant Supervisor assisting multiple school districts with special education law adherence and Individualized Education Plan (IEP) creation.
Faith Keiser
Behavior Clinician
Faith has worked for Ireland home based services since January of 2023. Faith has a Master's Degree in Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) from Walden University. Faith has been working with adults with disabilities since June of 2017 and has been working in the behavior analytical world since 2018. Faith has experience working as in a variety of areas including as a person-centered coach and with behavioral dementia care. Faith specializes in Applied Behavior Analysis, dementia care and art therapy and crisis behavior intervention.
