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Show Positive handicap care urged Increasing positive skills through use of a "Gentle Approach" rather than trying to decrease bad behavior was stressed by nationally known authorities speaking at a recent conference on the handicapped. han-dicapped. John McGee, Ph.D., and Rehabilitation Psychologist at the Nebraska Psychiatric Institute, University of Nebraska Medical Center; and Gail S. Bernstein, Ph.D., author and Assistant Professor in the Department of Preventive Medicine, spoke at the conference, explaining the concept The two-day meet was sponsored by the Division of Services for the Handicapped in cooperation with the American Association on Mental Deficiency, and the Council for Exceptional Children - Menial Retardation. Over 300 parents, educators, health care and legal professionals and others interested in the handicapped han-dicapped attended, learning the latest in ideas to help the handicapped han-dicapped attain their fullest potential in life. Among the topics discussed were prevention, intervention and treatment, civil rights, medicaid eligibility, volunteer programs, parent counseling, sexuality, guardianship, foster parenting, siblings, and attitudes toward handicapped, disabled and mentally retarded people. Other speakers included Carl Binder, Ph.D., Boston, Massachusetts, and John D. Kemp, J. I)., National Kasler Seal Society. Mr. Kemp is a specialist in employment em-ployment programs for the handicapped han-dicapped and has represented disabled persons in protecting and advancing their civil rights before various judicial and administrative tribunals. -- of the pro-active approach. Later Dr. McGee, who recently authored a book on "Gentle Teaching," visited the Utah State Training School anddempjjstr.at.ed. some of his -tectlhfques in gentle teaching and bonding to personnel at the school. Dr. Bernstein said the "pro-active approach is basically planned positive approval. A lot of people are putting out fires, but that doesn't work. Instead of reacting to bad behavior, we need to teach handicapped people how to cope effectively and provide positive rewards for doing things right." Dr. Bernstein added before beginning a program, there should be a dialogue among the people involved, and some questions asked about the current situation, the purpose of the program, skills and specific behaviors to be taught and effective assessment. "To help the mentally retarded control their behavior, you need to identify specific behavior and skills you want to teach," she said. Dr. Bernstein continued, "The essence of effective assessment is to figure out what to do, how to provide what is needed, and have people accountable, for theroutcorne.-If theroutcorne.-If a program is not working, change it - don't allow it to go on endlessly. Have the staff try something different," dif-ferent," she said. Dr. Bernstein also spoke at sessions at the Utah State Hospital in provo in addition to the conference. con-ference. Dr. McGee teaches care providers to respond to positive behavior and ignore unacceptable actions. The teacher, he said, has to remain calm, maintain eye contact and reward accomplishments through praise. He discussed the residential continuum in Nebraska and stressed the necessity of absorbing individuals into the community. He also discussed and showed filmed segments of diagnoses and treatment treat-ment of people believed to be mentally ill in addition to retar-" retar-" dation. Proper diagnosis is crucial to treatment, he said. Drugs should be limited and physical restraint or time-out not needed if gentle teaching and bonding is used. |