Some children may need additional support managing intense emotions or behaviors. This optional chapter in Project ImPACT offers practical tools for families. The tips below help clinicians decide when and how to introduce the chapter based on each family’s unique needs and readiness.

• 🔁 Introduce after all F.A.C.T.S. strategies are in place
  If challenges are mild, start with the core Project ImPACT strategies—these often lead to meaningful improvements without additional supports. When dysregulation continues despite consistent FACTS use, the optional behavior chapter provides targeted strategies.

• 📉 Use when dysregulation impairs learning
  If behaviors frequently disrupt engagement or skill development, these tools can restore momentum.

• 👂 Respond to emerging parent concerns
  Questions like “What should I do when he hits me?” suggest readiness for focused behavior guidance.

• ⏸️ Adjust session pacing or focus
  Pause standard sessions to devote full attention to behavior supports or integrate them as needed. Consider extended sessions if appropriate.

• 🎯 Tailor strategies to specific goals
  Not every family needs the full chapter. Focus on strategies that match their priorities—often, “Prevent the Behavior” is a powerful starting point.

• 🗣️ Teach replacement communication
  If a child uses aggression or meltdowns to express basic needs, help parents teach alternative communication to reduce frustration.

• 📝 Start at intake when concerns are clear
  When behavior concerns are front and center during intake, begin with this chapter to address stress early and promote broader program success.

Referral may be appropriate if a child’s behavior is consistently unsafe, if dysregulation disrupts engagement over time, or if a parent feels overwhelmed despite using Project ImPACT strategies. You’re not stepping away—you’re expanding their support network. Trust your judgment when concerns extend beyond your role, such as developmental or mental health needs, persistent behaviors unresponsive to coaching, or signs of trauma or family stress. Collaborate with caregivers to identify the right specialist, like a behavioral psychologist or developmental pediatrician. Frame the referral as an opportunity to deepen support—while continuing to reinforce emotion regulation and social communication within your scope.

You may want to schedule the first few sessions with the parent only to help them understand the child’s behavior. Once you start teaching the strategies, be sure to use the coaching, including practice with feedback, to help the parent apply the concepts to with their child. You can use the Coaching Fidelity Checklist with a few small adaptations to structure your sessions.