The Teaching-Family Model (TFM) is a model of care for persons in need of services and care necessary to support an improved quality of life and increase opportunities to live to their potential. The TFM is used internationally in residential homes,
foster care
Foster care is a system in which a minor has been placed into a ward, group home (residential child care community, treatment center, etc.), or private home of a state-certified caregiver, referred to as a "foster parent" or with a family mem ...
, schools, home-based treatment, emergency shelters, assessment centers, and other youth and dependent adult care programs. It was developed in the 1960s through research at the University of Kansas. Researchers included
Montrose Wolf
Montrose Madison Wolf (May 29, 1935 – March 19, 2004) was an American psychologist. He developed the technique of " time-out" as a learning tool to shape behavior in children in the 1960s. He was a leader in creating the discipline of problem-so ...
(the inventor of
time-out as a learning tool to shape behavior) and
Gary Timbers
Gary may refer to:
*Gary (given name), a common masculine given name, including a list of people and fictional characters with the name
*Gary, Indiana, the largest city named Gary
Places
;Iran
*Gary, Iran, Sistan and Baluchestan Province
;Unit ...
. The model has been replicated over 800 times, although not all of the replications have proven effective and successful.
Overview
This model of care is based on an "organized approach to providing humane, effective, trauma-informed, and individualized services that are satisfactory to clients and consumers. It is cost effective and replicable." (from Teaching-Family Association Website) The focus is using scientifically proven methods of
behaviorism
Behaviorism is a systematic approach to understanding the behavior of humans and animals. It assumes that behavior is either a reflex evoked by the pairing of certain antecedent (behavioral psychology), antecedent stimuli in the environment, o ...
known as
applied behavior analysis
Applied behavior analysis (ABA), also called behavioral engineering, is a psychological intervention that applies empirical approaches based upon the principles of respondent and operant conditioning to change behavior of social significance. ...
to teach and reinforce pro-social, lifestyle skills and allow the individual to maintain or advance in his or her environment. The Teaching-Family Association (TFA) accredits programs and certifies staff implementing the program with fidelity meaning that they undergo rigorous development and training, on-site reviews by qualified peer reviewers, submit consumer satisfaction surveys, and successfully demonstrate implementation of the TFM's 15 Standards with fidelity and as intended.
The TFM is implemented internationally and TFA Accreditation is a registered trademark. Many programs across the U.S. use this model of care, including Accredited sites such as Garfield Park Academy, Thornwell Home for Children, Kenosha Human Development Services, Inc., The Children's Home of Cincinnati, Virginia Home for Boys and Girls, The Barium Springs Home For Children, Closer To Home Calgary, Alberta, Canada, The Indiana United Methodist Children's Home, and Utah Youth Village. Sites are qualified as Accredited Agencies (Sponsor Agencies), Developing Agencies, or Supportive sites. Developing agencies undergo extensive training, consultation, and evaluation by an Accredited Sponsor Agency before applying to become an Accredited Agency. Supportive agencies are not accredited. They recognize the Teaching Family Modality, accept the Standards of Ethical Conduct required by the Association, and meet other requirements necessary to be eligible as a Supportive site.
The Teaching-Family Association (TFA) is an international organization founded in 1975 to promote this model of care.
Research
Many years of research exist on the Teaching-Family Model. In general, research supports the use of Teaching-Family Homes to reducing recidivism while in the program and some suggest that it reduces post-programming. The Teaching-Family Model has been suggested as a model program for
residential treatment facility
A residential treatment center (RTC), sometimes called a rehab, is a live-in health care facility providing therapy for substance use disorders, mental illness, or other behavioral problems. Residential treatment may be considered the "last-ditch ...
and
behavior modification facility.
[Underwood, L.E.; Tallbott, L.B.; Mosholder, E. & von Dresen, K. (2008). Methodological concerns of residential treatment facilities and recidivism for juvenile offenders with disruptive behavior disorders. ''The Journal of Behavior Analysis of Offender and Victim: Treatment and Prevention'', 1(2), 214–28]
BAO
/ref> Studies also demonstrate that the Teaching-Family Model is more cost-effective and beneficial than other programs.
See also
* Behavior modification facility
References
{{Reflist
Resources
Teaching-Family Association
Closer To Home Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Family
Caregiving
Behaviorism