Community-Based Positive Supports

Fidelity of implementation refers to a process that is used to provide evidence that a positive support practice is being used in the way in which it was intended. Fidelity of implementation is used in teams to make sure the key features of a positive support is being implemented at each tier. This type of fidelity is focused on how well the three tiers are being put in place within an organization. One way to consider fidelity is to ask ourselves, "Did we do what we said we would do and how well/to what extent did we do it?"

Individual positive support interventions are also monitored for fidelity. For instance, if someone has a plan that involves several different interventions, each intervention needs to be monitored to make sure the key elements are being implemented. Fidelity can be used to assess written reports and when directly observing someone using a positive support.

When you hear that a positive support plan "didn't work" for someone, this failure can be related to how well the interventions were implemented. If the fidelity data show the interventions are not being implemented, it is important to explore what might be responsible for steps being excluded. Skipping steps in an intervention can happen when the intervention is too effortful, is too difficult to understand, or doesn't fit the values or resources in the setting. If a team is observing positive outcomes, fidelity data can increase your confidence that the improvements in quality of life, decreases in incidents of challenging behavior, or other positive outcomes are associated with a positive support practice.

Examples of Tools Measuring Fidelity – Team

• Implementing School Mental Health Supports: Best Practices in Action
• Overall Minnesota Team Implementation Checklist
• Tiered Onsite Evaluation Tool TOET
• Minnesota Direct Observation Form and Self Assessment Tool Definitions
• Minnesota Direct Observation Tool
• PBIS Tiered Fidelity Inventory
• Early Childhood Benchmarks of Quality
• Early Childhood Program-wide PBS Benchmarks of Quality Cultural Responsiveness Companion

Examples of Tools Measuring Fidelity - Individual Planning Level

• Person-Centered Plan Report Scoring Criteria and Checklist
• Person-Centered Positive Behavior Support Checklist PCPBS Report Plan Checklist
• Intervention Fidelity Example
• IRIS Intervention Fidelity Tool in Academic Setting
• IRIS Center Steps for Setting Up Intervention Fidelity

You will be learning more about fidelity of implementation at the intervention level in Modules 2-4. Find more tools and resources related to Community-Based Positive Supports by visiting the Module Resources page .