LBSA Welcomes New Behavioral Support Services Director, Malissa Parrott-Stanke

My name is Malissa Parrott-Stahnke, and I am the new Director of Behavioral Supports for Laura Baker Services. I have been a lifelong advocate for people’s rights, person-centered thinking/planning and the need for behavior support services. I am a Qualified Mental Health Practitioner, licensed NREMT, with a bachelor’s degree in healthcare administration.

Growing up, my parents ran a treatment foster home for children for over 20 years. As a nonprofit executive director, I have directed various programs in this field for the past 10 years. Since 2003, I have been a nationally recognized EMT-B, with work experience in both an ambulance and an emergency room, witnessing the need for behavior/crisis support within our population. My husband, Jason, and I have three beautiful adult daughters, two sons-in-law and five amazing grandchildren. I enjoy spending time with my grandchildren, doing pilates with my youngest daughter and traveling with my husband.

Joining LBSA

I am delighted to join the LBSA team, assisting people with IDD and challenging behaviors to maintain their home or achieve their desired home. The gap between families and behavior/crisis support has been growing for the IDD population as people begin or continue to use their “natural” supports such as family, friends, neighbors, and more as their caregivers. Although this very person-centered option is wonderful for the person needing support, it can put a huge strain on the support people when an interfering behavior surfaces. Caregivers can feel they do not have the tools or education to successfully assess and address those challenging behaviors.

Addressing Challenging Behavior

To address challenging behavior, a professional needs to give the appropriate time and attention to evaluate the person, the behavior and their environment. With the whole person in mind, they can help move the person and their support circles toward positive changes. This quote says it all: “Behavior is driven by emotion.” Ashleigh Warner, a psychologist, breaks it down even more when she says, “Beneath every behavior is a feeling. And beneath every feeling is a need. And when we meet that need rather than focus on the behavior, we begin to deal with the cause, not the symptom.” Interfering behaviors can become unsafe for all involved, including violence (physical/verbal or destruction of property), eloping and more.

Building Bridges

Families often feel they have no place to go for help or support, so they end up in a vicious back-and-forth referral system with hospitals, ERs, treatment centers and more. To help the person meet their goals, we need to build bridges to address this gap, setting people and their support systems up for success. Behavioral Support Services will help build that bridge and set a solid foundation for people to accomplish their goals.

Contact Us

To learn more about LBSA’s Behavioral Support Services, visit laurabaker.org/bss, or call us at: (507) 645-8866.