Helping the Behaviorally Challenging Child

Helping the Behaviorally Challenging Child (HBCC) is the only organization in Orange County focused exclusively on a system of care around Collaborative Problem Solving. This exciting evidence-based approach helps with parenting, teaching and treating children, teens and young adults with difficult-to-manage behaviors who are having trouble meeting the demands of home life and school expectations. Orange County has been a leader in this innovative model that has proven its efficacy at all levels of caregiver support. Both locally and nationally this approach has realized improved outcomes in treatment and ultimately has improved relationships between children, their teachers, families, and caregivers. 

The approach we teach - Collaborative Problem Solving (CPS) - was developed at the Massachusetts General Hospital Department of Psychiatry, the #1-ranked Department of Psychiatry in the United States. The approach is proven to reduce challenging behavior, teach kids the skills they lack, and build relationships with the adults in their lives. CPS is listed on the Blue Menu of Evidence-Based Psychosocial Interventions for Youth from the PracticeWise Evidence-Based Services Database, and on the California Evidence-Based Clearinghouse for Child Welfare. The multiple studies conducted on CPS reveal tremendous benefits including significant reduction in parental stress, significant improvement in children’s executive functioning skills, 86% average reduction in physical restraint, 73% reduction in children’s oppositional behaviors at school, 71% fewer self-inflicted injuries, and improvements in parent-child interactions and feeling of competence.

HBCC’s mission is to help the youth we serve lead more productive and inclusive lives by teaching families, professionals and academic and other institutions to implement this compassionate and proven approach with fidelity.