Joslyn Tellier, MS, BCBA, serves as a Clinical Support Specialist at The Supported Living Group (SLG), bringing more than ten years of experience supporting individuals with developmental disabilities, Autism Spectrum Disorder, mental health needs, and complex behavioral challenges across home, school, and clinical settings.

Her professional background includes both direct clinical practice and behavioral leadership, providing her with experience in individualized intervention, staff supervision, family collaboration, crisis prevention, and the development of practical strategies that promote functional skills and independence.

At SLG, Joslyn contributes to the organization's multidisciplinary approach to Connecticut autism services, ASD Waiver supports, and community-based disability services, with a particular focus on behavioral and functional support.

More Than Ten Years of Behavioral and Autism Support Experience

Joslyn has developed her career around supporting individuals whose needs may involve:

• Autism Spectrum Disorder

• Developmental disabilities

• Behavioral challenges

• Mental health needs

• Emotional regulation difficulties

• Social-emotional development

• Complex support needs

Her experience spans multiple environments, including:

• Homes

• Schools

• Clinical programs

• Community settings

This range of experience is valuable because behavioral and functional needs can look very different depending on the environment in which an individual is participating.

A strategy that works in a structured clinical setting may need to be adapted for:

• Home

• Employment

• Education

• Community activities

• Independent living

Joslyn's background supports SLG's emphasis on translating behavioral expertise into practical, everyday strategies.

Functional Behavior Assessments and Understanding Why Behavior Occurs

One of Joslyn's core areas of expertise is conducting Functional Behavior Assessments (FBAs).

An FBA looks beyond the behavior itself and seeks to understand the circumstances surrounding it.

Assessment may consider:

• What happens before a behavior

• The behavior itself

• What happens afterward

• Environmental factors

• Communication needs

• Skill deficits

• Emotional factors

• Potential reinforcement patterns

Understanding these relationships can help a support team determine what an individual may need to communicate, what environmental factors may be contributing to a challenge, and what skills or supports could reduce the likelihood of the behavior occurring.

For SLG, this approach fits within a broader person-centered philosophy:

Understanding behavior is more effective than simply reacting to behavior.

Developing Individualized Behavior Intervention Plans

Joslyn also has experience developing and implementing comprehensive Behavior Intervention Plans (BIPs).

An effective BIP should be individualized to the person and their environment.

It may address:

• Behavioral triggers

• Prevention strategies

• Communication supports

• Replacement behaviors

• Reinforcement strategies

• Safety considerations

• Staff responses

• Data collection

The objective is not simply to reduce a behavior.

It is to help the individual develop more effective ways to:

• Communicate

• Regulate

• Participate

• Navigate challenges

• Build independence

Autism and Emotional Regulation

Emotional regulation is an important component of autism support.

Autistic individuals may experience heightened challenges related to:

• Anxiety

• Sensory overwhelm

• Frustration

• Unexpected changes

• Communication barriers

• Environmental demands

A behavioral approach informed by the individual's communication style and environment can help identify practical strategies for improving regulation.

Joslyn's experience with social-emotional development and trauma-informed, person-centered behavioral support is particularly relevant to these challenges.

The goal is not to suppress emotional expression or make an individual appear less autistic.

The goal is to help the person develop functional ways to communicate needs, regulate distress, and participate successfully.

Trauma-Informed and Person-Centered Behavioral Support

Joslyn's previous clinical work emphasized a trauma-informed and person-centered lens when addressing behavioral and social-emotional needs.

This approach is important because behavior can be influenced by experiences that extend beyond a diagnosis.

A trauma-informed perspective considers:

• Sense of safety

• Trust

• Predictability

• Communication

• Environmental demands

• Previous experiences

A person-centered approach then ensures strategies remain consistent with the individual's:

• Strengths

• Preferences

• Goals

• Communication style

• Desired outcomes

This combination helps move behavioral support away from a purely compliance-based model and toward meaningful skill development.

Crisis Prevention and Behavioral Safety

Joslyn also brings experience in crisis prevention and management training, helping teams develop the knowledge and skills needed to respond safely when individuals experience significant behavioral escalation.

Effective crisis support should not begin when a crisis starts.

Strong behavioral planning also considers:

• Early warning signs

• Known triggers

• Environmental factors

• Communication strategies

• De-escalation techniques

• Individual preferences

• Post-crisis support

A proactive approach can help reduce the likelihood and intensity of crises while preserving dignity and safety.

Staff Supervision and Behavioral Team Development

Joslyn has experience supervising and mentoring behavior technicians and classroom behavior specialists. In her previous role as Behavior Coordinator at the Bradley School, she provided leadership and supervision designed to improve consistency and quality across programming.

This leadership experience is highly relevant to community-based disability services.

Successful behavioral support depends not only on a good plan but also on whether the people implementing the plan understand:

• Why the strategy exists

• How to use it consistently

• How to collect meaningful information

• How to recognize changes in presentation

• When to seek additional clinical support

Staff education is therefore an important component of quality behavioral services.

Family and Interdisciplinary Collaboration

Families are often essential partners in successful autism and behavioral support.

Joslyn emphasizes collaboration with:

• Families

• Direct support professionals

• Educators

• Clinicians

• Other members of the individual's support team

This collaborative approach helps prevent situations where different environments use completely different strategies.

Consistency can be particularly important for individuals who experience difficulty with:

• Transitions

• Expectations

• Communication

• Emotional regulation

• Changes in routine

When the team understands the individual's needs and uses coordinated strategies, the individual has a greater opportunity to build successful habits across environments.

Supporting Functional Skills and Independence

Behavioral support should ultimately help individuals participate more successfully in everyday life.

Depending on the individual's goals, this may include developing skills related to:

• Communication

• Self-advocacy

• Emotional regulation

• Daily routines

• Social participation

• Community safety

• Independent living

At SLG, behavioral support is connected to the organization's larger goal of helping individuals achieve functional independence and meaningful participation, rather than simply reducing behaviors.

Autism Services Through a Community-Based Lens

Joslyn's experience across school, home, and clinical environments complements SLG's community-based service model.

Autism support frequently needs to be applied in the environments where life actually occurs:

• At home

• In the workplace

• In the community

• During recreation

• While learning independent living skills

This is particularly important for adults whose goals involve transitioning beyond school-based supports into:

• Employment

• Independent living

• Community participation

• Relationships

• Increased autonomy

Joslyn Tellier and the Connecticut ASD Waiver

Joslyn's behavioral expertise contributes to SLG's broader Connecticut ASD Waiver and autism support services.

The Connecticut ASD Knowledge Center addresses topics that closely connect to her professional expertise, including:

• Autism and emotional regulation

• Autism and executive functioning

• Autism behavioral supports

• Choosing an autism provider

• Questions families should ask providers

• Adult autism services

• Community-based autism services

Her role gives SLG an additional professional authority signal around the behavioral and functional dimensions of autism support.

Supporting Complex Behavioral Needs

Some individuals require more intensive behavioral support because of the complexity or severity of their needs.

In those situations, providers should consider:

• The person's communication abilities

• Environmental triggers

• Safety concerns

• Emotional regulation

• Skill deficits

• Family needs

• Staff capabilities

Joslyn's experience with crisis prevention, behavior assessment, intervention planning, and staff supervision provides a valuable perspective when developing individualized strategies for complex support needs.

Education and Professional Background

Joslyn holds a Master of Science in Applied Behavior Analysis from the University of Saint Joseph and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology with a concentration in Behavior Analysis from Eastern Connecticut State University. She is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst.

Her professional background includes clinical and leadership roles in both public and private programs, including her work at the Bradley School.

This combination of education, clinical experience, and leadership provides a strong foundation for her current role at SLG.

A Data-Informed and Person-Centered Approach

Joslyn describes her approach as compassionate and data-informed, with an emphasis on ethical practice, individualized programming, and honoring each individual's strengths.

Data can help a team determine:

• Whether an intervention is working

• Whether a behavior is changing

• Which strategies are effective

• Whether goals need to be modified

But data should not replace understanding the individual.

The most effective behavioral support combines measurable information with:

• Clinical judgment

• Individual preferences

• Family input

• Environmental context

• Personal goals