What is PRC in Arizona?

The Program Review Committee (PRC) in Arizona is a rights-protection and clinical oversight body within the DDD system. Its main job is to review and approve any interventions that may restrict a member’s rights and ensure they are justified, safe, and compliant.

🏛️ What PRC is

The Program Review Committee operates under the Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD).

It serves as a safeguard making sure providers don’t implement restrictive strategies without proper review, documentation, and clinical necessity.

⚖️ What PRC reviews

PRC primarily reviews behavior treatment plans (BP or BTP) and any strategies that could limit a person’s rights, such as:

• Restrictions on food or fluid access

• Limits on community access or movement

• Restrictions on communication or technology

• Use of protective devices

• Intrusive behavior interventions

• Use of behavior modifying medications in a DDD setting without a Behavior Plan

If it restricts a right → PRC approval is required.

🧠 What PRC looks for

PRC is not just checking paperwork—it evaluates quality and ethics. They look for:

✔️ Clear clinical justification

✔️ Evidence that less restrictive options were tried first

✔️ Use of Positive Behavior Support (PBS) strategies

✔️ Data collection and measurable outcomes

✔️ Plan to fade restrictions over time

✔️ Protection of the individual’s rights and dignity

👥 Who is involved in PRC

PRC is a committee. guided by the PRC Chair. Within this committee volunteers participate to review behavior plans that have been redacted by the PRC Admin. Most volunteers for the PRC committee are:

• Providers from agencies who serve DDD population

• Behavioral health professionals (BCBAs, DSP, DCW, SC, Case managers, etc)

• Medical professionals (as needed)

• DDD representatives/staff (Support Coordinators, Complex Care Specialists, Medical Directors, etc)

• Sometimes community or advocacy members (legal guardians, parents, friends and members of DDD)

  
  

🔄 Why PRC matters

PRC exists to prevent over-restriction and harm.

Without PRC:

• Providers could implement restrictive interventions too quickly

• Rights violations would increase

• There would be less accountability

• People tend to be overmedicated for unnecessary long periods of time

  
  

With PRC:

• There is checks and balances

• Interventions stay ethical and person-centered

• Providers are pushed to use PBS, not control-based approaches

💡 Straight talk (especially for training staff)

If your team remembers one thing, it should be this: (most of the content below is from Article 9 training)

👉 If you’re planning to use techniques that require the use of force such as:

a Forced compliance

b Forced Exlusion Time Out

c The use of contingent observation, if force is required

d Logical consequences, if force is used

👉 If you are planning to use techniques that might infringe upon the rights of the individual your provide services to.

a Exclusion from activities within the daily routine

b Restitution

c Reinforcement procedures that require the individual to earn basic necessities or personal possessions.

d Giving up reinforcement took that has already been earned as a consequence to behavior that occured after the reinforcement tool

e Limitations

Cigarettes

Access to community

Soda or Coffee

Phone privileges, if individual uses phone excessively

Access to food and basic necessities

👉 If the person you support uses behavior modifying medication as order by physician, as part of the treatment strategy to address/manage behavioral issues:

a Prior review by PRC is not required for situations where the prescribing -physician orders behavior-modifying medications to accomplish a specific "one time" medical or dental procedure.

b The planning team must convene and initiate development or a plan within 30 days of the start of behavior modifying medications.

c Within 90 days, the planning team should have the plan completed and forwarded to the Program Review Committee for review

👉 Is the person you support uses protective devices to prevent them from self injury

a Protective devices such as helmers, arm wraps, splints, etc

You need PRC

👉 More importantly: The goal is always to reduce and eliminate restrictions not maintain them. This includes medications. That is where we come in handy!

We are here to guide you at every step of the way. We will provide you with the right forms, processes and guidance. Remember, we are backed up by former a PRC Chair