Samantha J. Stoll, Jerry D. Hartman, David Paxton, Lu Wang, J. Stuart Ablon, Bruce D. Perry & Alisha R. Pollastri
Point-and-Level (P&L) systems are commonly used for behavior management and modification in youth residential treatment centers. In 2019, the Association of Children’s Residential Centers (ACRC) released a position paper urging youth residential programs to abolish prescriptive, universally applied point-and-level systems because they are inconsistent with the principles of trauma-sensitive care and can be counterproductive to treatment. Despite this, few residential agencies have executed this change, possibly due to the complexities of dismantling long-held practices, concerns about youth safety, and lack of knowledge about other trauma-sensitive approaches.