Key Lessons from the Teaching-Family Model for Organizational Behavior Management: A Commentary on Fixsen and Blasé

Gravina and colleagues read the classic Teaching-Family Model (TFM) scaling papers. They asked, 'Which parts can OBM copy to make our own fixes last?'

The team wrote a short commentary. They listed three TFM moves: isolate the core steps, coach leaders nonstop, and build an infrastructure that keeps fidelity alive.

The paper does not give new data. It gives a blueprint: if you want an ABA program to stay true at 50 sites, treat the agency like TFM treated group homes.

The authors say most OBM projects fade because they skip the 'boring' parts—checklists, supervisor coaching, and built-in self-correction.

Lerman (2024) extends the same idea to non-behavioral staff. Her blueprint tells you how to hand ABA tools to teachers, cops, and nurses—exactly the scaling puzzle Gravina posed.

Suhrheinrich et al. (2020) give you a ready-made shortcut: a 3-point Likert fidelity sheet that is a large share accurate and fast. It answers Gravina’s call for 'feasible infrastructure.'

Zhu et al. (2020) show you can coach from Zoom and still raise fidelity in China. Remote delayed feedback becomes the TFM coaching loop without plane tickets.

Valentino et al. (2025) run the continuous-improvement loop in real life. Their updated Ethics Network is a living example of the self-correcting system Gravina says every agency needs.

Next time you roll out a new prompt-fading protocol or BST package, copy TFM: write the non-negotiable steps on one page, script your supervisors’ weekly coaching calls, and pick a dead-simple fidelity measure. These three moves cost almost nothing and keep your good work from vanishing when the grant ends.