Person-Centered Planning
Person-centered planning in Easy to Read.
Person-centered planning is a model of community-based service that holds the client at the center of the life planning process. Person-centered planning is a broad model that offers multiple approaches to life planning so that the process can be tailored to the needs and wishes of the person with a disability. Similar to concepts of self-determination and supported decision-making, rather than focusing solely on a mental disability label, person-centered planning recognizes the abilities, desires and humanity of each individual.
Person-centered planning does not mean that people with mental disabilities are expected to make all plans and decisions on their own. Instead, the approach generally involves family members, service providers, and other support people collaborating with the client with a mental disability in order to define goals and outline concrete strategies that will support the client to reach those goals.
Below are links to organizations and documents that provide more information on person-centered planning for people with intellectual disabilities and people with mental health problems.
Person-Centered Planning: A Tool for Transition (2004), from the U.S. National Center on Secondary Education and Transition, outlines action steps for using a person-centered planning process with young adults with disabilities who are preparing to transition out of secondary school.
The Origins of Person-Centered Planning: A community of practice perspective (2000), by Connie Lyle O'Brien and John O'Brien, offers a look at the history of person-centered planning as a framework for providing services to people with mental disabilities. In addition to outlining the background of the framework, the article discusses several different approaches that fall within the scope of person-centered planning.
The article Finding a Way Toward Everyday Lives: The contribution of person centered planning (1992), by John O'Brien and Herbert Lovett, is an introduction to the method of person-centered planning for supporting the goals and needs of people with intellectual disabilities. The authors discuss the principles behind the method while demonstrating how it could be used to change the service system and acknowledging the method's limitations. The article ends with highlights of four different approaches to person-centered planning.
Person-Centered Planning: Maps and paths to the future (1996), by Howard Garner and Lise Dietz, is a brief article that describes elements of the person-centered planning approach and how it can be used with students who have disabilities. The article is available on the website of the Virginia Department of Education's Training and Technical Assistance Center at Old Dominion University (T-TAC ODU), Norfolk, Virginia, USA.
Listen, Lady, This Is My Life: A Book of Stories about Personal Futures Planning (1992), by A.N. Amado & P.J. Lyon, is a compilation of personal stories about changes in the lives of people with intellectual disabilities in Minnesota, United States, when they were provided with support that allowed them to speak for themselves and to be involved in decisions about their own lives. The book also includes strategies for personal futures planning and information on other related resources. From the Minnesota Human Services Research and Development Center. Available on the website of the Center for Human Policy, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York, United States.
Making Futures Happen: A manual for facilitators of personal futures planning (1990), by Beth Mount and Kay Zwernik, is designed for people interested in facilitating a Personal Futures Planning process. The workbook provides an overview of the basic values and approach of Personal Futures Planning as well as a tool box of strategies to help facilitators along the way. It is available from the website of the Minnesota Governor's Council on Developmental Disabilities (USA).
Telling New Stories: The Search for Capacity among People with Severe Handicaps (1989), by John O'Brien & Beth Mount, describes different methods of life support for people with severe disabilities, encouraging a focus on the person and on each individual's capacities. Available on the website of the Center on Human Policy, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York, USA.
It's Never Too Early, It's Never Too Late (1988), by Beth Mount and Kay Zwernik, is an introduction to "Personal Futures Planning." It is written for family members and advocates, although others who want to know more about Personal Futures Planning will find it informative. The booklet explains Personal Futures Planning and how it is accomplished. The goal is to introduce Personal Futures Planning as a process and to provide a rationale for using it as well as a basic understanding of its components. The booklet is available from the website of the Minnesota Governor's Council on Developmental Disabilities (USA).
Issues and Challenges in Developing Individualized Supports, by John O'Brien, provides information on implementing a system of individualized supports for people with intellectual disabilities living in the community.
John O'Brien and Connie Lyle O'Brien of Responsive Systems Associates produce a wide range of informational material on person-centered planning, community building, and innovative services. Many of their publications are available on the website of the Center for Human Policy (Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York, United States). To view a list of the publications, please click here.
Policy Options to Support Individualized and Person Centered Services and Funding, on the website of the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA), Indianapolis, Indiana, USA, outlines major guidelines that define common approaches to solving problems affecting persons with disabilities. The document is a work-in-progress intended to generate discussion, as the FSSA develops the final set of recommendations and strategic priorities to implement the Governor of Indiana Executive Order to move individuals with disabilities into community settings. More information is available at: http://www.in.gov/fssa/ddrs/2864.htm.
It's My Choice, developed by William T. Allen, Ph.D, is a person-centered workbook designed for use by people with intellectual disabilities who are making life plans and choices. The workbook offers accessible information and suggestions for life planning and provides space for written questions and answers to assist in the planning process.
bridges4kids, Okemos, Michigan, United States, is a non-profit parent organization providing a comprehensive system of information and referral for parents of children from birth through transition to adult life. The website provides information on a wide variety of topics including disability, community living, person-centered planning, and advocacy. More information is available at: http://www.bridges4kids.org/IEP/PCP.html.
Center on Mental Health Services Research and Policy, National Research and Training Center at the University of Illinois at Chicago, USA, has available for download a number of scholarly reports which focus on the areas of person-centered planning, self-determination, and related issues. To view the reports, please go to: http://www.cmhsrp.uic.edu/nrtc/reports.asp.
Circles Network, Warwickshire, United Kingdom, is a national voluntary organization whose goal is to build inclusive communities, and person-centered planning is at the heart of all forms of support that they provide. Circles Network's website provides information on the theory behind preson-centered planning as well as examples of different tools and samples of person-centered planning materials. More information is available at: http://www.circlesnetwork.org.uk/.
Community Works is an organization offering training in person-centered planning, self determination, and its own tool for individual, team, and organizational planning, PATH. The organization's website includes training information and numerous articles on a variety of related topics. More information is available at: http://www.communityworks.info/.
In 2005, the Center on Mental Health Services Research and Policy (CMHSRP) at the University of Illinois, Chicago, USA, established the National Consensus Initiative on Person/Family-Centered Planning with the goal of convening a meeting to identify best practices in person/family-centered planning. Several papers and resources that came out of this meeting are available for download on the CMHSRP website: http://www.psych.uic.edu/uicnrtc/cmhs/pfcphome.htm.
Paradigm, Birkenhead, United Kingdom, is a consulting and development agency that works for inclusive communities and person-centered supports. One page of Paradigm's website provides a comprehensive list of links to articles, brochures, and other materials that are focused on topics related to person-centered planning. The list includes several Easy to Read texts. More information is available at: http://www.paradigm-uk.org/.
The Person-Centered Planning Education Site is a part of the Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations, Employment and Disability Institute, Ithaca, New York, USA. The site includes an overview of the person-centered planning process, a self-study course, useful links, and downloadable readings, activities and reports. More information is available at: http://www.ilr.cornell.edu/ped/tsal/pcp/.
The Quality Mall is an online clearinghouse for free information about person-centered supports for people with developmental disabilities. Each "Mall store" has "departments" with information on positive practices that help people with developmental disabilities live, work and participate in the community. Departments include: closing institutions, guardianship alternatives, mental/emotional health, person-centered planning, self advocacy, self determination, and supports for employment. More information is available at: http://www.qualitymall.org/main/.
The Research and Training Center on Community Living, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, provides research, evaluation, training, technical assistance and dissemination to support the aspirations of persons with intellectual disabilities to live full, productive and integrated lives in their communities. Several of RTC's research and training projects focus on person-centered planning. More information is available at: http://rtc.umn.edu/main/index.html.