Becoming Person-

CenteredFor Families

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Becoming Person-

CenteredFor Families

What we’ll talk about:

What it means to be person-centered

Essential elements of Person-Centered Planning

Who needs a Person-Centered Plan?

How do people with disabilities participate?

How do you apply a person-centered plan to a systems

plan?

Hang on to your

hats, it’s going to

be a bumpy ride.

What it means to be

“person-centered”

Changing the way we speak

Shifts our own way of thinking and models the

person-centered approach to others.

Jargon

Impersonal references

System-speak

Problem-focused

People!

Gifts!

Dreams & Desires!

Happiness!

Important TO!

Changing our perspective

Inviting others to enroll and contribute

“Circle of Support”

• It’s about THEM, not us

• We all have them!

Listening Deeply

Inviting ourselves to free our thoughts, abandon

our preconceived notions about what we think

they will say, and setting up a physical space that removes outside noises

and distractions.

(PS – it ain’t easy.)

Essential Elements of a

person-centered plan

Essential Elements

• Setting the stage & ground rules

• Commitment• The Dream & the

Gifts• Positive & Possible

Goals• Checking in

Halfway• Circle of Support• Planning for

Sustainability

Who needs a person-

centered plan?

Who needs a PCP?• Expecting a transition in the

future (2-5 years).

• Examples: transitioning out of school or supported environments (group home, mental health units/psychiatric care) changing home or employment situations, marriage/divorce, aging into supported living.

• No specific transition, but seeking a new way to introduce themselves and communicate what’s important to and important for them.

How do people with disabilities

participate?

Participation • Communication

challenges do not mean a person does not have dreams and desires for themselves, or gifts to give to their community; nor does it remove their right to pursue them.

• A PCP facilitator uses the person’s own level and method of communicating to drive the conversation, and seeks permission for those closest to them to represent their voice.

• Loved ones must work thoughtfully to ensure that they are truly representing the person and not themselves.

• Examples: posters, powerpoints, visual boards, video clips, other’s voices

Participation Challenge:

Invite others to share in creating the voice for your child if they need support. Be very thoughful about how you are asking:

DON’T ask “what do you think is my child’s dream?”

DO ask “describe to me a day that you remember, when my child was very happy? Smiling, laughing, enjoying themselves, etc.” AND “what kinds of activities have you seen that make them smile and laugh and be at their best?”

Applying a person-

centered plan to a systems

plan

Applying your plan to theirs• Individuals and families are taking their plans and revamping

their IEP and ISP goals to reflect their plan’s positive and possible goals, and to work toward skill building and resource acquisitions that are true to the “real” future they anticipate.

• School team are participating and finding the plans very helpful in their decision-making process. By having clearer pictures of the person’s identity (visa vie the gifts), goals, natural supports and life outside of school hours, they can make more informed decisions and strengthen outcomes that apply to all environments.

• DDS and other systems folks are participating. After a recent plan was complete, the DDS representative said “I don’t understand why this isn’t being done right now for every student in transition!”

Being Person-Centered

You’re on your way!

www.personcenteredplanning.com