ORIGINS

Person-Centered Planning has its origins in the disability activist movement of the 1960s and the early 1970s, which culminated in a congressional act of congress (The Rehabilitation Act of 1973) that included a provision that forbids discrimination on the basis of disability.

Ideas that grew out of the experience of disability activists resulted in a growing movement to move away from dependence on “professionals” as the experts on determining the needs of persons served; to persons determining what best served their needs. The following represents an example of these two views:

QuestionRehabilitation ViewPerson-Centered View
Where is the problem located?Within the personIn the environment and the way services work (or don’t work)
What is the solution?Professional interventionRemoval of barriers, advocacy, consumer control, self-advocacy
Who is the person?Patient/ClientPerson/Citizen
Who is in charge?The professionalThe citizen
  What defines success?Maximum functioning as judged by the professionalIndependent living, being in control of your life regardless of how much assistance you need.

ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT PERSON-CENTERED PLANNING

  1. All people, with or without disabilities, share the same basic needs. As human beings, all of us are concerned about having experiences throughout our lives that provide us with:
  2. Autonomy and independence.
  3. Individuality.
  4. Love and acceptance through participation within a family and community.
  5. Stability and continuity.
  6. Continuous growth and learning.
  7. Community status.
  8. Security with respect to personal finances and protection of legal and human rights.
  9. Description of disability is only relevant to the extent that the disabling condition complicates the fulfillment of human needs. What disabled people do not have in common with non-disabled people is the independent ability and means to create conditions, situations, and experiences in their lives to meet some or all of their basic human needs.
  10. The form of help and the ways it is designed and arranged determines whether or not people get their basic needs met. For example, it is common to hear phrases such as “Jim needs medication.” Re-wording this statement so that it is consistent with person-centered planning would be: “Jim, like all of us, needs to be able to concentrate in order to learn more effectively. His disability interferes with his ability to learn in several specific ways. Medication may be one form of assistance that might help him learn more effectively.”
  11. The goal of the human service systems is to join forces with natural unpaid support networks (families, friends, neighbors, co-workers, citizen advocates, etc.) to create conditions and support for people with disabilities that enable them to live within their local communities. Services should be designed and delivered to enhance each person’s capacity for growth and to convey the conviction that each person can participate in a valued role within the community.

ELEMENTS OF PERSON-CENTERED PLANNING

  1. The individual’s needs, desires, and accommodations for communication will be made to maximize his/her ability for expression.
  2. The individual’s choices, preferences, and abilities are respected.
  3. Potential issues of health and safety are explored and discussed to determine if there is a role for other persons to provide additional information.
  4. All planning meetings are scheduled at a time and location convenient to the individual and the persons the individual chooses to participate.
  5. The individual identifies, in collaboration with others, the strategies and supports to achieve desired outcomes.
  6. Exploration of the potential resources for supports and services to be included in the individual’s plan are considered in this order:
  7. The individual.
  8. Family, friends, and significant others.
  9. Resources in the community.
  10. Public funded and supports available to all citizens.
  11. Person-centered planning includes regular opportunities for individuals to provide feedback.
  12. The individual’s support network is explored with the person to determine who may best help him/her create a plan, and a plan is developed for achieving desired outcomes.

QUIZ TIME

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