Person Centered Plans

What Is Person Centered Planning?

Person Centered Planning is a means for people with disabilities to exercise choice and responsibility in the development and implementation of their care plan. It assists and guides individuals in defining and pursing desires and choices in having a meaningful life. Person Centered Planning is designed to find out what is important to the person and to learn about how the individual views health, safety, and risk issues in his/her life. Person Centered Planning is meant to assist individuals and clinical teams in having real and honest discussions about their desires, needs and supports. Striking a balance between a happy and safe life is essential.

Services and supports are provided in a way that maximizes social participation and inclusion in the community, using necessary specialized services, generic resources, and natural support networks. The planning process is directed by the individual and identifies strengths and capacities, desires and support needs. A good Person Centered Plan generates actions—positive steps that the person can take toward realizing a better, more complete life. Good plans also ensure that supports are delivered in a consistent, respectful manner and offer valuable insight into how to assess the quality of services being provided.

Individuals guide their care plans and choose others to help them. Family members and friends are frequent contributors; the more traditional, professional service providers are also included. Plans incorporate varied supports, training, therapy, treatment and other services as needed to achieve the personal goals set by the individual. Plans draw upon diverse resources, mixing paid and natural supports to best meet the goals set.

Overview Of The Person Centered Plan

The Person Centered Plan is a vehicle to help people reach their potential. The Person Centered Plan is for the individual, friends, family, professionals, paid staff and any other person with whom the individual would like to share the plan. The Person Centered Plan is used by individuals to assist others involved in their life understand their wants, desires and needs. The plan needs to clearly express the voice of the person.

All Plans:

• Are “respectful” of the person and those who support the person
• Are easily read, or user friendly
• Are constructed so information is located easily
• Use complete thoughts but not necessarily complete sentences
• Use everyday language
• Have enough detail and/or enough examples that someone newly present in the person’s life can understand what is meant.

The phases of completing the Person Centered Plan are:

• Gathering information/assessment
• Organizing the information for team review/team meeting
• Developing the PCP
• Requesting PCP approval
• Implementing the PCP.

Many clinicians believe that you will have more success at remaining well if you take responsibility for your own treatment and help your providers know what works for you. You can assist with your treatment by saying what is helpful or feels harmful. Person Centered Planning is a process that will occur annually or anytime you have a significant change in your life.

In developing your Person Centered Plan, think about:

• What has been happening in your life over the past year?
• What do you want your life to look like? 
• Do you want to volunteer or work at a paid job?
• Where do you want to live and with whom?
• What would make where and how you live better?
• What support do you need to maintain the important things in your life?
• What would you change about your life if you could?
• What part of the day do you like best and why?
• Do you have enough money to pay for all the activities you would like to do?
• What kind of person makes the best support person for you?
• How is your health?  Do you have concerns about your general health?

The Person Centered Plan is about your life and what you want to achieve for your personal goals.