We all have hopes
and dreams for the future. Some we can work for on our own, many
take support from others. Some will happen, some will not. Our beliefs support the use of individualized
plans to provide services and plans based on each individual or
family's needs.
Person-centered planning is one way of
figuring out where someone is going (life goals) and what kinds
of support they need to get there. Part of it is asking the
person, their family, friends and people who work with him or her
about the things she or he likes to do (preferences) and can do
well (strengths and capabilities). It is also finding out what
things get in the way (barriers) of doing the things people like
to do. If people can't talk for themselves, then it's important
to spend time with them and to ask others who know them well.
Important things to remember about person-centered planning are:
The Team - Everyone who uses regional center services has something called a planning team. The people on the team must be the person who uses regional center services (and family members if someone is under 18 years old), the regional center service coordinator (social worker, case manager; or counselor) or someone else from the regional center. The team can also include people who are asked to be there by the individual (or consumer) like family and friends.
Team Talk If someone doesn't speak very well or if someone speaks a different language, then a helper should also be on the team. Remember; the things that people talk about should be easy to understand. It's important to make sure that people have all the information they need to make choices for themselves.
Team Meetings The team gets together to talk about things, like what's going well for someone and what could be better. Remember, person- centered planning is more than a meeting. It's also the job of the team to look at the IPP to make sure that the services that people are getting are supporting their choices and are making a difference in their lives. If not, then the IPP can be changed by the team. This kind of planning may take more than one meeting. While the team has to meet at least once every 3 years to look at the IPP, they may need to meet or talk more often.
Working Together - The team decides what is written into the plan together. Most of the time, teams can come up with a great plan. If the team can't decide or agree what should be in the plan, then the person who the plan is written about (individual or consumer and family) has a right to have someone help decide. This is called a fair hearing. The regional center can give names and addresses of people who can help in the fair hearing (like the local Area Board or Protection and Advocacy).
The Plan - The choices people make about their lives are written into the Individual Program Plan. However, many other things happen in person-centered planning. For one thing, everyone on the team learns more about each other. Also, people with developmental disabilities have a chance to talk about what's important to them and the kinds of support they need from family, friends and people who provide services. The IPP also:
Current page design by Scot Cleveland.
Initial page design by Janet M. Perry.
Page copyright North Bay Regional Center.
Page powered by NapaNet, Inc.