Person-centered planning works for people of all ages and abilities. It is a collaborative approach to helping a person create a roadmap for their life that is based on their own strengths, preferences, and needs. 

Person-centered planning focuses on:

• What’s important to the person (preferences and goals, people and things they enjoy)
• What’s important for the person (health, safety, support)
• The person's short- and long-term goals
• The supports, services, and steps needed to reach those goals

A good plan should:

• Build on strengths. Focus on what the person is good at and what they can do, while respecting their culture and looking at their whole life — not just their disability.
• Find the right balance. Consider both what the person wants and what they need to stay healthy and safe.
• Set clear goals. Spell out what the person wants to achieve, the steps to get there, and how to track progress along the way.
• Help build connections. Support the person in forming relationships and getting involved in their community.
• Protect the person's rights. Make sure the person can make their own choices, stay in control of their life, and not be pressured by others.
• Work as a team. Make sure everyone involved communicates respectfully and works together.

For People and Families

• DDD webinar: Person-Centered Planning: Creating a Great Life
• "People with DD and Families" courses: The Boggs Center Course Listings and Registration
• Exploring Possibilities and Supports: An Information Gathering Toolkit, The Boggs Center 
• Planning Ahead for When the ‘What if’ is Now: Emergency Planning for When a Primary Caregiver is Not Able to Provide Support, The Boggs Center

For Direct Support Professionals (DSP) and Self-Directed Employees (SDE)

• "Community Supports & Quality" courses: The Boggs Center Online Registration System
• DSP/SDE trainings through the College of Direct Support (CDS)

For Support Coordinators

• Five Competency Domains for Staff Who Facilitate Person-Centered Planning (PDF, 611KB), National Center on Advancing Person-Centered Practices and Systems
• Developing Effective Person-Centered Planning Tools & New Jersey Individualized Service Plans, The Boggs Center
• Support Coordination trainings through the College of Direct Support (CDS)
• Support Coordination course through The Boggs Center Online Registration System