Person-Centered Planning
Person-centered planning is a process for selecting and organizing the services and supports that a person with a disability may need to live, work, and recreate in the community. The purpose of person-centered planning is to discover what a meaningful life looks like for the person and to identify the supports, both paid and unpaid, they need to achieve that life.
It is important to remember that person-centered planning is, at its core, about the person who must always be at the center of the planning process.
Person-centered planning works for people of all ages and abilities. It is not something you do to or for a person; instead, the planning process is directed by the person, with just the right amount of support from family members, a support coordinator, peer educator, or other independent staff who the person wishes to include in the creation or refinement of their plan.
A successful person-centered plan will:
- Remain strengths-based, culturally informed, and whole-person focused.
- Achieve balance between what is important to the person and what is important for the person.
- Clearly reflect the person’s goals and outline a plan to achieve them, as well as how to monitor progress.
- Help cultivate connection, both within the system and larger community.
- Protect and preserve the person’s rights, including the right to choice, control, and freedom from coercion.
- Focus on partnerships, respectful communication, and collaboration.
Resources
For People and Families
- DDD webinar: Person-Centered Planning: Creating a Great Life
- View People with DD and Families trainings available throuth The Boggs Center Training Registration System.
- View/download these resources from The Boggs Center:
For Direct Support Professionals and Self-Directed Employees
- View Community Supports & Quality trainings offered through The Boggs Center Training Registration System.
- Login to the College of Direct Support to view available trainings for DSPs.
For Support Coordinators
- View/download Five Competency Domains for Staff Who Facilitate Person-Centered Planning, published by the National Center on Advancing Person-Centered Practices and Systems.
- View/download Developing Effective Person-Centered Planning Tools & New Jersey Individualized Service Plans, published by The Boggs Center.
- View Support Coordination trainings offered through The Boggs Center Training Registration System.
- Login to the College of Direct Support to view available trainings for Support Coordinators.