Person-Centered Planning

Project Description

Within a person-centered system, individuals and providers work in full partnership to guarantee that each person’s values, experiences and knowledge drive the creation of an individualized plan as well as the delivery of services and supports. Person Centered Planning (PCP) is recognized as an important vehicle for empowering individuals to have a voice in the planning process and actively shape their futures. Although rhetoric often indicates service planning is “highly individualized” and “person-centered,” the reality is that most formats currently used are inefficient vehicles for this purpose because they are aimed at fitting people to a standardized set of services or programs to meet identified needs, not at promoting creative planning and problem solving.

Most person-centered planning (PCP) tools used with persons with developmental disabilities focus on generating information, clarifying a vision for their future, and brainstorming capacities within the community. Yet, for many older adults, the focus on planning is not about clarifying a vision for the future but planning to maintain their independence; maintain connections to community, family, and friends; and receive support in a manner that respects their values and preferences. NH utilizes the Team Performance Model (TPM) developed by Drexler and Sibbet (1993), as its framework for PCP. The TPM offers a structure for supporting PCP that reflects predictable phases of planning and decision-making that individuals, families and support teams progress through as they design and develop individually-tailored supports.

As part of this three-year $500,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the PCP project includes the development of principles of PCP, training for community staff who work in critical pathways to long-term supports, the development of a training manual, and the development of web-based PCP tools.