PURPOSE

To understand the importance of effective Person-Centered Planning. To learn the key components of the planning process, and the tools that can be used to help create dreams, preferences, and goals for the person with a disability. To learn methods to sustain the plan and modify the plan as preferences change.

1. Explain the importance of a person-centered approach to the

    My Voice, My Choice program option.

2. Identify the key components of person-centered

    planning and the tools available to help with the planning

    process.
3. Identify different ways a Support Broker can provide ongoing

    person-centered planning reviews.
4. Describe ways to support the implementation of the plan and

    to monitor the success of the plan.

   

INTRODUCTION
Person-centered planning is a process used to define a person's life goals and to create an action plan to meet those goals.  There are numerous tools available that help the planner create a picture of a person's life; what it currently is and what it will look like in the future.  Person-centered planning is not a static, one time event, but rather, a process that takes times to conceive and implement.  Typically a person-centered plan is conducted with family, friends, and community members (Circle of Support) who care about the individual and are interested in helping to support his or her life goals.

Person-centered planning is not a new idea.  In the past, life options for people with disabilities came from a preset menu of  community-based services; the planning process was simply a way to choose which services the person would receive (i.e., developmental therapy, behavioral consultation, personal care).  In the My Voice, My Choice program option, person-centered planning is crucial. Through the planning process, adults with disabilities have a real voice to make real choices about how they want to live their lives. 

This module does not promote one method of person-centered planning over another, but rather provides key components of quality planning and tools to choose from that are just right for the individual.

BUILD A RELATIONSHIP TO UNDERSTAND THE VOICE

In the My Voice, My Choice program, individuals with disabilities can use person-centered planning like a microphone - to amplify their voices and their choices so others hear and respond. 

However, a loud voice is not enough. The Support Broker's role is to ensure that the individual's Circle of Supports, future support providers, and community members understand what is being communicated. For example, consider the following scenario:

Your new employer, Jack, tells you that he wants a job. You ask Jack what kind of work he wants. He explains that he has always wanted to be a racecar driver. Although you don't know Jack well, you are aware that Jack does not have a driver's licence nor can he read or write. What do you do?

Answer: Before you identify all the ways Jack cannot and should not be a racecar driver, be sure you explore the options of what being a "race car driver" means to Jack. Have you heard, but not understood? It turns out that what Jack is really saying is that his passion is to work with and around cars. He would love a job working in a gas station, auto supply store, or a car repair shop.  He also likes to go to the video arcade and sit behind the steering wheel and drive the race cars around the virtual track. 

The story of Jack clearly demonstrates why it is important for Support Brokers to establish a relationship with each of their employers prior to beginning the formal planning process. Building a relationship means that there is mutual trust and understanding.  For a person with a disability this means that they can openly express their views because they understand that their Support Broker is a true advocate. The best way to develop a relationship is to participate in several kinds of activities that give the Support Broker an insight into who the person really is.

How to build a relationship:
Talk to the person in a comfortable, safe place for them.
Do something with them that they enjoy.
Have dinner with the person and their family or a few of their 

   friends to learn more about who is important to them, and who 

   they already trust.
Chat with people or providers who are part of the person's

   daily routines (with the person's permission, of course).
Listen and show interest in the person's life, talents, and

   preferences without judgment.

Lia Haile Lia gives Support Brokers real ways to get to know people.  What other ways could you get to know your future employers?

KEY COMPONENTS OF PERSON-CENTERED PLANNING
Person-centered planning, if done correctly, paints a picture of an individual's life now and in the future; the richer the picture the better the plan. The skilled Support Broker will help the Circle of Support to complete a unique picture of the person's life goals by exploring the following key ideas:

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