Person-Centered Practices

What is Person-Centered Thinking?

Person-Centered thinking is a set of principles and core competencies that is the foundation for person centered planning. Person-Centered Planning is a guided process for learning how someone wants to live at home, at work or in the community and developing a plan to help make it happen. Person-Centered thinking tools provide practical strategies for gathering meaningful information and facilitating conversations about goal setting, problem solving and action planning. This process ensures that focus remains on the perspectives of individuals affected by the issue or outcome. Person-Centered thinking also provides a framework for building effective relationships and opens the door to greater collaboration and planning in partnership. This in turn, increases the likelihood that the individual receiving services or the employee receiving supervision will be heard, valued and better equipped to attain the quality of life they seek at home and at work.

What is Person-Centered planning and how does it relate to the individual program plan?

 

Person-Centered planning is about the individual’s future and reaching their goals. The process should be driven by the individual and reflect what is important to and for that person. Person-Centered planning can include other people, such as family or friends, only if the individual chooses to include them in the process. Once the individual has made choices about what he or she wants and needs, an Individual Program Plan (IPP) is written based on the individual’s decisions. The IPP lays out the individual’s goals and what is needed to reach those goals, including necessary services and supports.