Person Centered Planning refers to an ideology which is used to help guide, organize and assist people with disabiities, their families and friends to access their community.

Person Centered Planning refers to a philosophy rather than any specific tool.  Person Centered Planning is not something you do; rather, it is something you believe.

There are five experience individuals with developmental disabilities are at risk of missing if we do not identify and address them.  Ironically, these five areas mirror the five main areas of life that we, as a society, value most to define us, and our own place within society.

• Sharing Places- Individuals with disabilities should share the ordinary places and activities that are frequented by individuals of a similar age, including, but not limited to, work, home and neighbourhoods.
• Belonging- The quality of life for individuals with disabilities is greater if they have a sense of belonging and experience a wide range of relationships.
• Being Somebody- All individuals have value and are seen as people first, rather than being defined in terms of deficits and labels.  Individuals should be supported to have roles that are available to all citizens, and not just people with disabilities.
• Choosing- Individuals should be expected, supported and encouraged to make choices in their lives, both big and small.
• Contributing- Individuals with disabilities should have opportunity to contribute their gifts, talents, and support to the community at large.

Creating a good life for someone will include ensuring they have                                                         

• Positive relationships
• A home (not just a house)
• Education/employment of their choice
• Recreation/leisure (explore their interests)

 
We can address these experiences purposefully by

• Creating vision
• Discovering capacity
• Sharing resources
• Developing supports
• Building community

We can move towards a life for individuals with developmental disabilities which would now be characterized by

• Meaningful involvement in their community
• Development of an expansive and diverse range of relationships
• Being seen for their contributions and gifts
• Having choice
• Being treated as respected and valued citizens

It is important to note that Person Centered Planning is not something you "do" once in an individual's lifetime, or even annually, or that you check a box in a service plan to show that the planning has been "completed".  Person Centered Planning is ongoing, and will change often, and sometimes drastically, as people change and grow in their lifetime.

It is also important to consider that these are only a few ideas related to Person Centered Planning, and that many individuals have spent their lives studying this ideology and its many aspects.  Here is a list of other resources to explore:

Links to Websites:

The Social Role Valorization Home Page- http://socialrolevalorization.com/

The Inclusion Press- http://www.inclusion.com/

The Persons Centered Planning Education Site: Cornell University- http://www.ilr.cornell.edu/edi/pcp

Keystone Human Services - http://www.keystonehumanservieces.org/wounding/php

Capacity Works - http://www.capacityworks.com/index.html

JP Das Developmental Disabilities Center- http://www.ualberta.ca/~jpdasddc/INDEX.html

The NTH DEGREE- www.thenthdegree.com/default.asp

Diverse City Press Inc.- www.diverse-city.com/books.htm

Quality mall- www.qualitymall.org/main/selfadvocacyonline.org/

Self Advocates- www.selfadvocacyonline.org/

Recommended Reading:

Building New Worlds: A sourcebook for Students with Disabilities in Transition from High School to Adult Life -Beth Mount and Connie Lyle O'Brien

Implementing Person Centered Planning: Voices of Experience -John O'Brien

Building Communities from the Inside Out -John McKnight and John Kretzmann

Becoming Human -Jean Vanier

Make A Difference: A Guidebook for Person Centered Direct Support -John O'Brien and Beth Mount

Roles Based Planning -Scott Ramsay DDRC Calgary

PATH: Planning Positive Possible Futures -Jack Pearpoint, John O'Brien and Marsha Forest

All My Life's A Circle -M. Falvey, M. Forest, J. O'Brien, and R. Rosenberg

Person Centered Planning Made Easy -S. Holburn, A. Gordon, and P. Vietze