DIS 499/599: Module 4: Topic 3: Online Lesson
Weeks 11, 12, and 13: 4/1 - 4/21
Objectives:
* To identify the primary characteristics of person centered approaches in planning and providing services and supports to individuals with disabilities
* To consider how these features and indicators apply to consumers, families, advocates, administrators, managers, teachers, clinicians, researchers and evaluators
To complete this assignment successfully, you should:
1. Read the online lesson, The Eight Hallmarks of a Person Centered Approach and Characteristics of Person Centered Plans, Teams, and Organizations, with Indicators.
Online Lesson:
Since the beginning of this course you have explored the principles of family support and self-determination. You've been introduced to issues individuals with disabilities and their families face; ability to cope, resilience, self-efficacy, disability policy and advocacy, family-centered supports and services, cultural diversity, assessment, services, resources, and interagency collaboration. For the rest of the course you'll be examining the application of those principles.
For the next few weeks assume that you are a consumer or provider of services. From that vantage point utilize your knowledge of the principles of family support and self-determination to develop and analyze concepts and practices of program planning and service delivery. There are varying approaches to planning and service delivery, however fundamental values and beliefs orient different practices to achieve similar aims. You've read and written exhaustively for 10 weeks on this subject. You've shared your ideas and debated concepts with classmates. By now you should be relatively clear about your values and beliefs related to family support, self-determination and disability.
Because you have already read extensively on topics related to family support and self-determination, I didn't think it was necessary to have you read 10 pages of accompanying text to focus on what the authors concisely listed here. Use this information to analyze the practices described in the online reading and help you complete the group activity in the Virtual Conference Center.
The Eight Hallmarks of a Person Centered Approach
1. The person's activities, services and supports are based upon his or her dreams, interest, preferences, strengths, and capacities.
1.1 The person's dreams, interests, preferences, strengths, and capacities are explicitly acknowledged, and drive activities, services and supports.
1.2 Services and supports are individualized and do not rely solely on preexisting models.
1.3 Supports and services have outcomes selected by the person, which are meaningful and functional.
1.4 The person achieves personal goals.
2. The person and people important to him or her are included in lifestyle planning, and have the opportunity to exercise control and make informed decisions.
2.1 The person and advocates participate in planning and discussions where decisions making.
3. The person has meaningful choices, with decisions based on his or her experiences.
3.1 The persons has opportunities to experience alternatives before making choices.
3.2 The person makes life-defining choices related to home, work, and relationships.
4. The person uses, when possible, natural and community supports.
4.1 With the person's consent, the support of family members, neighbors, and co-workers is encouraged.
4.2 The person makes use of typical community and generic resources whenever possible.
5. Activities, supports, and services foster skills to achieve personal relationships, community inclusion, dignity, and respect.
5.1 The person has a presence in a variety of typical community places. Segregated services and locations are minimized.
5.2 The person has friends, and the opportunity to form other natural community relationships.
5.3 The person can access community-based housing and work if desired.
5.4 The person has the opportunity to be a contributing member of the community.
6. The person's opportunities and experiences are maximized, and flexibility is enhanced within existing regularly and funding constraints.
6.1 Funding of supports and services is responsive to personal needs and desires, not the reverse.
6.2 When funding constraints require supports to be prioritized or limited, the person or advocates make the decisions.
6.3 The person has an appropriate control over available economic resources.
7. Planning is collaborative, recurring, and involves an ongoing commitment to the person.
7.1 Planning activities occur periodically and routinely. Lifestyle decisions are revisited.
7.2 A group of people who know, value, and are committed to serving the person remain involved.
8. The person is satisfied with his or her activities, supports and services.
8.1 The person expresses satisfaction with his or her relationships, home, and daily routine.
8.2 Areas of dissatisfaction result in tangible changes in the person's life situation.
Characteristics of Person Centered Plans, Teams, and Organizations, with Indicators
1. Simple and understandable
* use of plain language and non-traditional formats to organize information and make it accessible.
* limited number of prioritized goals and objectives
* identification of timelines and responsible parties
* plan is realistic and is considered achievable by those involved
2. Based on unique vision for the person
* involvement of the person and others who care about him/her in plan development
* clear assessment of preferences, capacities, interests, and both reinforcing and non-preferred activities and settings.
* exposure to a variety of activities and settings to augment an experiential base for decision making
* presence of short and long term vision
* comprehensively coordinates activities of all key players like service providers, support personnel, community organizations, neighbors, and professionals
* envisions creative forms of participation and interaction
3. Focused on improvements in quality of life
* presence of specific goals and objectives in important quality of life domains, like home, work, community inclusion, family, relationships, health, leisure time, money management, etc.
* uses community, generic, and natural supports to facilitate activities and opportunities
* incorporates needs for assistive technology, augmentative communication, and other interventions that are prerequisites for full participation
* includes goal for self-advocacy, choice making, or other autonomy-based outcome
* acknowledges need for social contribution and personal dignity
4. Flexible and recurring
* support team meets as often as necessary to make needed changes in the plan
* presence of meeting minutes that identify changes in needs, capacitates, interests, priorities, goals and objectives
* flexibility and creativity in resource use
* efficient use of resources
* new members added to support team
5. Subject to evaluation
* use of qualitative and quantitative methods
* support team identifies obstacles, then develops and tracks solutions
* consumer and family satisfaction with quality of life domains
* evidence of on-site visits to key settings
* evidence of face-to-face visits with focus person and key family members, friends, and supporters
* periodic review of how the person's money is spent and resources are used
* assessment of team member satisfaction, participation, and control in comparison with focus person
* degree of consumer-direction of plan
Source: Schwartz, Allen; Jacobson, John; Holburn, Steve. Defining person centeredness: results of two consensus methods. Education and Training in Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities, v.35 (3), 235-249.
Once you have completed this activity you should:
Go on to Online Reading
or
Go back to Topic 3
Email the instructor: Becky.Raabe@nau.edu
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