As Support Brokers learn about their employers, they will begin to find out what each individual wants to do, change or accomplish. Brokers will use many different ways to create a plan, find ways to work together with team members to implement the plan, and celebrate reaching goals. Key components to any person-centered plan will include:
Give Voice to the Dream (Identify the Goals)
Find out about the dream, respect and honor the dream Address Each Life Area
Home, Community Involvement, Education, Family, Friends, Companionship, Work, and Recreation Identify and Create Resources
Programs, Supports and Services, Providers, and other opportunities Timelines and Commitment (Who will do what, when)
Clearly identify responsibilities, follow-up strategies, contingency
plans and timelines.
If you did not print the step by step directions for
MAPS, PATHS, and Futures Planning contained in the tool box onpage
2 you may want to go back and do so now. Review
how each tool helps to identify the key components of the plan.
Give Voice to the Dream (Identify the Goals)
An effective person-centered plan establishes clear goals that
are based on the dreams and preferences of the person with a disability.
Without the dream, the plan is incomplete. However, it is
important for Support Brokers to be aware that not all people
are comfortable talking in a group about themselves, let alone
their dreams. The following video offers an example of a
unique way for adults and their Circle to talk about dreams for
the future.
Self Advocate Leadership Network Members Present" Dream Catcher"
How could you use this type of tool to help your employer and his or her Circle of Support share their dreams?
After you read the following
article about Jesse, review the tools from the Tool
Box and consider how you would capture
Jesse's dreams.
The Beach Center on Disability (www.beachcenter.org) provides a resource for individuals to submit real stories on topics of interest. In this story, you will read about Jesse, a man with a significant disability who appeared to his support staff to want more from his life. This story shows how asking the right questions, and knowing when not to answer them yourself, is often the best means to achieve a goal.
Jesse exemplifies how a person with a significant disability can
communicate their interests, passions and needs. Moreover, Jesse
was able to seek answers with his support staff rather than the
staff assuming that they had all of the answers. Through searching
for more information, Jesse created a connection with other members
of the community at large.
For more information about Bliss Symbols, click here: www.symbols.net/blissymbolics/.
Life
Areas, Resources, Timelines (The Planning Process)
During the planning process, the adult and his Circle will talk about dreams and goals for each life area (i.e., home, community, education). This discussion should be open, creative, and exciting for everyone involved. Every person has ideas about what they want to achieve in life. Some people want to go to college, some people want to get married and have children. Some people want to buy a house. All dreams are possible to some extent. The job of the Support Broker is to turn the dreams into goals that are real and measurable, turn nay sayers into advocates, and maintain a positive tone. Effective person-centered planning takes time and practice to achieve. Once the creative juices are flowing, and the group is energized there are no limits to possibilities.
When dreams and preferences have been discussed for each life area, goals can be established. For each goal, the resources for achieving the goal are identified, timelines are set, and personal commitments are discussed. Resources for achieving goals is another area where everyone will need to be creative. In the My Voice, My Choice waiver option, resources could include neighbors, friends, family members, and other natural supports. During this stage of the planning it is critical that the Support Broker help the Circle to identify unique ways to provide support. Go beyond the typical support system, think outside the box.
Planning Strategy
One strategy that may help everyone in the circle to keep track all of the information discussed is to create a large visual picture that represents the dreams and preferences for each life area, the goals, and timelines. Instead of using a small note pad to document planning outcomes, you could use butcher paper taped to the wall and draw the ideas as they are expressed. The primary benefit to this type of strategy is that all people seem to understand pictures and colors more readily than a written report. Also, the large paper allows everyone to see and experience the plan as it unfolds. Because plans may be completed in multiple planning sessions, use of a colorful chart helps planning partners to review previous discussions and visualize ongoing ideas.
The videos that follow show examples of using color and symbols to achieve a plan that represents dreams and goals.
Chase Doty
Review this video and begin to
see how a planning session could set the stage for achieving your employers' dreams.
Planning Follow-Up
Person-centered planning is an ongoing process. Review this video that identifies
areas that need further review, and how you might address those needs.
Planning Follow-Up
This video identifies
one way Support Brokers can start to take big ideas that
come up during a planning session and focus them to show
who can help achieve the goals.
Support Brokers will use a variety of tools and strategies to help everyone process through the person-centered plan. A formal written plan will also be written and submitted to the local or state Medicaid office. It is important that the adult and his circle agree with the written plan before it is submitted.
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