Person Centered Thinking

Best Practice, Expected Practice, and the Challenge of Scale

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by Michael W. Smull, Mary Lou Bourne, and Helen Sanderson Most state developmental disabilities (DD) systems have supported the development of best practice pilots and have defined the desired best practice outcomes. But the challenge to move typical practice toward best practice to “take best practice to scale” remains. To do this, state leaders need to … Read more

I am Disabled: On Identity-First Versus People-First Language

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March 20, 2015 by Cara LiebowitzIn the United States, a linguistic movement has taken hold. People-first language is considered by many to be the most respectful and appropriate way to refer to those who were once called disabled, handicapped, or even crippled. Instead of disabled person, we are urged to say person with a disability. Instead of autistic person, we should say person … Read more

An introduction to Person Centred Teams

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by Helen Sanderson Associates A person centred team is a team with a shared sense of purpose who know what is important to and for team members. In a person centred team roles and tasks are allocated based on team member’s strengths and interests, and the team regularly reflects on, and shares, what they are … Read more

Latest Issues of Resource Notes

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Resource Note #117 – Texas Gathering; HSA International Event; PCT Coordinator Opening; and 30 Years of Community Living: An ACL ReportResource Note #116 – Minnesota Gathering; HSA International Learning Event; World Café October 26th; and, 30 Years of Community Living: An ACL ReportResource Note #115 – Compassion @ work training from HSA; Imagine Film Festival; … Read more

Thinking About Support Broker Roles 

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 by Michael W Smull  As service systems increasingly embrace the principles and practices of self-determination and individual funding, people are looking at the roles of those who have been traditionally known as case managers or service coordinators. The expectations that many had of service coordinators in the late ’70s and early ’80s have been buried … Read more

Full inclusion and the value of students with severe disabilities 

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Michael W. Smull  How are these core values to be taught? Simply adding them to a curriculum will not work. These are values that are learned by being practiced. While occasional excursions to segregated settings may acquaint you with elders, or others who benefit from your gifts, the real lessons are learned from everyday experience. … Read more

A Plan is Not an Outcome

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by Michael W. Smull Person centered planning is our label for learning how people want to live, to learn what is important to them in everyday life and to discover how they might want to live in the future. However, a plan is not an outcome. The only reason to do the planning is to … Read more

SOLUTION CIRCLE

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Getting Unstuck A Creative Problem Solving Tool. This is a short and powerful tool that takes no more than a half hour. It is effective in getting “unstuck” from a problem in life or work. Solution Circles are tools of “community capacity”. It assumes and demonstrates that nearby people – in any community or work … Read more

A Workbook for Your Personal Passport

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This workbook is for people with developmental disabilities and their friends and families who want to learn more about person-centered planning. This workbook is for people with developmental disabilities and their friends and families who want to learn more about person-centered planning. When you’re finished filling it out, you can take it to your next … Read more