Planning

Planning and the Golden Rule

by

by Arthur Bolton* A mother concludes teaching her six year old about the golden rule by saying, “So you see dear, we are here to help others.” After thinking about this for a moment the child asks, “And what are the others here for?” There is great interest in the development of comprehensive solutions to … Read more

Foundational Writings

by

Michael Smull, Susan Burke Harrison, John and Connie Lyle O’Brien , Beth Mount, Marsha and Jack Pearpoint and others have written about person-centered thinking, planning, and services and supports for some time. We consider their work from the 1980s to today to be foundational and want to make sure that they’re not lost. We have … Read more

Person centered planning, should we do it with everyone? 

by

 Michael W. Smull   From my travels (and from the materials that get sent to me) I have learned that many of the alleged person centered plans and person centered services are not person centered at all. Plans are being written where what is important to those who provide services is written as if it were … Read more

Thinking About Support Broker Roles 

by

 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

A Plan is Not an Outcome

by

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

Standing with Jon

by

In the early days (late 1980s) of person-centered thinking and planning, Essential Lifestyle Planning was created by Michael Smull and Susan Burke Harrison to support people moving from institutions to community living arrangements. In the early 1990s, Jon was one of the first individuals outside of an institution to work with Michael and Claudia Bolton on … Read more

Getting from Where I Am to Where I Want to Be! A Transition Workbook (fillable version)

by

What’s this all about? Your answers to these questions can help you put together a transition plan. A plan to help you reach the best possible future. The questions are written in the first person, so that the focus is always on you, the person in transition. You can use this in several ways: (1) … Read more

A Workbook for Your Personal Passport

by

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