Foundational Articles and Tools
Below you will find a partial list of articles that provide context to the evolution of The Learning Community for Person Centered Practices:
Planning
Planning and the Golden Rule
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
After the Plan
While we have an incredible workforce of trainers for developing person-centered plans, we have not paid as much attention to what happens after the plan. This issue includes a quick summary (adapted from Foothold Technology) of the process. This summary is followed by a classic article written by Michael Smull which dives deep into the … Read more
The continued importance of ritual and routines
By Michael SmullMarch 2020 Having rituals that I choose, that are followed, is also comforting. For most of us, our rituals are disrupted daily in some way. To cope, we cling to those rituals that remain and establish new rituals within our new reality. We seek ways to comfort ourselves and rituals and routines are … Read more
All About Person-Centered Outcomes
In order for a plan to be successful, the team has to know what the person being supported wantsto accomplish. Staff need to understand what is being worked towards in order to better supportthe person. When the team and person identifies the outcome, it creates a shared vision for thefuture. Read about developing person-centered outcomes … Read more
Key points about recent trends in person-centered planning
While Al generated, this makes for an interesting and quick resource.
Culture, Intersectionality, Identity, and Disability
Understanding culture is important to person-centered thinking, planning, and practices. Culture influences how we view health, mental health, well-being, illness, and disability. Culture influences what a person believes is important to them and their families. Since we are all cultural beings, programs striving to deliver person-centered thinking, planning, and practices must be responsive to culture. … Read more
Standing with Jon
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
Full Circle End of Journey
In the early1980s, I was working at a Regional Center in Northern California. Regional Centers provide funding for and coordinate services and supports for individuals with developmental disabilities. At that time, individuals weren’t very involved in any aspects of directing their own lives. As an advocate for person-centered practices, I started collecting and writing plain … Read more
Getting from Where I Am to Where I Want to Be! A Transition Workbook (fillable version)
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