What is person centered planning?

[Guest guest]

Here are some thoughts (one brief clip and one lengthy article) on Person

Centered Planning:

Adapted from " All My Life's a Circle " Using the Tools: Circles, MAPs and

PATHS. By Falvey, Forest, Pearpoint and Rosenberg

Basically, it is a constellation of tools developed to help a person or

family who want to make a purposeful, meaningful change in their life. The

planning is centered on the person. Simple and yet profound. The planning

is not for the convenience of the service, organization or even the family.

The plan simply serves the hopes, dreams and visions of the focus person.

This is very exciting work. Is it easy? No. does it always work? No. A

plan is simply that: moving from " hope " for a better future to the

specifying personal commitments that increase the chances of moving toward

that future. There are no guarantees only person to person commitments.

But the plan gives motion to the possibility that something real and

meaningful will happen. A good plan with no action won't take anyone

anywhere.

Community-Building and Commitment-Building with PATH

by and Faye Wetherow

From Implementing <http://www.inclusion.com/bkimplementingpcp.html>

Person-Centered Planning: Voices of Experience Edited by O'Brien &

Connie Lyle O'Brien C 2004 Inclusion Press

Order the book on-line from Inclusion Press

<http://www.inclusion.com/bkimplementingpcp.html> or mail or fax order to

24 Thome Crescent . Toronto, Ontario, Canada M6H 2S5

phone 416.658.5363 . fax 416.658.5067

Note: This article may be printed out for personal use, and we welcome

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When people first learn about PATH, they tend to think of it as a planning

tool -after all, that's part of the title: Planning Alternative Futures with

Hope (Pearpoint, O'Brien & Forest, 1995). If they are involved in supporting

people with disabilities, they are likely to be interested in the prospect

of a colorful, engaging, positively-oriented alternative to traditional

individual program planning, education planning, and service planning

processes.

PATH is certainly a powerful planning tool, but in addition, and, perhaps

even more importantly, it is a very powerful tool for invitation,

community-building and commitment-building.

PATH and traditional planning processes

Unlike a service plan, a PATH is not defined by or constrained by the

limitations of what the service system is prepared to offer, nor by the

prescribed mandate of an agency, school, or service system. The creative

conversation at the heart of PATH extends well beyond any agency mandate,

and the invitation to participate should extend well beyond the boundaries

of the service system.

PATH is not an ISP, IPP, IEP, Health Care Plan or Rehabilitation Plan. When

it is thoughtfully undertaken, it offers a broad view of the person's vision

for their own life, a vision sometimes developed in collaboration with

friends and family members, especially when people have great difficulty

communicating. With that broad vision in mind, it becomes possible to derive

a service plan that is consistent with the PATH.

The service plan derived from PATH is one of a larger set of understandings

and commitments. It is the response of one of the parties to the person's

future (the agency, the school, the system's representative) to a larger

expression of the person's life direction. It gives an agency a way of

saying, " We see the overall direction and understand our role in supporting

that direction. The ISP that we will develop next week will reflect how we

can support Shirley to pursue the elements of her PATH that fall within our

mandate. "

The school might say, " We understand the broad direction that Jack and his

family want to take with his education, and we're clear about our role in

supporting that direction. Next month, we will develop an Individual

Education Plan to reflect what the school is able to offer Jack to assist

him on that PATH.

Sometimes the PATH graphic depicts the intention to create a relevant

service plan as one of the many steps that will contribute to the goal, but

by now it is clear that the service plan does not define the goal, and it is

well understood that the vision is not limited by the mandate of the service

system.

Community-building and commitment-building begin with strategic invitation

When we are organizing a personal PATH, one of the general strategies we

have in mind is the idea of following the threads of a person's interests,

gifts, dreams, and passions in the direction of community connection,

companionship and contribution. We know that a great deal of energy is

released when it becomes apparent that the personal interests of the

pathfinder intersect with the personal interests of community members,

caregivers and other allies.

With this strategy in mind, we encourage the pathfinder and his allies to

think expansively, creatively and courageously about whom to invite to the

PATH session. We mention family members, friends, neighbors, colleagues,

people who may have been important to them in the past, and especially

members of the larger community. We emphasize people with whom they might

share a particular interest or passion, or people with whom they share a

strong identity -perhaps people who attend the same church, members of

common cultural groups, and so on.

One person's question about how to deal with the bugs in her garden without

using pesticides might be welcomed by community members who might be

involved in permaculture, organic gardening, or saving the local river

estuary. We could pursue the possibility that a brief connection based on

that question might evolve into a more extended involvement, companionship

and contribution to the cause of a less polluted planet. If someone were

interested in music, we would encourage them to invite people who are

involved in making music, even if they were relative strangers. Church and

cultural connections can be particularly fruitful, even if they don't appear

to include common interests other than a shared cultural identity.

Remember the old nursery rhyme,

Here is the church,

Here is the steeple,

Open the door,

And see all the people!

When we think about it, each one of 'the people' goes some place during the

day, so a connection that begins with the church has the potential to reach

into hundreds of places in the community. Each of the members is also

connected with other friends, neighbors, interest groups, community

associations, workplaces, and so on, so a single connection has the

potential to reach into hundreds of additional 'places' in the community.

If we limit the PATH invitation to the usual cast of characters -service

managers, immediate family members, caregivers, system advocates- we may be

missing this rich set of potential connections.

***

A few years ago, we visited a facility-based day program that was searching

for a new direction. One of the young women who attended the program

particularly enjoyed the activity of baking muffins every Wednesday

afternoon. Program staff described the benefits: an enjoyable hour or two; a

tasty dessert to share with friends and family, learning outcomes related to

reading and following recipes, development of " functional " cooking skills,

and so on.

Since many of the people in the program expressed the desire for more

companionship and connection in their lives, we began to explore the idea of

moving from activity to connection.* When the staff began thinking about

cooking-with-a-focus-on-connection, one of them quipped, " We need to stop

cooking and start looking " . Being a good detective became an interesting new

element in their job descriptions.

As our conversation evolved, we helped Sara and her mother create an

invitation list for a personal PATH. Initially, Sara thought about inviting

a couple of program staff, her social worker and her mother. We asked Sara

if she might want to invite some other people in her community who cared

about her. She said yes, she would invite the pastor from her church.

On the day scheduled for the PATH, we arrived at the apartment building

where Sara and her mother lived, and encountered a rather

distinguished-looking English gentleman. We introduced ourselves and learned

that he was the pastor that Sara had talked about. " I'm not sure what I'm

doing here, " he said, " I don't know anything about disability. "

" That's alright, " we said, " We're really glad that you're here. Our guess is

that you'll have a lot to offer. "

Sara had been in the day program for some time, and program planning

normally took the form of asking " what activity should we add to the

calendar? " -focusing on personal interests and skill development, but not

particularly focusing on connections. But now, because Sara's PATH included

the idea of moving from activity to connection, several new opportunities

presented themselves. And it turned out that Pastor held the key to

almost all of the connections.

As soon as we mentioned the idea of " cooking as connection, " came up

with the idea of introducing her to the group of women who met every

Saturday afternoon at the church to make muffins for the Sunday service.

'Gardening-as-connection' led to 's vision (included by Sara on her

PATH!) of planting 5,000 daffodils in the garden beds at the foot of the

church. " It will be spectacular in the spring! And we won't just have people

digging and weeding alone -we'll make sure that people do this together and

have a picnic whenever they get together at the church. "

Sara was interested in social dancing, and this activity had always taken

the form of a little group of people from the day program being driven to

the pub by staff on Thursday evenings. But when learned that Sara

loved folk dancing, he came up the idea of starting an English folk dance

group in their small community. had a personal interest in this -he

missed the folk dancing that was part of his life in England before he came

to Canada, and he knew that there was no such group in their town.

absolutely understood what we were working on. He understood that

Sara was a catalyst for community-building -that she would make his

community stronger. And, he was able to make connections that nobody else

could make- because he was a connected person. This gentle man who was so

nervous at the outset, ended up making the strongest set of commitments at

Sara's PATH -and he kept his promises.

***

We thought about what made this work.

We limited " the ask " . When we made the invitation, we only asked for

involvement for the duration of the PATH session itself; we didn't ask for a

lifetime commitment. In essence, we said, " , we wonder if you could

help us by spending a couple of hours thinking with Sara about her life and

thinking about how her interests might be encouraged. "

Although we didn't ask for a commitment beyond the PATH session, we did hope

for it. There was no way of predicting or controlling the outcome, but the

outcome would have been certain if Sara hadn't made the invitation. Making

the invitation requires courage -but it's worth it.

Each of the elements of PATH offered an opportunity for engagement.

became engaged at many distinct points in the overall PATH process. Each of

the steps in PATH offers a unique opportunity for engagement:

Hearing the Dream, people often begin to get the feeling that they are on

sacred ground -in a tender place- and they respond with considerable

empathy. As the deeper parts of the Dream are spoken and heard, people begin

to see the other person in themselves; and they see themselves in the other

person. With the pathfinder's permission, we offer all participants the

opportunity to add something to the Dream -something that reflects their

knowledge of the person, reveals the person's gifts and interests, or is an

expression of their dream for the person. We always check in with the

pathfinder to see if each element corresponds with their own personal

vision.

The inquiry about the Goal is framed in a way that allows participants to

feel that it is not just desirable, but possible, and they begin to sense

what might become their own role in making those possible things happen. In

Sara's PATH, the question " What would be happening if we were doing good

work in this direction for a couple of years? " allowed Pastor to

visualize his own place in the picture, and to see that this role was within

his means, because it was balanced by the roles that others played. " I know

these women who bake at the church on Saturdays, and I know I can help Sara

make that connection. "

As the PATH develops, each of the participants begins to envision their

particular role in making things happen. In their imaginations, they begin

to experience the sense of satisfaction that comes from contributing to a

desirable outcome, and begin to relish the part they can play in making this

positive future possible.

Creating a snapshot of What's Happening Now may engender recognition of

difficulty, but it also contributes to an awareness of resources and

opportunities. " Sara spends a lot of time alone " is balanced with " She makes

wonderful muffins, and I know one woman in the group who would really

appreciate her skill in that area. would be a perfect bridge builder

for the Saturday group.

" Who Do We Need to Enroll? " is a question that often marks a change in the

energy level of a PATH. We recognize that we need to enroll ourselves; and

we see that if others can be enrolled the effort will be more broadly shared

- making our contribution possible. It becomes clear that a continuing

strategy of enrollment is one of the things that will eventually bridge the

gap between where we are now and where we want to be.

What Do We Need to Do to Get Stronger? Identifying General Strategies, and

Identifying Milestones on the way to the goal are all steps that engage the

creativity and the problem-solving energy of the participants, create

additional opportunities to see oneself in the picture, and increase the

sense of shared effort and possibility.

Committing to First Steps is a crucial opportunity for each participant to

declare their personal commitment and hear and celebrate the commitments of

others.

The final check-in offers an opportunity to recognize and declare a sense of

delight, safety and commitment, and to relish hearing that expression on the

parts of others. The PATH process engages participants in problem-solving,

and they experience a growing sense of involvement and investment.

***

Joe's vision of owning his own home galvanized the 17 people who had

gathered to participate in his PATH. " I bought the house! " Joe said in the

'Goal' section of his PATH. " Great, " we said, " How did that happen? " Joe was

a bit stumped, but half a dozen of the people who had gathered with him

'remembered' what made it possible to buy the house:

" We used some of the money that Joe's mother had set aside for him to make a

down payment. "

" I got my friend Charlie, the bank manager, to come to a circle meeting

about a month after we did this PATH. He saw Joe's vision, and he also

realized that the circle was a source of real strength - it gave Charlie the

security he needed to feel comfortable about making the loan. "

" We had a big painting party one weekend. All of us showed up with our

families. We painted and gardened and picnicked, and had a great time.

brought one of her famous apple cobblers! "

Joe's group needed a real estate agent who would operate with integrity -

they couldn't afford to make a big mistake in purchasing a house - and one

participant in the group remembered that she knew someone who would fit the

bill. " My friend Janna is a real estate agent who is very honest. We can

share Joe's PATH with her so she understands what we are trying to do, and

she can help us find a place that we can afford that won't have any hidden

problems. Also, she'll know that seventeen people will be watching - that

will keep anybody honest. "

The real estate agent showed up later in the PATH as one of the 'People we

Need to Enroll', and the person who had the strongest personal connection

with her included contacting her as one of her personal First Steps. Other

participants celebrated this contribution, and in a very subtle way, are

prepared to encourage and support that participant to take that important

first step. If the group makes good use of the PATH graphic, they can

re-visit the story each time they meet, and hold themselves accountable for

their personal and collective commitments.

***

As participants begin to get engaged in active problem-solving, the

experience of making these active contributions deepens their sense of

commitment and shared purpose. The inquiry helps pathfinders and their

allies become more strategic in their thinking.

***

As a long-time recipient of rehabilitation services, had adopted a

rather closed, binary model of thinking about how he might make progress in

his life. Significant gains were either to be achieved alone -through

independent effort- or they could not be achieved alone, in which case he

needed to go back to the service system for further rehabilitation and

training.

Years of immersion in special education and rehabilitation services had

never raised the prospect of enlisting his personal support network in

helping with his search for meaningful employment, quitting smoking, or

moving towards more authenticity in his relationships - all of these had

been interpreted as matters of individual skill or will.

The pattern of inquiry and reflection in PATH opened up some new

possibilities. can use the graphic record to remember the strategies he

created, to share his vision and plan with his friends, and to reconnect

with the energy that was attached to these discoveries.

***

The inquiry encourages the pathfinder to recognize the importance of

identifying individuals and groups to enlist, to get very specific about

what they plan to ask people to contribute, and to make very specific plans

to contact those potential supporters.

Even when potential supporters are absent, pathfinders and allies see that

they can use the PATH graphic to effectively share their vision with friends

and family members. The prospect of gaining understanding, commitment and

practical support from this extended community is exciting and highly

motivating.

PATH may help redefine stuck roles, releasing a lot of energy.

***

The staff members who worked in the four-person residence that was Walter's

home had become rather bored with their jobs. The Nursing Plan (in a big

blue binder full of charts) not only defined the work of the shift, it

defined their relationship with Walter, their jobs, and their identities.

One staffer said, " We have to check our real lives at the door when we come

in to do a shift. "

Walter was a man who didn't speak, and he slept most of the time. When we

were inquiring about the Dream, it initially began and ended with " Healthy "

and " Safe " . But when we asked, " When does he wake up? " the staff woke up!

" He loves banjo music. I brought my banjo here one night, and he really

seemed to enjoy it. "

" He wakes up when he's in fresh air. I had to meet my daughter at the

skating rink, so I took Walter with me, and he kind of came alive. "

" He loves it when new people are around. I had a couple of friends over for

tea one afternoon, and he really liked hearing the sound of people talking

together.

As those elements became part of the Dream (connected to a little graphic

showing Walter waking up), new elements began to emerge: " Walter surrounded

by people who see who he really is " , " Part of a larger community. " " A

gentle, patient teacher and listener. "

Then, in the Goal section, the PATH took an interesting twist. Instead of

moving in the direction of looking for a music program, a recreation

program, and a socialization program, individual staff members began to

create little stories about involving Walter in the activities and

connections that formed important parts of their own lives. It turned out

that one staff member is a very accomplished musician, and that he was

connected with dozens of people who make music in the area. He started the

ball rolling.

" I can get Walter in when people are jamming . especially when they're

playing Bluegrass music. That'll be a good time for Walter, and it will be a

good time for me! "

" I coach competitive skating. If we can free up the van, I can bring Walter

to practices. The one time he went, the skaters loved pushing his chair

around on the ice. "

" For years, I've wanted to be part of the Amnesty International group that

meets at the Library. If Walter and I go together, he would be my best

reason for finally making that commitment. I wonder if Amnesty works on

behalf of people in institutions? "

" Hmm, you know, if we do this with Walter, we can do it with Jane. "

***

The move from caretaker to detective and bridge builder, especially when it

involves things that people are personally invested in and passionate about,

can be liberating.

We've seen this happen with family members as well.

***

Two sisters said, " Now we know what we can do. Before this, all we could see

was Mom beating her head against a brick wall, and we knew we didn't want to

do that. But now we see ourselves on 's PATH. "

***

A father who had long been separated from his family had only spoken a few

words during his daughter's PATH. When we reached the last stage (First

Steps) he was literally the last person in the room to speak. " This has been

great " he said. " We can hold the next PATH meeting at my house. " A

breakthrough.

***

Community and organizational PATHs

PATH builds community in the context of planning for individuals and

families, but it can also directly support a community or a group to develop

a clear picture of their direction and commitment. Sometimes, the group has

a very specific project they want to work on, but sometimes, they're simply

struggling with the question, " What do we want to be together as a

community? "

***

Pastor 's small church congregation engaged this question a few months

after Sara's PATH. The pattern that emerged surprised and delighted

everyone, and opened the door to the church being more purposeful in its

commitment to inclusion. One man said, " I want this to be a church where my

skepticism is as welcome as my faith, " and he received acclamation from all

of the other participants. At the end, I said, " If I knew for a certainty

that there was a church like this in our community, I'd be there in a

second! "

***

Members of a housing cooperative used PATH to regenerate their commitment to

be a community. " In the last couple of years we've gotten totally

preoccupied with finances and furnaces, and we've lost the sense of why we

came together in the first place. "

***

Parents, teachers, students and elders created a PATH to re-energize a

private school that was based in seven constituent churches. In this PATH,

it turned out that the most disaffiliated student was the person who created

the biggest breakthrough!

***

In Northern British Columbia, a group of First Nations elders created a

community PATH that was initially focused on the question of how to bring

back people with disabilities who had moved to urban institutions and

nursing homes decades ago. Rather than starting with a vision for a service

agency or a hospital board, their vision centered on a 3,000 year-old

traditional body of understanding about how individual life, family, clan

and community life, life on the land, and connection with the Creator were

to be conducted. Then they used this pattern to figure out how they would

organize the work of bringing people with disabilities home.

Since then, this community has unrolled their PATH about every six months to

work on another question -fisheries, education, economic development,

cultural enterprises, and so on. One of the participants said that this PATH

was like doing an archeological dig: it is a way for the community to

remember together things that they have always known, but now, because the

whole pattern can be seen in one place, it is more available for

community-building.

***

Walter's PATH includes a tiny graphic depicting " a long, slow, tender

journey " . PATH-in-practice is a world-wide journey of discovery, connection

and contribution. It can be a gift from the disability field to the larger

community. People who live with the questions about welcoming people into

the heart of community life are discovering many patterns for

capacity-finding, community-building, following the threads of gifts and

interests, and developing engagement and commitment. Our communities need

this.

The picture that is emerging is more like a mosaic than a satellite map. The

discoveries about PATH and community-building are being made in the moments,

with Walter, and Sara, and . There is no Corps of Engineers or

university research facility assembling a giant map. We're more like the

early explorers, following tiny trails, canoeing in and out of small bays

-the sweet places of community life. If there is ever going to be a 'big

map', it will be because the explorers -the people who are reading this

book- occasionally take the time to gather together, share their stories,

and weave the stories together. We invite you to share your discoveries.

Reference Pearpoint, J., O'Brien, J. & Forest, M. (1995). PATH (2nd

edition). Toronto: Inclusion Press. Faye Wetherow describe the process of

helping ways of understanding as they make plans with individuals, groups,

and

Partridge

Northern Illinois Field Organizer

Managing the Art of Living

www.managingtheartofliving.org

815-262-0699