Person centered planning (PCP) is a process for planning a person's life, services, and supports around who they are and what they want, rather than around a diagnosis or the programs an agency happens to offer. The person with a disability is at the center of the plan and leads it as much as possible. Family, friends, and professionals help the person describe their strengths, preferences, dreams, and needs, and then agree on concrete steps toward the life the person wants. In short, it is planning with a person, not for them.
What is person centered planning?
Person-centered planning grew out of the disability rights and community inclusion movements of the 1980s. At that time, plans for people with developmental disabilities were written mainly by professionals. Advocates and planners such as John O'Brien, Beth Mount, Marsha Forest, and Michael Smull began developing methods that started with the individual, often called the focus person: their gifts, relationships, and vision for a good life. Those ideas have since spread into schools, adult developmental disability services, mental health care, and aging services.
A person-centered approach asks different questions than a traditional service plan. Instead of "What services does this person qualify for?" the team asks "What does a good life look like for this person, and what support do they need to get there?" The written result is often called a person centered plan. In adult services it may also be called an individual service plan, individual support plan, or person-centered service plan, depending on the state and agency. Many people also use the phrase person-centered thinking for the everyday habit of listening to what matters to someone, and person-centered practices for the wider system of support built on it.
Core principles of person-centered planning
Planning tools differ, but they share common principles:
- The person leads. The individual decides who takes part, what is discussed, and which goals matter most. Support such as AAC, pictures, or a trusted helper is used so the person can take part fully.
- Strengths come first. The plan starts with what the person does well and enjoys, not with deficits or test scores.
- What is important to the person, and what is important for them. Good plans balance personal preferences (important to) with health, safety, and other needs (important for).
- Choice and control. The person makes real choices about where they live, work, learn, and spend time. Autonomy and self-determination matter even when a guardian helps with decisions.
- Community inclusion. Goals focus on relationships and community life.
- Natural supports. Family, friends, and coworkers support the person, not only paid staff.
- An ongoing process. The plan is reviewed and changed as the person's life and goals change.
Common person-centered planning tools
Several structured person-centered planning tools help teams run a planning meeting. Each is usually guided by a trained facilitator.
MAPS (Making Action Plans)
MAPS, developed by Marsha Forest, Jack Pearpoint, and Judith Snow, walks the group through a series of questions: What is the person's story? What are their dreams? What are their nightmares or fears? Who is the person, and what are their gifts? What do they need? What is the plan of action? It is often used with children and teens.
PATH (Planning Alternative Tomorrows with Hope)
PATH, developed by Jack Pearpoint, John O'Brien, and Marsha Forest, starts with a long-term dream or "north star" and then works backward. The group describes a positive, possible goal about one year out, identifies where the person is now, names who needs to be involved, and sets the first steps for the next few weeks and months. PATH works well for transition planning because it links a big vision to small, doable actions.
Essential Lifestyle Planning
Essential Lifestyle Planning, developed by Michael Smull and Susan Burke-Harrison, focuses on how a person wants to live day to day. It records what is important to the person, what others need to know to support them well, and what is and is not working right now.
Other approaches follow similar ideas, including Personal Futures Planning (associated with Beth Mount), one-page profiles, and the Charting the LifeCourse framework, a toolkit that helps individuals and families develop a vision for a good life across all ages. The tool matters less than the mindset: the person's voice drives the plan.
Who takes part in a planning meeting?
The person chooses the group whenever possible. A typical planning circle may include:
- The person and a facilitator who guides the meeting
- Parents, siblings, and other family members
- Friends, neighbors, or mentors
- Teachers, a special education case manager, or a speech-language pathologist
- A service coordinator or case manager from an adult services agency
The facilitator keeps the person-centered planning process focused on the person's voice and desired outcomes. People who know and care about the individual often add details that never show up in formal evaluations. That mix of personal knowledge and professional input is part of what makes the approach work.
Person-centered planning in school transition
Person-centered planning fits naturally with transition planning under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). IDEA requires that the first IEP in effect when a student turns 16 (or younger, if the state or IEP team decides) include appropriate, measurable postsecondary goals and the transition services needed to reach them. The law says transition services must be based on the individual child's needs, taking into account the child's strengths, preferences, and interests. The school must also invite the student to any IEP meeting where transition is discussed.
IDEA does not require a specific person-centered planning tool. Many schools and families, however, use MAPS, PATH, or a similar process before the IEP meeting to gather the student's own goals for education, training, employment, and independent living. That information then feeds into the individualized transition plan and the student's present levels. It is also a practical way to build self-advocacy skills, because the student practices explaining what they want and why.
Person-centered planning in adult services and Medicaid waivers
After high school, many adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities receive support through Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) waivers and similar programs. Federal Medicaid rules for HCBS (42 CFR 441.301(c)) require a person-centered planning process and a written person-centered service plan. In general, the rules say the person leads the process where possible, may choose who takes part, receives information needed to make informed choices, and has a plan that reflects their preferences, goals, and needed supports. The plan must be reviewed at least every 12 months and when the person's needs change.
How this looks in practice varies by state. Plan names, forms, meeting schedules, and the role of case managers all differ. Families can ask their state developmental disabilities agency how it works locally.
An example of person-centered planning
Maya is 17 and has an intellectual disability. Her school's transition coordinator runs a PATH meeting with Maya, her parents, her older brother, her favorite teacher, and her neighbor, who runs a bakery. Maya says her dream is to work with food and live in an apartment with a friend.
The one-year goal: a work experience at the bakery and cooking three simple meals on her own. First steps include a job shadow day and a visit to vocational rehabilitation. At her next IEP meeting, these ideas shape her postsecondary goals and transition services. Her parents also contact the state developmental disabilities agency so adult services can build on the same plan after graduation.
Compared with a traditional service plan, which often starts with assessments and a list of available programs, Maya's plan starts with her own goals and then matches services and supports to them, including health and safety needs.
Frequently asked questions about person-centered planning
Why is person centered planning important?
The main goal is to help a person with a disability live the life they choose, with the right supports. The plan describes what matters to the person, their strengths, and the concrete steps and services needed to reach their goals.
What is an individual service plan?
An individual service plan (ISP) is a written plan used by many adult disability agencies to describe a person's services and supports. Names and formats vary by state. In programs funded through Medicaid HCBS waivers, this plan must be developed through a person-centered planning process.
How is a person centered plan different from an IEP?
An IEP is a legal document under IDEA that covers a student's special education and related services in school. A person centered plan is broader. It covers home, community, work, and relationships, and it can continue after school. The two work best when the person-centered plan informs the IEP.
How often should person centered planning be updated?
A plan should change whenever the person's goals or needs change. For Medicaid HCBS services, federal rules require a review at least every 12 months and when the person's circumstances or needs change significantly, or when the person asks for one.
