Person and Family Centered Planning

Person Centered Planning and Family Centered Planning are terms that mean the same thing. The term Person Centered Planning (PCP) is used when working with an adult individual who has a mental illness or a developmental disability. The term Family Centered Plan is used when working with a minor child and his or her family who has a serious emotional disturbance or developmental disability. Throughout this document we will use the term Person Centered Planning but be aware that the information also describes Family Centered Planning.

What is Person Centered Planning?

Person Centered Planning is a way of offering services that lets a person plan his or her own future. It asks the person about their dreams, goals and desires and it finds out what the person's strengths are. Then it uses all of these things to form a plan for the person's support and treatment. Person Centered Planning is a way to help the person achieve their goals and at the same time connect more fully in their community by using natural supports such as family and friends and by using existing community resources as well as mental health services. All programs at Bay-Arenac Behavioral Health use a Person/Family-Centered approach in the provision of services.

Person Centered Planning lets the person be in charge of much of the planning around their care and treatment. All of the person's dreams will be honored. There may be times, though, when some dreams may not be included in a person's formal plan. Person Centered Planning also takes into account the person's cultural background and any special needs the person may have. Health and safety issues are important in planning but cannot be used to tell a person that he or she cannot work towards their dreams and goals.

Your Rights as the PERSON in Person Centered Planning:
You have the right to -

• Choose who comes to your meeting.
• Help invite the people you want to attend your meeting.
• Pick where and when your meeting will be held.
• Decide what things you would like to talk about. You will be asked about your dreams, goals and desires. A meeting with your mental health worker will be held before your Person Centered Planning meeting so that you can think and talk about these things ahead of time.
• Decide what things you don't want to talk about. Those things will not be talked about at your meeting. If these things are important for your health and safety, though, they may be talked about at a later time or date.
• Choose the way the meeting is run (meaning you may choose a planning tool).
  Ask for someone other than your case manager, therapist, or supports coordinator to run your meeting for you. That may be a friend, a relative re someone trained in Person Centered Planning who does not work for mental health.
• Run the meeting yourself if you want to.
• Have a copy of your Person Centered Plan within 15 working days after your meeting.
• Ask for another meeting anytime you would like.
  
  If you have additional questions about Person/Family-Centered planning, you may call (989) 895-2300 for more information.