Become a Person-Centered Plan Facilitator!
The Foundations of Person-Centered Planning
All people interested in Person-Centered Planning should have a box full of planning tools. These tools can empower people to make change in their lives by putting them in charge of defining their direction.
The Foundations of Person-Centered Planning is a four month series designed to teach important planning methods and skills. They include MAPS, PATH, Liberty Plans, Solutions Circles, building community capacity using Learning Journey, Person-Centered Thinking discovery, and more.
The process starts with a six session extensive facilitation foundation and will continue to build momentum with group mentoring sessions. Plan facilitation can be a bit intimidating in the beginning, and this series allows you to learn and practice, while receiving expert guidance from experienced plan facilitators.
This course will also discuss how planning can provide direction to the team and help to meet your licensing requirements in a more meaningful way. Join us for this comprehensive Person-Centered Planning program and fully realize your facilitation potential to help people define the direction of their lives.
CEU Contact Hours: 28.8 for Nurses, 24 for Social Workers
Person-Centered Thinking (PCT) is a prerequisite for this training. If you have not taken PCT, assistance is available to find an upcoming session.
Trainer/Mentor

Betsy Gadbois
Betsy has worked in the field of
developmental disabilities since 1980 and executing person-centered planning since the early 1990s. She is a certified trainer and mentor for Person-Centered Thinking and Person-Centered Planning and one of five Person-Centered Thinking and Planning mentors in Minnesota. She has trained people all over the country including families, educators, county case managers, providers, and people receiving services. Betsy is passionate about people having positive control over a life they desire.
Training Dates:
Monday, January 16th
9:00 am – 1:00 pm
Tuesday, January 17th
9:00 am – 1:00 pm
Wednesday, January 18th
9:00 am – 1:00 pm
Tuesday, January 24th
9:00 am – 1:00 pm
Wednesday, January 25th
9:00 am – 1:00 pm
Thursday, January 26th
9:00 am – 1:00 pm
Group Mentoring Sessions:
Monday, February 20th
1:00 pm – 2:30 pm
Monday, March 6th
1:00 pm – 2:30 pm
Monday, March 20th
1:00 pm – 2:30 pm
Monday, April 3rd
1:00 pm – 2:30 pm
Monday, April 17th
1:00 pm – 2:30 pm
Monday, May 1st
1:00 pm – 2:30 pm
You must commit to all sessions. Training and mentoring sessions will be conducted virtually.
Principles for Person-Centered Planning Facilitators
- Person-Centered Planning facilitators are able to describe the history that drives Person-Centered Practices and Planning including the following elements:
- History of replacing long term care options with less isolating community settings (deinstitutionalization)
- Commitment to equity and culturally inclusive and affirming approach
- Commitment to people having valued social roles
- Community participation and social inclusion
- Supported and competitive employment
- Concepts of most integrated environment including school, work, and living situation
- Self-determination
- Person-Centered Planning facilitators are able to identify and apply the common shared values that make person centered practices distinct from system centered approaches, including:
- Promoting dignity, respect, and trust for each person and or family
- Ensuring each person can contribute to the community and has the ability to choose supports and services that help them contribute in a meaningful way
- Understanding and demonstrating how to address health and safety concerns inside of what is important to the person
- Using a “power with” as opposed to a “power over” approach to support people to pursue what is important to them
- Ensuring that the person and their Person-Centered Planning team experience a “supportive” environment throughout the planning process rather than one of “fixing”
- Honoring each person’s preferences and choices with regard to their unique identity, culture, language, race, religion, sexual orientation and/or gender identity, including planning supports and services accordingly
- Promoting and establishing a shared vision between the person and their Person-Centered Planning team
- Promoting and demonstrating that with information, experience and assistance a person can “choose off the menu” to select supports and services that work for him or her
- Honoring the person’s ability to express preferences and choices
- Affirming a person’s civil and legal rights
Person-Centered Planning facilitators:
- Describe and demonstrate strategies for working collaboratively with other professionals, people who use supports and services, and their families and friends
- Demonstrate respect for and build on the values, beliefs, culture and preferences identified by the person and his or her circle of support
- Use strategies and processes to demonstrate respect to all team members and to diverse opinions
- Create respectful partnerships and consensus within the team
Person-Centered Planning facilitators:
- Engage in ongoing and rigorous personal skill development by consulting current publications, and attending workshops, conferences, and/or presentations
- Stay current with emerging research, trends, and models of Person-Centered Planning.
- Seek out collaboration, support, or assistance when needed
- Participate in local and/or national communities of practice related to Person-Centered Practices
- Planning process:
- The process is individualized and builds on the appreciation for who the person is, including understanding his or her short term or long term dreams and visions
- The process empowers the voice of the person. The person drives the planning process and formulation of the plan
- The person’s preferences and choices in regard to their unique identity, culture, language, race, religion, sexual orientation and/or gender identity are recognized and honored throughout the planning process
- The person chooses the people on the Person-Centered Planning team with emphasis on the involvement of family members, friends, and other natural supports. The facilitator supports the person in coordinating their meeting(s)
- The purpose of the planning process is clearly stated in the plan and members of the person’s team know and understand the purpose of the planning process
- The process and plan develops a vision of a lifestyle based on the person’s preferences, strengths, abilities, and talents rather than his or her deficits or limitations
- The plan addresses building or maintaining relationships, community connections, community living, and community participation, based on the person’s preferences, including building on natural supports
- The person has opportunities to broaden his or her ability to make informed choices based on information and experiences that are unrestricted by current resources or services
- The process and plan reflects the person’s ability to make choices about his or her daily routines, lifestyle and activities
- The process addresses possible barriers to achieving the person’s preferred lifestyle in a respectful manner
- Plans include clear outcomes and goals based on the person’s preferences and desired lifestyle, with timelines and people identified who are responsible for each goal. There is an on-going plan to evaluate each of the outcomes and goals, based on the timelines and action steps identified by the team
- The discovery and learning process is ongoing throughout a person’s life. Plans are revised with the person and the person’s team to address growth and changes in a person’s life
- Written plans reflect what occurred during the planning process
- Written plans are free from technical jargon and are written or otherwise made available in a way that is understood by and useful to the person and those responsible for implementing the plan
- The written plan is a “living document.” The person and their team review the plan and determine if any change in the person’s life results in changes to the plan
- Written plans created by the person and their Person-Centered Planning team are reviewed and approved by the person
- Implementation of the plan:
- The plan drives the services and supports delivered
- Plans are implemented as developed with integrity and fidelity
- Team members follow through with completing action steps and each action is documented The plan then drives the services and supports delivered
- Team meetings occur periodically to share information, work on the plan, evaluate what’s working and what’s not working, make changes to the plan as needed, and reflect on successes and setbacks
The preceding were excerpted from Principles of Practice for Person-Centered Practices developed by Positive Supports Minnesota, a statewide planning group.