Project Description:
The Institute on Person Centered Practices is a collaborative partnership between the Center on Disability Studies at The University of Texas at Austin and the Center on Disability and Development at Texas A&M University. The Institute provides training and technical assistance on person centered practices for a broad range of audiences and organizations including: people with disabilities, family members, providers of HCBS services, managed care organizations, educators, adult protective services and the Texas workforce commission.
Federal regulations require the development of a person centered plan for people receiving Home and Community Based Services (HCBS). These services must be provided to all people regardless if they are provided through a State Medicaid Plan or through Waiver Services. This requirement has greatly escalated the need for training on person-centered practices for managed care organizations, regional and private providers of HCBS services throughout Texas as well as other States. Requests for training on person centered thinking and planning greatly increased to meet the demands generated by the federal rule requirements. In addition, people who receive services and their families need training on person-centered practices to ensure they are equal partners in the planning process. It is important to note that other organizations that provide services and supports for people that are not under the Federal Rule requirement also request training on person centered practices from the Institute.
Overall Goals:
The purpose of the Institute is to provide training on person centered practices including plan development for people receiving services, family members and the organizations that provide those services. The Institute's fundamental founding principle is to support people to get better lives as they define them.
Now in its thirteenth year, the Institute works intentionally to revise and develop a curriculum to ensure person centered practices are relevant and apply to numerous groups of people receiving services in their communities. These groups include people with Intellectual Disabilities (ID), older people, people with mental illness, people who are abused or neglected, children, and students receiving special education services.
The Institute has developed new partnerships to ensure revisions to the training curriculum apply to that specific population of people receiving those services. To ensure sustainability, Institute Mentors work to certify trainers within the partner organizations.
Unusual Features:
The Institute has a long-standing relationship with the Learning Community on Person Centered Practices. The curriculum and materials on person centered thinking and planning originate with the Learning Community's work. Some of the curriculum materials are reflected in recommendations from Federal and State agencies as standard best practices.
The Institute has 2 Mentor Trainers certified by the Learning Community that support initiatives to promote person-centered practices within their scope of work. Mentor Trainers have opportunities to embed certified trainers within numerous organizations to impact long-term sustainability.
Expected Benefits:
The Institute strategically works to develop materials that influence the lives of a broad range of people receiving services and supports to live in their communities. Further, the Institute is intentionally planning with new partners to embed person-centered practices within the fabric of these organizations to ensure the people receiving services get the lives they desire.
The Institute also serves as the lead organization to plan an annual Gathering of certified trainers and other interested people from Oklahoma and Kansas to learn about national trends, partnerships and creative training methods to present person centered skills. In addition, the Institute founded a Community of Practice represented by 60 Person Centered Thinking trainers all certified by Institute Mentors. The purpose of the Community of Practice is to bring together certified trainers representing agencies, provider, family members and people with IDD to develop a network of trainers with a unified purpose and support.
--------- ACTIVTIES ----------
IPCP - Person-Centered Thinking Training and presentations
*** SURVEYS ***
43 Surveys received from 5 full trainings
28 Professionals
14 Health Administration
1 Family member
Satisfaction
31 Strongly agreed
10 Agreed
2 Disagreed
Texas Gathering
41 people attended
24 Professionals
12 Individuals with Disabilities
5 Family members
7 surveys received
Satisfaction
5 Strongly agreed
2 Agreed
Presentations: 14
152 Surveys Received
29 Self Avocates
22 PATHS Trainee
70 Professional
29 Family Members
1 other student
1 community member
Satisfaction
101 Strongly agreed
49 Agreed
1 Disagreed
1 Strongly disagreed
**Comments**
Full training (what did you find most helpful about the training)
The different ways to help and breakdown ways to help my students.
Explicit examples are incorporated throughout training. Application, activities & professional dialogue, thanks!
I have learned a lot about myself and how to help others in a more meaningful way.
It's going to help me not only get to know my students better but more importantly help serve them and teach them to advocate to get services for themselves
Being more understanding and accommodating and how to work with and problem solve with people who have disabilitites
Presentations (3 hour Overview of Person Centered Thinking and the Dignity of Risk for students and families from Hearne ISD)
The videos and hands on activities were very helpful.
This helped me see how my parent and I have the same ideas about my future.
Learning how to plan out my goals and tasks to accomplish my future.
Presents an organized way to gather individualized information into an actual format.
Everything! This was helpful and I've already shared your info. Good luck and many blessings!
Understand how to help my child. Let her be more independent, letting go.
Texas Gathering
How organized & efficient everything was thanks to Aimee Day. The amplified voices of people with lived experience
Hearing from people with disabilities.
Information shared by people with lived experience
Area of Emphasis
Quality Assurance, Education & Early Intervention, Health-Related Activities, Employment-Related Activities, Quality of Life
Target Audience:
Students/Trainees (long or intermediate trainees), Professionals and Para-Professionals, Family Members/Caregivers, Adults with Disabilities, Children/Adolescents with Disabilities/SHCN, General Public
