I received an unexpected and awesome phone call this week. I was checking my work voicemail expecting to hear the normal calls from customers, but instead I heard a familiar voice – one I hadn’t heard from in over a year. It was the voice of a person for whom I facilitated one of my first ever person-centered plans with STAR. Almost two years ago, I began doing person-centered facilitation through STAR for people or teams who wanted a plan created by an unbiased, fresh set of eyes for whatever reason they requested. These reasons could be due to a team conflict, or a person feels “stuck” in some area of their life, or maybe the person is doing great but they recognize that bringing in a new perspective could enhance their life even further. I had been doing person-centered planning for many years for people I knew but coming in as an outside person was new to me at the time. However, it is something that has quickly become one of the favorite parts of my job.

Unfortunately, a sometimes frustrating part of the process, as an outside organization, is that we normally only get involved in the person’s life for a limited amount of time. We may never know what happened after the planning process is complete. Did people on the team follow up on their commitments? Did the person reach their goals for a positive and possible future? What became of the person? We reach out a few months after the process to see how things are going and to see if they need anything else, but often that is the end of our role unless they want additional planning.

When I heard the person’s voice on my voicemail I was ecstatic! This person said they wanted to update me on their life. How awesome! With a lengthy list of diagnostic labels, this person had many great skills and abilities, but previous history along with the diagnoses had really limited their life. At the time of the planning, the person was doing most things “right;” being responsible at home, holding a part time job, getting along with housemates, attending psychology appointments, but many restrictions were still in place. They only had a half hour of alone time to walk along a designated route, the team had monthly “check in meetings,” staff accompanied them for all appointments, and even though this person had skills to ride the bus and knew the routes, they were never allowed to do it alone. Did this person have struggles in the past that raised concerns and initially brought on some of these restrictions? Absolutely. However, how long does a person need to “prove” themselves before they are “allowed” to try again? For this particular person it had been many years and they wanted someone who wasn’t a part of their team to facilitate a plan for them. When STAR acts as a facilitator, we are just that – an unbiased partnership that creates a safe space for the person to be who they are and to express themselves. We don’t give advice or analyze the situation, but we do ask questions and help bring about fresh ideas, potential options, and that ever important outside perspective.

When I called this person back, we had a fun conversation about how their life had changed in the past year or so. The life this person lives now includes: being in a relationship, having 4 hours of alone time (including being alone with their signification other), having 2 employers (current and new) in a wage war to employ them, riding the bus alone, working with a new guardian, and having moved to a more inclusive setting. They said they wanted to thank me for making this all possible and I told them it definitely wasn’t me! They advocated for what they wanted and did the work to make their dreams come true! We simply provided a safe, unbiased space to bring those desires to their team. The person said they couldn’t be happier and even if I didn’t think I contributed much, they said their team was much more open and that there was a significant change in their team’s attitude after the meeting. It wasn’t all perfect initially and some team members were harder to get on board than others, but for their first time in their life they “felt heard.” Needless to say, the call made my day and I couldn’t be happier for them. It is amazing to see how someone’s life can completely transform through person-centered planning. I wish them continued success along with the many other people who have completed this process!

If you or someone you know may be interested in person-centered planning, contact STAR! It is billed through a person’s waiver, so once approved, there is no cost to the provider or person. We can provide more information on this and other steps taken for this person-centered planning process.

Person-Centered Planning TRANSFORMS Lives!

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