Person-Centered Thinking (PCT)
While different vendors describe their trainings in different ways, in general, person-centered training is an instructor-led training focused on changing perspectives from caring for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) to providing balanced support to protect the individual's health and safety while empowering them to identify personal goals and direct their services and supports.
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The interactive training helps participants change their thinking from a priority of fixing a person’s limitations to supporting each person’s opportunities to share their gifts and pursue their own goals.
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The training is for staff at all levels of an organization, including Board members, management, direct support professionals and even IT and custodial staff.
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Importantly, the trainings can also be tailored to individuals with IDD who are accepting services and supports.
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Different levels of training are offered, from a 2- or 3-day foundational course to organizational immersion in which an agency aligns all of its practices with a person-centered philosophy.
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A Community-Led Approach
In Colorado, the push for training came from local community agencies that realize that person-centered services are what individuals with IDD and their families want and expect.
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Alliance is collaborating with the State, disability advocacy partners, and local communities to create training capacity statewide.
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Alliance is sponsoring a People Planning Together class in June. Read the flyer for more information and use our registration form to register or register online.
Several person-centered training curricula exist. Applicants should inquire with training vendors individually to ensure that they or their staff meet the vendor's requirements for training certification. The following resources may be useful:
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The Learning Community for Person Centered Practices:
http://www.learningcommunity.us/
Contact: Bob Sattler, Support Development Associates, bob@sdaus.com, (303)870-3903
SDA's Trainer Credentialing Process
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The Council on Quality and Leadership
Contact: Cathy Yademec, CQL, cyadamec@thecouncil.org, (636)634-6671
Information about trainer certification
Information about interviewer certification
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The Eden Alternative
Contact: Meredith Martin, mmartin@edenalt.org, (585) 461-3951
Information about becoming an Eden Educator
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Background: PCT Efforts in Colorado
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The state of Colorado has made providing person-centered services for people with IDD a priority. During the 2015 legislative session, the General Assembly appropriated $500,000 for statewide person-centered training. The Department of Health Care Policy and Financing contracted with Support Development Associates, LLC (SDA), in partnership with the Council on Quality and Leadership (CQL), to conduct an ambitious schedule of statewide trainings in person-centered thinking and practices. From February to June 2016, over 2500 people attended these trainings statewide.
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In general, Person-Centered Thinking training is an instructor-led training focused on changing perspectives from caring for people to providing balanced support between what is important to a person and what is important for a person. The interactive training helps participants change their thinking from a priority of fixing what is wrong with a person to supporting each person’s opportunities to share their gifts and live an everyday life. These efforts are in line with new federal requirements to implement Person-Centered Planning in Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services.