Implementing

Personalized SupportsThe Boggs Center on Developmental Disabilities

KIM ZOELLER, PRESIDENT AND CEO

RAY GRAHAM ASSOCIATION

Today’s Discussion

Culture and Person-Centered Practices

Discovery to Planning – Using Personal Outcome Measures©

Implementing Personalized Supports

Practical Solutions

Success Stories

A little about RGA…

Providing services and supports since 1950 – located in the western suburbs of Chicago.

Accredited by CQL for more than 20 years - First organization in the world to achieve accreditation

using the Person-Centered Excellence format.

October 2003 – Workshop was closed! Created the Community Learning Center model.

Completely phased out any subminimum wage work – Micro-business development.

Support more than 100 people gainfully employed each year.

A focus on customized residential supports.

Monarch Services – Academy, Life Coaching.

Family support options – Recreation – Therapeutic Horseback Riding

We are on a

journey…we want

to raise people’s

expectations!

Organizational culture is key…

Invisible, but it is the driving force that reflects the values and behavior of everyone within the organization.

Nothing derails person-centered practices more than a conflicting organizational culture.

Leaders must conscientiously take an active role in positively influencing the culture…actions speak louder than words.

Flexible and willing to change.

Language is important.

A strong value for everyone’s time.

Measure and celebrate the right things.

Productive, empowered, energized, and respected team members best know how to “pay it forward”.

Leadership holds themselves accountable to those they serve.

Remember that everyone leads…make sure they are trending in the right direction.

The Truth is….

It does not cost a dime to live by a set of values

that prioritizes listening to people and a

commitment to truly striving to focus on what’s

most important to them.

Telling it like it is…

Simply declaring your organization “person-centered”

is not enough.

We spend way too much time thinking about paper

and forget to engage with people about their lives.

We let rules and regulations define our reality.

We keep people’s lives small by our lack of creativity

and fear of change.

We waste people’s time doing “activities” that have

no real purpose or meaning for working age adults.

We overcomplicate just about everything.

We listen to the “Yea-But”

people…You know the type of person I am

talking about…every time

you bring up an idea you

get “yea, but” we cannot

do that because…blah,

blah, blah!!!!

My Security

My Relationships

My Community

My Goals

My Choices

My

FocusGuide to person-

centered thinking,

practices, and

planning.

Using Personal Outcome Measures©

Outcome Interview Person Centered Planning

Personal

Outcome

Measure Data

Measuring success of the organization based on

the outcomes that people achieve.

Can quickly identify trends…both positive and

negative.

Use to determine training needs of your staff.

This data can be used to re-direct resources.

A great source of information for grant writing and

development efforts.

Drill down to service/program specific to determine

effectiveness – Strategic planning.

How can this

data help my

organization?

Planning with Personal Outcome

Measures®

The 21 POMs are the basis of

conversations with people about their

life priorities.

Planning is not an event, it is a process.

Always remember that the person

owns their own outcomes!

The person’s team owns the supports.

There are no “prerequisites”…it is life,

not school!

Confirm each person’s safety, security,

and health related POMs. Adjust

supports, as needed.

Support people to identify important

life priorities – ASK and ACT!

Sometimes you cannot tackle

everything at once, but be sure to

take the person’s lead on what’s most

important.

Always include those most needed to

support the person to succeed.

More on planning…

Navigating rules and regulations. Do

what you got to do, but don’t let the

tail wag the dog.

Yes, sometimes you have to focus on

the next best thing…

Keep it simple!

Consider a “roll out” to get buy in!

Documenting people’s life stories and

journey can be creative and fun!

Stop! Do not over think this!

Person-centered practices are not something else you

add to your plate, it becomes what you do. It is not a

policy or procedure. It becomes your way of life at your

organization. And, remember that it is a marathon and

not a sprint! You have to be in it for the long haul.

Stop… Do not recreate the wheel!

Look for those sensible opportunities to

change the conversation during

existing gatherings…instead of

recognizing your staff for years of

services, recognize them for their role

in supporting people to achieve

important life goals and outcomes.

You do not want to have competing

systems. As you shift, replace and not

add to. Consistency and persistence

is key.

A few practical ideas!

Training your staff about POMs

without them knowing! Month long campaigns that focus on

fun activities for people you serve (“Quality Campaigns”).

Contests… healthy food cook-offs, create your own game show, do an “amazing race”, etc.

Start every meeting in every department by sharing the real life successes and achievements of the people you serve.

Breakdown silos during the

discovery process!

Day and residential share in the

process of learning about people (“All

about Me”).

Use technology and make it fun to

learn about people…videos, pictures,

etc. about home, work, fun… How

many times do day staff visit people’s

homes? How many times do

residential staff get to learn work/day?

Everyone should have something to

celebrate!!

Annual Meetings…

Who’s meeting is it really?

Celebrate the past year…how full

is your “poster board”?

Take care of the “boring” stuff outside the meeting!

Build excitement for the upcoming

year!

Embrace change!

Change comes in all shapes and sizes!

Small changes can lead to much

larger changes.

Change applies to everyone in your

organization…not just your “program

staff”. Don’t forget your finance,

development, human resources,

maintenance, and other support

teams.

Change is healthy, but sometimes it

feels like the process might kill you!

A story about change…

Prior to 1999, RGA operated a large traditional workshop program.

In 1999, the first “Community Learning Center” (CLC) opened and the CLC concept was initially

developed.

October 2003 – Workshop was closed!

Opened 7 CLCs, then closed 3 of them.

Completely phased out any subminimum wage work.

Micro-businesses.

Created Monarch Services.

Support more than 100 people to be gainfully employed each year.

I know exactly what you are

thinking!!!!!

Life (as we thought we knew it) before

2003

People loved the workshop because

they saw their friends everyday.

People served and families loved the

safety and security of the workshop.

People loved the work they were

doing and did not want to or they

couldn’t find a job outside the

workshop.

Staff knew best about what people

wanted and needed. The “yea-but”

people ruled!

Staff were resistant to change…it is not

broken, why fix it?

The roles and functions of our staff

NEVER changed from year to year.

Everyone loves a paycheck, even if it

is for 25-cents.

People and

Values

Families

Staff

Budget

Design

Person-Directed

Approach

Goal was not to

save money, but

rather try to be

cost neutral! Better

use of resources.

Design… Community Learning Center

Relationship

BuildingHealth and

Fitness

Personal

Enrichment

Leisure

Education

and

Recreation

Creative

Arts

Community Life Economic

Development

Monthly Theme Focus Area

A little side by side…

Workshop Community Learning

Center

40,000 square foot building 6 Buildings – approximately

4,500 square feet each

Facility Operations Cost =

$403,000 annually

Facilities (all) Operations Cost =

$405,000

Employment: One major

contract … lots of downtime

Employment: Micro-Business

Development, Community Jobs

(>100 relationships)

Volunteerism = 0 More than 20 partnerships

supporting social roles

Transportation centralized Transportation decentralized

Positive Impact on People

Outcome Measure Before After – 3 Yr Percent Increase

People choose services 47% 87% +40%

People realize personal goals 63% 100% +37%

People are connected to natural

supports

62% 81% +29%

People perform different social

roles

21% 50% +29%

People have friends 58% 81% +23%

People use their environments 78% 100% +22%

Success story - Chris

Success Story - Ann

Success Story - Tom

Suggested Reading and Resources

O’Brien, J., & Lyle O’Brien, C. A Little Book About Person Centered Planning. (1998) Toronto, ONT: Inclusion Press.

Seligman, Martin E.P., Flourish: A Visionary New Understanding of Happiness and Well-being. (2011) New York, NY: Atria

CQL Publications

What Really Matters: A Guide to Person-Centered Excellence

Personal Outcome Measures

Shared Values

Basic Assurances

Contact information

Kim Zoeller, President and CEO

Ray Graham Association

901 Warrenville Road, Suite 500

Lisle, IL 60532

www.raygraham.org

kimz@raygraham.org

(630) 620-2222