PERSON-CENTERED PLANNING-EXPLORING SUCCESSFUL OUTCOMES ii Person-Centered Planning -Exploring Successful Outcomes

This dissertation examines the person-centered planning (PCP) process in home and community-based settings through a systems lens, offering a novel perspective on factors influencing effective needfinding and positive planning outcomes. By integrating existing research with the lived experiences of facilitators and planners, the study bridges theoretical knowledge and practical applications to uncover nuanced insights into PCP practices. Needfinding—the process of identifying and understanding unmet needs, desires, and challenges—emerges as a central focus, as it ensures plans are rooted in a deep understanding of individuals’ unique contexts, aspirations, and goals. Building on the historical foundations of PCP, influenced by the disability rights movement and early contributors such as John O’Brien and Beth Mount, this study situates PCP as a dynamic and interconnected process. Employing a systems framework that recognizes the interconnected elements within the PCP process, leverage points for improvement are revealed. These include asking, through the lens of facilitators’ lived experiences, what processes, interactions, and contexts influence effective needfinding and successful person-centered planning outcomes. A key finding is the importance of systemic and contextual factors—such as facilitator training, interactive communication, human-centered problem-solving, trauma and an appreciation of systemic limitations—that influence plan success.