Chapter 3: Person Centered Planning & My Housing Options

What is Person Centered Planning?

Planning meeting Person Centered Planning (PCP) is a process that will assist you in developing a plan, which will support the life you want to live on your own terms. The life you desire may include a new living situation that you choose in the community. There are four basic parts to the PCP process:

Planning for your PCP Meeting
- Who will attend the meeting - you, your legal representative, your case manager, and others you may want to invite. You must approve of everyone who comes to your meeting.
- The location, time, place, and length of the meeting.
- The meeting content including what information will and will not be shared.
- Your PCP guide - Your case manager or someone else you choose. The person should have a good relationship with you and be someone you trust.
- What ground rules should be set, such as speaking with respect?
Holding your PCP meeting
At your PCP meeting you will discover what is important to you, you will share information about your abilities, strengths, and skills. You will learn about your needs, and you will decide which of your goals will be achieved in the short-term and which will need to be long-term. Then, you and the support team will determine the plans for achieving these goals.
Finding the supports and services to help you achieve your goal
You will choose people in your Circle of Support and other programs/services to help you meet your goals.
Giving and receiving feedback on your treatment to determine how to make the supports and services work better for you
It is important for you to receive feedback from your case manager about your progress. You should also share your feelings about how your supports and services are being delivered. The information you provide should be used to make any changes and improve your supports and services.

The Housing You Want and Person Centered Planning

Your Person Centered Plan is the step by step instruction manual for putting together the future that you hope for and dream of. Part of this plan is a Housing Goal. This goal should answer three questions:

Where I Want To Be Living in About Two to Five Years - Some people are happy where they are. Most dream of being able to live in a better place. Getting to that better place is a journey with various stopovers. There are challenges and barriers on the road to where we dream of living. First ask the question, "How far down the road can I expect to be in two years? " To give a good answer to this question the goal should recognize the challenges and barriers involved. The goal should predict which challenges can be met and which barriers can be broken down over about two to five years. This prediction should give you a picture of the sort of place where you want to be living at that time. Each year, plan on thinking ahead for the next five years.

What Needs to Get Done to Get Ready to Live There - A plan is needed to make a good start. The PCP Housing Goal should describe the plan for dealing with the challenges and barriers that need to be worked on in the first year. This will give you smaller things to work on as you move toward your larger housing goal. These "smaller goals to reach a big goal" help you see what exact things you need to work on right away and and what small step will be next and so on. You can also identify who you want to help you work on each step.

When you start working on a small step, set a date for when you hope to accomplish that step. When you have completed each small step leading to your goal, you will be ready to move on to the next stop on your housing journey. At least each year, or as things change, you can work with your case manager to update your PCP.

Where I Need to Live Now, to Get These Things Done - Somewhere in your community there is a place where you can get the help, support and resources to successfully work on the small steps that will someday allow you achieve your housing goal. It is important to locate that place that is best for you right now. This place could range from living with your family, in a specialized group home, or in a general adult foster care home. You might want to live in a Semi-Independent home where you can adjust your level of services as you step toward taking on more responsibilities. Whatever you choose, this place is a stopover on the way to your final housing destination.

A good PCP plan should be your vision of what a good life should be. Your plan should not be based on what tests you have taken or what an agency decides. Your service plan should be based on your skills and abilities. The plan should also show how difficulties to reaching your goals can be overcome.

Thinking About My Housing Options

Before planning a move to a specific location, decide what your needs are:

Do you feel safe and comfortable being alone?
Would you feel more comfortable in a small group setting?
Do you want to share expenses with a roommate?
Do you want a setting where you can gradually learn to live more independently?
Would you like to stay right where you are for awhile until you are more comfortable with the thought of moving?

Here are a few housing option pros and cons to consider: Apartment

Specialized Group Home (When you need ongoing help 24 hours a day to handle day to day activities)

Pros:

Do not have to depend on family members to support you.
Others will help you with most of your activities, if needed.
Can socialize with others.
Have a support network within the home.

Cons:

Will probably have to share a room & other parts of the home.
Not much privacy.
Have to follow specific rules.
Others choose what you eat and when you eat.

General Adult Foster Care Home (When you need someone available 24 hours a day in case you need help)

Pros:

Do not have to depend on family members to support you.
Not as many restrictions as in a specialized group home.
Can socialize and have a support network in the home.
Able to do more for yourself as you grow in recovery.

Cons:

Will probably have to share a room & other parts of the home.
Not much privacy.
Have to follow some rules.
Others choose what you eat and when you eat.
Not much spending money.

SIP Home (Semi-Independent Program. When you need some supports less than 24 hours a day and have the option of reducing your supports as you grow to take on greater responsibilities for yourself.) Note: "Support hours" mean the number of hours staff persons can come to your place to assist you with various responsibilities, if you need them.

Pros:

Have more independence than in a group home, not being monitored 24/7
Only 1 or 2 people living in the apartment.
Usually have your own room.
Support hours adjusted to your personal needs. (As you become more independent, you will need fewer support hours - Each reduction in support hours is a step toward greater independence.)
PCP is used to help you achieve more independence.

Cons:

Can be lonely, spend too much time alone.
Fear of not being successful in new place.
Missing friends at group home.
Responsible for more things, like taking meds.

Your Own Apartment Pros: House

Have own space and independence.
Do not have to follow anyone's day-to-day rules.
Do not have to maintain the lawn/yard.
Have maintenance service for repairs in unit.
Able to have company and come and go when you want.

Your Own Apartment Cons:

Have to pay rent and utilities.
Have to furnish and buy housing products to maintain unit.
Responsible for cleaning entire apartment.
Must do laundry at another location.
Limited parking available.
Might have to deal with difficult neighbors.

Your Own Rental House Pros:

Usually a quieter and more personal space.
Has own parking space.
Has a yard to use; do not have to pay property taxes.
Do not have to share a building with others, except a roommate if you have one.

Your Own Rental House Cons:

Have to take care of snow removal and lawn maintenance.
Have higher utility bills to pay.
Have to do small maintenance on home.

Getting Started - Lots of Questions

There is a lot to think about when looking for a house or apartment to lease. Thinking

Do I need an apartment or a house?
Is the dwelling apartment accessible? On ground level?
What is the condition of the exterior and interior of the house/apartment?
Will the landlord accommodate my special needs and permit physical modifications? If so, what will be the cost?
What is the most that I can afford for rent and utilities?
Are some utilities paid by the landlord? What other expenses should be considered?
What is my first choice about where to live and is it near family and supports?
Will public transportation be needed and accessible?
Is parking available for people to visit?
Does the apartment allow pets? If so, what is the extra charge?
Was the house/apartment built before 1978? If so, it must be inspected for lead paint and remediation performed, if children under the age of seven will be living there.
Will I be responsible for yard upkeep if I rent a house?

Roommates: An option

democrat One option to consider when choosing to live independently is to find a roommate to share your living expenses. There are many advantages and disadvantages to having a roommate. Here are some tips you can use if you are considering getting a roommate:

Do I really want a Roommate?

Do I most enjoy living alone or with other people?
Do I get lonely when I am alone and wish I had someone to talk to?
Do I normally get along well with other people?
Do I like to keep things where I live "just the right way" and do I get upset if someone changes how I have things arranged?
When I think about what I would like in a roommate - is my list long?

What are the benefits of having a roommate? republican

Companionship and common interests.
Shared rent and expenses.
Being able to afford a better apartment.
Shared chores and supports.

What are some disadvantages of having a roommate?

Division of chores.
Differences of personalities, opinions, and ways of doing things.
Different schedules.

How do I select a roommate?

Use the Community Housing Network Roommate Database at: www.communityhousingnetwork.org.
Look for roommates at work, school, where you relax, or at your clubhouse.
Ask your case manager, your family, and other supportive people for help.
You may also check websites such as roommates.com and craigslist.com.

Hold a phone interview with potential roommates

Find out about the other persons interests, activities and preferences.
Does the person have a disability?
Does he or she have a dog or other pets?
Does he or she have children?
Does the person drive a car?

If your discussion goes well, you may want to meet the person:

You can have a member of your circle of support with you when you meet a potential roommate for the first time.
Have the person fill out a "Roommate Application" including references.
Meet in a public place for the first time for safety reasons. Have dinner together, or go the movies, or a sporting event.

If you think the person would make a good roommate check the person's references and conduct a background check to make sure he/she pays their bills on time, does not have a criminal record, and has not been evicted.

If the two of you agree to become roommates create a roommate agreement. This document will put in writing the things you and your roommate agree on such as:

The division of expenses, chores, space, and house rules.
How to deal with personal preferences, such as dogs and smoking.
Whose name will the lease be in?
Sign and date copies of the agreement for each person.