No abstract

Quality of life, Assessment,

Person-centered planning is a well known and widely used approach to individual program planning in the field of intellectual and developmental disabilities. Its purpose is to develop collaborative supports focused on community presence, community participation, positive relationships, respect, and competence. Because there is little research on its effectiveness, our purpose here was to (a) review the current status of effectiveness research; (b) describe its effectiveness in terms of outcomes or results; and (c) discuss the effectiveness of person-centered planning in relation to evidence-based practices. Analyzed studies suggest that, overall, this planning has a positive, but moderate, impact on personal outcomes for this population. The body of evidence provided in this review is weak with regard to criteria for evidence-based research.

Education and rehabilitation programs in the field of intellectual disabilities are developing specific strategies related to demonstrated personal outcomes, quality of life (QOL)‐related services and supports, evidence‐based practices, and quality improvement. The purpose of this article is to summarize key aspects of these strategies within a two‐component framework: the concept of QOL and systems thinking. Based on our collective experiences and published literature, four specific strategies are presented and discussed: mental models, assessment, service delivery practices, and quality improvement (QI). Essential guidelines for the successful implementation of these strategies are then presented, along with an exemplary application of each strategy. Each example shows the significant role of the consumer, the organization, and the larger system in organizational change, QI, and the enhancement of personal outcomes.