People with developmental disabilities need all the support and guidance they can get more than the medications and treatments given to them. They themselves need to be involved in the process of recovery, as well as their families. The individual program plan directly addresses this need.
This evaluation will look into the benefits that the individual, with developmental disabilities, will receive through the comprehensive program. BackgroundDevelopmental disability is a term used to describe life-long disabilities attributable to mental and/or physical or combination of mental and physical impairments, manifested prior to age twenty-two (“Developmental Disability,” n. d. ). The individual, along with his family, need to cope with this for a long period of time.
The government also saw the needs of these families, which prompted them to pass the Lanterman Developmental Disabilities Services Act of 1969.This act defines the rights of persons with developmental disabilities and establishes how these services will be delivered (“Lanterman Act and Related Laws,” n. d. ). Moreover, an amendment in the Lanterman Act was done in 1992, which required a person-centered approach to the individual program plans. Individual Program Plan The individual program plan is developed by identifying individualized needs.
It involves the designing of a plan that will lead the individual and his family to achieve the goals that they want.They are all actively involved in the planning process as the plan is created to be flexible and solely dependent on the needs of the individual and his family. The planning program begins with information gathering as well as the assessment of the individual’s capabilities, strengths, preferences along with the concerns and problems that goes with it. A statement of goals is then prepared based on the assessments made. These goals will have specific objectives that have a clearly defined time line so that the progress of the individual can be monitored.
Setting these goals will help the individual widen his scope of interaction through his involvement in areas other than his own home such as school, work, and even the community. As these goals are slowly being achieved, the individual is having more control over his life while increasing his confidence and competence. After these goals are identified, the type and amount of services—either purchased by the regional centers or obtained from generic agencies—will be assessed in accordance to the needs and the goals of the individual.A review of the general health of the individual will also be conducted as this will involve discussions on his current medications as well as the side effects that he might have incurred in the process. After which, a regular periodic review will be done in order to assess the progress of the individual along with the identification if the set benchmark for each time period is met.
This will likewise involve feedback from the individual’s family if they are satisfied with the individual program plan and its implementation. It is important to note that the program is done through a person-centered planning.This means that the planning is based on working toward the preferred future of the individual and his family. Preferred future is what the individual and his family wants to do looking forward based on their strengths, capabilities, preferences, lifestyle, and cultural background. When an individual describes where and with whom he wants to live, to work, and to socialize with as well as other aspects of daily life—he is describing his preferred future.
These will be the guiding lights as to how the individual program plan will flow.With the periodic review being done regularly, the family of the individual can also see if their preferred future is slowly being achieved. A planning team is also directly involved in this. The team will help the individual and his family to assess their long-term goals (i. e.
preferred future) as well as their short-term objectives (i. e. the steps and actions needed in order to achieve the long-term goals). The Advantages of the Individual Program Plan The actual involvement of the individual and his family is the biggest advantage of the program plan.This is because they are being asked about their needs and the things that they want to achieve. It’s not merely receiving any instruction given by a professional that leaves them with no recourse but to agree and follow.
Being involved makes the plan more successful in a sense that it gives them a direction as to where they want to go. Since they know their strengths and weaknesses, the plan is tailor fit for the individual. Hence, they will not set goals that are unattainable. Everything will be done in accordance to their capabilities.
Moreover, the developmental services system, carried out through the individual program plan, supports the individual instead of controlling him. It facilitates the smooth process of partnerships that promote self-determination and interdependence. The plan also gives the individual and his family the opportunity to make choices for their own lives. They are also given the enough information that they need to help them with their decision-making. The presence of professionals also helps them in attaining their goals as they are being guided every step of the way.The advantages are countless but most importantly it is the attainment of the individual’s goals that will benefit him the most.
As John O’ Brian would put it, “None of us makes our life alone. We each rely on a variety of formal and informal resources to create better life experiences…People with severe disabilities count on more able people’s planning and organizing skills for help to identify and coordinate resources to meet life’s challenges. ” This is what the individual program plan is all about—interdependence that makes a difference.
