Person Centered Thinking
What is Person Centered Thinking?
Person Centered Thinking (PCT) is the philosophy behind everything we do at Tri-Counties Regional Center (TCRC). At its core, PCT is a simple idea: Put individuals first, listen carefully and learn who they are and what they want from life, then work together to set goals, create personalized plans, and put them into practice. Being person centered also means always treating others with dignity and respect. PCT recognizes the right of individuals to make informed choices and to take responsibility for those choices and the related risks. When we use PCT, we strive to build on the strengths, gifts, talents, skills, and contributions of every individual.
Why does TCRC use Person Centered Thinking?
TCRC uses Person Centered Thinking in all we do because we believe that PCT provides the best approach to learning about people and honoring their dreams, capacities, and even their fears. PCT guides all of our activities and provides a common thread among them. We believe that using person centered practices throughout TCRC ensures that being person centered will become our natural approach to problem solving, relating to others, and our work with the individuals and families we support, service providers, coworkers, and our community partners.
We put PCT into action through a variety of person centered practices at TCRC, but the most important of these is Person Centered Planning. Person Centered Planning is a guided process for learning how someone wants to live at home, at work, and in the community and for developing a plan to help make it happen.
Person Centered Thinking ensures that the focus of our work and planning stays on the perspectives of the individuals affected by the planning. PCT can do this by helping us learn what is important TO and important FOR the people we serve. Things that are important TO individuals are what matters most to them and makes them happy. Things that are important FOR individuals are what they need to be healthy and safe and valued as members of their community. You and your Planning Team will work together to find the best ways to support you to achieve things that are both important TO and FOR you.
We work closely and share learning with The Learning Community for Person Centered Practices and our partner agencies. These shared experiences further knowledge, enhance partnership and increase our ability to create meaningful change. Hosting an event like the California Gathering for Person Centered Practices provides further opportunity for collaboration and to be inspired by new ideas.
