Person-Centered Planning
Meristem is dedicated to the process of helping students connect with themselves so that they can connect with others … and ultimately with the world.
Person-Centered Planning transforms whole systems of care and organizations that serve people with developmental disabilities. At Meristem, it is an organizational philosophy we uphold that our students retain positive control of their lives. Meristem implements Person-Centered Planning and provides related staff training to our team to encourage student empowerment, independence, and self-direction. As a result, we respectfully address significant issues of health or safety while supporting the goals and choices made by our students.
At Meristem We:
- Treat individuals with dignity and respect.
- Listen and address what the student communicates.
- Seek to understand each student in the context of their age, gender, culture, ethnicity, belief system, social and income status, education, family, and other factors that make them who they are.
- Support students to identify, set, and reach their personal goals.
- Enhance quality of life.
- Identify and build on a student’s strengths.
- Allow the student to make informed choices and take responsibility for their own decisions.
- Ask essential questions such as “Who is this person?” and “What is important to them?”
Meristem staff apply the values of Person-Centered Planning to the work they do with our students.
Individualized Service Plan
Meristem works with each of our students to craft an Individualized Service Plan (ISP). Based on an assessment of each student by representatives of our Student Advisors, Class Instructors, Independent Living Instructors, Admissions and Leadership Team members, we help students develop their own plan for individual success. ISP meetings are scheduled every three-to-six months to ensure our students’ goals and plans are current.