Stage 1: Plan

Conduct the Planning Session

Woman in wheelchair discussing budgeting with another woman.

The initial person-centered planning session involves doing more listening than talking. Ask open questions to uncover meaningful information so you can help participants find the right home.

Ask open questions to:

  • Follow up from a closed question to help develop the conversation.
  • Encourage more conversation to help explore the individual's hopes, goals and needs.
  • Help you understand the individuals' thoughts and feelings, enhancing your ability to interact with them.

Open questions usually begin with "Who?", "What?", "Why?", "Where?" or "How?" You can also use "Tell me" and "Describe" in the same way.

Click each button below to learn more about the person-centered planning session.

Identify Goals, Hopes and Needs

Identify Supports

Determine Budget

Create Housing Checklist


Ask questions to identify goals, hopes and needs:

  • What type of home do you see yourself living in?
  • What are your "must haves?"
  • What is important to you about your home? For example, do you need to live near work? Family? Recreation?

Ask questions to identify supports:

  • Who else would you like to help you find housing?
  • Who supports you?
    • Informal supports such as weekly visits with a neighbor, phone calls from family or nightly walks with a friend.
    • Formal supports (paid) might include equipment, such as assistive technology, or staffing, such as a PCA, Personal Supports or ILS under a waiver program
  • Do you have Medical Assistance?
  • Do you have a case manager?

Ask questions to determine the individual's budget:

  • What employment income do you earn?
  • What public funding or resources are available to you?

Use worksheets to help guide the discussion and calculate the budget (access worksheets by clicking Resources):

  • Worksheet One: Monthly Income and Expenses
  • Worksheet Two: Available Cash and Assets

Partner with the county who will :

  • Approve HAC and transitional waiver services for goods and moving expenses for eligible waiver participants.
  • Arrange for changes in support for those leaving congregate settings such as group homes.

Ask questions to determine the type of housing preferred by the individual:

  • Do you have a job? Where is it? Do you want to live close to your job?
  • Do you have family? Do you want to live close to them?
  • Do you want to live with other people or alone?
  • Do you use any assistive technology like walkers or reminder devices?

Use worksheets to help guide the discussion and record the individual's hopes and needs (access worksheets by clicking Resources). Use the Summary Housing Checklist to recap everything you learned :

  • Worksheet Three: Housing Considerations
  • Worksheet Four: Accessibility Features
  • Worksheet Five: Home Inspection
  • Worksheet Six: Summary Housing Checklist