In part one of this blog article, “You Have a Voice,” we shared that the Indiana Bureau of Developmental Disabilities Services gave parents and guardians a voice through the Person-Centered Individualized Support Plan (PCISP). Again, you can find the guidelines for this important planning tool by clicking on the button below.

In this second part, we want to give you examples how you can help your loved one express how they want to live out their Christian faith in their PCISP. We tried to develop these samples in consideration of a variety of intellectual levels. You can help your family member be specific to their individual wishes.

You can ask your family member questions like, “Do you love Jesus?” or “How often do you want to attend your Friendship group?”.  Ask these questions before the meeting, and also during the meeting in front of their team to help craft these statements.

Throughout the PCISP planning process, help your family member communicate to their team the importance faith has in their daily life and specifically how they want to live it out. Help them choose the spiritual activities they want to participate in. They need to be clear that this is their choice.

In various sections of the PCISP, I underlined examples of how they can communicate their wishes. Hopefully you find this helpful as you work with your family member to express their wishes through their PCISP.

Samples

About Me

What people like and admire about me:

I am fun to be with. I love Jesus. I pray for my family and friends. I pray for everyone.

My strengths and assets are:

I care about my friends. I like people and my staff. I am thankful for the people who help me. I love animals! I love Jesus and my Friendship group.

My good life includes:

Family, friends, church, and my Friendship group. I like to go out to eat. I like to sing in my Friendship group. Maybe I can sing in the choir at Sunday church.

Daily Life and Employment

What’s important to and for me and what do others need to know to support me in the area of daily life and employment?

I like to sit on my porch. I enjoy being outside. I want to walk with my neighbor and her dog. I want to go to my church on Sunday and my Friendship group on Tuesday.

Community Living

What I prefer for this life domain:

It is important to me to go places with friends. I want friends outside my home and work. I want to go to Friendship group every week and do more things with my church friends. I want to volunteer with animals.

Social and Spirituality

What’s important to and for me and what do others need to know to support me in the area of social and spirituality?

I want to go to Friendship group every week. I want to get there on time so I don’t miss singing. I am a Christian and am proud to say so. I want to go to church on Sunday. I want to sing at church.  I enjoy Bible study. I like to be with my church friends. I want to volunteer with animals.

What is currently happening in this domain?

I go to workshop.  I don’t go to church on Sunday. I want to go to Friendship group more, but we are short staffed. I don’t have enough activities where I can make new friends.

What I prefer for this life domain:

I want to go to church every Sunday. I want to go to Friendship group every week. I want to sing at church. I want to volunteer with animals. I want to walk with my neighbor and her dog.