What is an Individual Support Plan?
An Individual Support Plan is called an "ISP" or "the plan." Everyone has an ISP as a part of their intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) services.
- An ISP helps each person plan how they want to live a good life.
- Each person's ISP is different because each person is unique.
ISPs have the following information about a person:
- What matters most to them.
- Who is important to them — their relationships and community.
- Their culture, dreams, goals and interests.
- How they communicate — their languages.
- What their good life is and things they want to avoid.
- What they want to focus on this year.
- What kinds of help they need to do the things they want.
- Whose help they want.
- When and how they want to be helped with different things.
- How services are paid for — K Plan, waivers or another way.
How does the ISP process work?
Each person and what they want guides the process of making their ISP. Services coordinators and personal agents help a person create and update their ISP. A person can also invite family, friends or supporters to help. Together they discuss the person's life goals, desires and what kinds of help they would like. They use this information to write the person's ISP.
The
Oregon Needs Assessment (ONA) is also a part of the process to identify the person's unique support needs. An ONA assessor leads a person through this process.
Each person has the right to choose:
- When and where their ISP conversations take place.
- Who they want to be involved.
- What they want to talk about.
- What they don't want to talk about.
- How decisions will be made.
A new ISP is created at least once each year to:
- Continue the things that are going well.
- Change what is not working.
- Try new things the person wants.
If someone wants, they can change their ISP more than once a year.
Help us make a better ISP
ODDS wants to hear from those of you who receive services in Oregon's I/DD system. Our goal is to create a better and easier ISP process that is based on your experiences and works for you.
- We hired
The Arc Oregon to redesign the ISP process and materials. The Arc will:
- Work with you, your families and ODDS' community partners.
- Host focus groups and other conversations to hear what might work and be helpful.
-
OHSU University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities will evaluate The Arc's new process to ensure it works best for people with I/DD.
- We will work with services coordinators, personal agents and providers to make sure they have this input and can carry out the plans that you want.
Get involved
Go to the Oregon ISP website to learn more about getting involved. There may be stipends available to pay those who participate in forms and meetings.
Contact ODDS for more information.
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