About:

At the end of 2014, CAN leadership observed a major theme arising from the “State of the Safety Net” forums and Community Council discussion focused on community challenges: that in order to improve the delivery of services and service outcomes it was necessary to modify program and services based on person-centered principles. This prompted the CAN Community Council to select as its focus area in 2015 and 2016 the identification of person-centered principles being utilized by local service providers so that providers in other service arenas could learn from real-world examples of person-centered care. The CAN Community Council published a report outlining the person-centered framework that emerged from the dialogue that occurred at monthly Community Council meetings and at the “Building a Person-Centered Community Summit” in 2016. The following are the person-centered principles that are highlighted in the report by the CAN Community Council:

In a Person Centered Community:

• We prioritize the safety and well-being of all children.
• We provide a safe, welcoming, and supportive environment for employees and the individuals and families we serve.
• We strive to identify and eliminate existing inequities, especially by race, ethnicity, and income.
• We consider the impact that language and culture have on the effectiveness of programs and services.
• We listen to our employees and the individuals and families we serve, and we give meaningful consideration to their input.
• We base services on the needs, resources, lives, and schedules of the individuals and families we serve.
• We build on a person’s strengths, resourcefulness, and capabilities and ensure that they are in the driver’s seat of determining what services or assistance they receive.
• We help people find their voice so that they can advocate for themselves, their families, and their community.

Click here to access full report.