Authors Art and Thane Dykstra, Ph.D. saw person-centered plans especially for those with intellectual disabilities becoming systematically more and more bureaucratized. What should have been an individualized plan for the future, read like service plans on the one hand, or care plans on the other, and both approaches read like a rules compliance document.

A New Plan uses research-based positive psychology to renew the promise of person-centered planning. The authors build on the foundation of historical contributions and advance the 10 Principles of Person-Centered Planning. They reflect on the reasons people don t plan and stress the importance of addressing personal outcomes. A New Plan introduces the role of the Champion in the life of a person who has disabilities. Included is a new implementation framework, along with the action steps needed to enable a person to flourish and live their best possible life.

Finally, the authors stress the importance of cultivating a positive organizational culture. The book includes the organizational Inventory of Person-Centeredness that allows readers and providers to assess their person-centered efforts and find areas to address for continuous improvement.