Partners Advancing Self-Determination (PAS)

Partners Advancing Self-Determination (PAS) is an exciting project underway in collaboration with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities Administration (BHDDA). PAS is a grant project run by The Arc Michigan and funded by the Michigan Developmental Disabilities Council.

The PAS goal is to increase the quality and use of arrangements that support self-determination for people with developmental disabilities in Michigan. This is done by working at the local and state levels.

PAS staff, along with Michigan Department of Health and Human Services’ Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities Administration staff, provide free state-level technical assistance, training, and support to local PAS Advancement Teams to improve Community Mental Health (CMH) processes to help make sure people are able to direct their own services.

With BHDDA the Council will develop/refine state requirements and standards that ensure consistent, quality person-centered planning that result in changes in MDHHS/BHDDA policies, procedures, guidance, and technical assistance.

Now Recruiting PAS Advancement Teams!
Join our partnership!

Your team members are expected to include:

Community Mental Health Service Provider (CMHSPs or CMHs) staff with decision-making ability*
Prepaid Inpatient Health Plan (PHIPs) staff with decision-making ability*
Intermediate School Districts (ISDs)*
People with developmental disabilities, interested in or using self-directed services*
Family members of people with developmental disabilities interested in or using self-directed services*
Michigan Rehabilitation Services staff
Fiscal Intermediary staff
Others (as decided by your Advancement Team)

*These are mandatory members

Anticipated Outcomes include:

Increased number of people who use self-directed services yearly in the communities with a PAS Advancement Team
Increased satisfaction from those receiving services and greater ability to direct their lives
Improved ability by the Advancement Teams to support self-determination.
Individuals with developmental disabilities, their family members, and allies have increased knowledge of person-centered planning and self-determination.
MDHHS/BHDDA adopts and implements standards that ensure consistent, quality person-centered planning, that results in people with I/DD directing their own supports and services, as indicated by changes in policies, guidance, procedures and technical assistance

Advancement Teams will participate in a three phase process:

Phase 1 Develop Team & Apply	Advancement Teams will recruit person(s) with developmental disabilities willing to participate and other Advancement Team members. Fill out and submit application Applications will be reviewed by the PAS Team and you will be notified.
Phase 2 Training & Support	An introductory session will include disability history, person-centered planning, independent facilitation, and the Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) rules so that all team members will begin with the same understanding of these topics. A second session will focus on arrangements that support self-determination. There will be an overview and then a discussion of the process in use at the particular CMH. Team members will identify barriers to be addressed. In the third session team members will develop a plan to address barriers. Additional topics will be customized for each group to focus on issues important to them
Phase 3 Outreach	This phase will prepare the Team’s staff to do outreach presentations about self-determination and be a resource for self-directed services in their community. Technical assistance and support will be provided by the PAS Staff and BHHDA to the Advancement Teams to help them: coordinate activities, exchange information, develop documentation, change/develop policies, assess progress on common goals, and provide mutual support.

We hope you will join Partners Advancing Self-Determination to improve the lives of people with developmental disabilities in your community!

To apply to participate, please fill out the PAS Advancement Team Application electronically

Jill Gerrie
The Arc Michigan
1325 S. Washington Avenue
Lansing, Michigan 48910
jill.gerrie@arcmi.org
(517) 492-5029 Direct Line
(517) 487-0303 Fax

Funding for this project is from the Michigan Developmental Disabilities Council

For people with intellectual and developmental disabilities

Partners Advancing Self-Determination