HHS wants to hear from people with disabilities and others on person-centered services and balancing choice and risk

BISMARCK, N.D. – North Dakota Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Developmental Disabilities Section wants to hear from individuals with disabilities who are receiving services, their families, guardians, service providers and others on HHS person-centered practice goals and balancing dignity, choice and risk.

The agency is hosting two virtual listening opportunities on Jan. 11, at 1-2:30 p.m. and again at 6-7:30 p.m. CST. The agenda includes discussion on goals, guiding principles and best practices for balancing choices, dignity and risk. HHS is seeking comments and input as it drafts materials explaining “dignity of risk” that will be used to direct service planning discussions and decisions.

North Dakotans can join one of the virtual input meetings online or by phone. For details on joining the meeting, view the Community Input Meeting: Person-Centered Practice Goals meeting notice on the HHS website at hhs.nd.gov/news/publicnotice.

“The support systems for people with disabilities embrace person-centered values, which is the idea that people should have the power to define and pursue their own vision for a good life,” explained HHS Developmental Disabilities Section Director Tina Bay.

“Risk exists for all of us,” she said. “Dignity of risk is the right of every person, including those with a disability, to make informed choices and take reasonable risks to learn, grow and enjoy quality of life.”

HHS has been working alongside the National Center on Advancing Person-Centered Practices and Systems (NCAPPS) and the Human Services Research Institute (HSRI) to develop a strong and consistent statewide vision and universal understanding of person-centeredness as well as related resource materials.

HHS is developing and distributing material on how service planning teams may assess and identify the balance between a person’s desire, right to take reasonable risks, and potential consequences. Materials will also be a resource for people receiving DD services, families, guardians and other service planning team members.

For more information on NCAPPS and ND’s technical assistance material, visit the North Dakota Person-Centered Practices | HSRI website.

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