Issue 1 | Summer 2023
By Jamie Ray-Leonetti, Associate Director of Policy and Certified Pennsylvania Supports Broker, Institute on Disabilities at Temple University; Raquel Mangual, Support Services Coordinator and Certified Pennsylvania Supports Broker, Institute on Disabilities at Temple University
Welcome to the first edition of Pennsylvania Supports Broker News (PSBN). PSBN is a quarterly publication brought to you through a collaboration between the Institute on Disabilities at Temple University and the Pennsylvania Office of Developmental Programs. PSBN replaces our weekly email updates. However, the supports broker listserv remains available to all certified supports brokers, and we will continue to post there periodically. We want to hear from you! If you have a suggestion for our newsletter, please email [click-for-email].
Favorite Person-Centered Planning Tool
Whether self-directing one’s services, using the traditional agency model, or using a combination or “hybrid” model, being aware of what natural supports are available can be very helpful to people with disabilities and their families. An incredibly helpful tool in supporting the people that you broker for is the Circle of Support. The Circle of Support can help the person that you are brokering for and yourself identify natural supports that exist in their respective community. There are many templates for the Circle of Support that can be found online. This is also helpful in the person exercising their right to self-determination and being in control of the services and supports they receive.
The Circle of Support helps the person identify what resources they hold within themselves, and what supports exist within their family, friends, and their community. The following are some helpful questions to ask when using the Circle of Support. Who can you rely on for support? How can these people help you? How can they help you meet your goals? What can they do to support you in leading the life you want to live? These questions can help the person identify who they can call on whether it’s during an emergency, for extra support in between paid staff or maybe if there’s a specific interest or desire they want to explore more.
The Circle of Support can also help the person identify activities they might be interested in and find people in their community who are involved in that activity. For example, their neighbor could know of an art class that meets biweekly that teaches ceramics. Knowing that the person you broker for enjoys painting and drawing already and has expressed a desire to explore other creative outlets, this could be an opportunity to connect with that neighbor to try it out. The Circle of Support can create a great opportunity for collaboration between yourself, the person you are brokering for and any existing supports they would like to participate in the process.