Carol Blessing is an expert person-centered planning and citizen-centered leadership. Until recently, she was a long-time employee at the Yang-Tan Institute on Employment and Disability at Cornell University. While there, she developed and implemented the Citizen Centered Leadership Development Course, and she has been a fervent advocate for social justice, equity, and inclusivity for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities for nearly 40 years. Carol is recognized for her impactful teaching and dedication to preserving the integrity and intention of person-centered planning.

Episode Summary:

Join host Chris Liuzzo as he delves into the heart of person-centered planning with Carol Blessing on the latest episode of this enlightening podcast series. Sponsored by the New York Alliance for Inclusion and Innovation, this episode sheds light on the core principles of person-centered work and the broader concept of citizenship as a universally inclusive idea.

In this episode, Carol shares her insights from decades of experience in the field, discussing how person-centered planning has evolved over time. She emphasizes the original intent behind these methodologies, which focus on integrating individuals with disabilities into communities as citizens with equal access to opportunities. Carol also shares her thoughts on how person-centered work was co-opted over time, becoming more about checking boxes than truly celebrating shared humanity and social justice. Highlighting voices like Beth Mount and John O'Brien, Carol focuses on reclaiming person-centered planning's roots in social justice and inclusivity.

Key Takeaways:

• Person-Centered vs. Citizen-Centered: Carol Blessing built upon person-centered planning by focusing on the broader concept of citizenship, aiming to cultivate a sense of shared humanity and inclusion.
• Core Ideals of Person-Centered Work: All people are born with inherent gifts and should have equal access to opportunities, emphasizing a shared responsibility toward community contribution.
• Challenges in Current Practices: The integration of person-centered planning into mandates risks losing its foundational purpose, becoming more of a task rather than an empowerment tool.
• Restoring the Ideal of Community: Person-centered planning should evolve to help community members feel comfortable supporting diversity and inclusion, breaking down barriers of unfamiliarity and fear.
• Role of Language: The importance of language in conveying the true essence of citizenship and how it affects perceptions of identity and belonging.

Notable Quotes:

• "The idea of person-centered planning started to devolve…it started to become a thing we do for those people." – Carol Blessing
• "How do we cultivate that sense of shared humanity?" – Carol Blessing
• "All people are born with gifts, capacity, interests, and a higher purpose in life." – Carol Blessing
• "We do what's good for the whole because it makes sense.” – Carol Blessing
• "Communities are missing something when people with disabilities are not there." – Beth Mount as referenced by Carol Blessing

Resources:

• Yang-Tan Institute on Employment and Disability: Explore their resources and work on disability employment (no specific URL mentioned in the transcript).
• New York Alliance for Inclusion and Innovation: Further information about their initiatives and sponsorship.

Stay tuned for more insightful episodes as the series continues to explore and deepen the conversation around person-centered planning and inclusivity. Don't miss out on the full episode for a comprehensive understanding of these vital concepts!

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