Family Support 360 is a program for people with disabilities.  It also helps families.  The program will do "whatever it takes" to give people the ability to get the services they need.  These services will make it easier for people to live in the community on their own.  People who work for this program can help find the services you need to do this.  This program is called Family Support 360 PLANS.

Vision Statement:

Broadening opportunities for people with developmental disabilities across the lifespan.

Principles:

Family Support 360 encourages individual choice to create a unique plan for accessing supports and services.

•   Enhancing the ability to make decisions concerning necessary, desirable, and appropriate services and supports across  the lifespan       
•   Reinforcing choices to live and work in the community
•   Building relationships and developing a role in the community
•   Recognizing and valuing the contributions of natural or informal supports such as family members, friends, neighbors, church congregations, and community organizations          
•   Encouraging and supporting self-direction
•   Learning from the families, participants, and professionals

Family Support 360 is responsive to the needs of people with developmental disabilities.

•    Listening and responding respectively                   
•    Assisting during crises and responding to changing needs
•    Focusing on the needs of the entire family
•    Advocating for the person and their family
•    Respecting cultural preferences
•    Providing, advising, and designing accessible services
•    Using public dollars efficiently

Family Support 360 is a flexible constellation of services and support.

•    Building a budget around the needs of the person                    
•    Assisting with changes in services and supports
•    Exploring community resources and services
•    Organizing resources in ways that are life-enhancing and meaningful
•    Utilizing funds to purchase services or supports not otherwise available
•    Assisting with extraordinary expenses

Family Support 360 is progressive in the pursuit of helping people live the lives they want.

•    Researching options for services and supports
•    Meeting needs creatively
•    Implementing best practices
•    Treating people equitably
•    Sustaining Family Support 360 for the future

Goals:

The goals of the Project are to:

1. Help people make their own choices;
2. Help people live and work in their community ; and
3. Help people find the supports that they want in their community.

Focus:

Family Support 360 PLANS Project offers:

•    Choice                    
•    Individualized Services (services that work like you want them to)
•    Independence (being able to do things on your own)                  
•    Satisfaction (the feeling of being happy)             
•    Self-Determination (setting goals and making your own decisions)
•    Inclusion (being a part of things like everybody else)
•    Self-Advocacy (standing up for what you believe in)
•    Cultural Sensitivity (respecting what you believe in because of your background)
•    Flexibility (being willing to try new things)

Program Design:

• Family Support 360 and the PLANS Project

• History of the PLANS Project in South Dakota

• Comments from Public Forums (meetings)

• Service Areas (parts of the state) and Family Support 360 PLANS Coordinators (people who work in those areas)

• Family Support 360 PLANS Advisory Workgroup (people who lead the group)

Program Description and Services:

• Family Support 360 PLANS Eligibility and Application Documents (what forms you need to fill out to be able to be a part of this project)

• Family Support 360 PLANS Public Documents (materials that are available to people)

• Samples of Services Family Support 360 PLANS can provide

Other Resources:

• Links to Other Resources (state and national)

Evaluation:

During the summer of 2008, an evaluator completed individual interviews with a number of the PLANS participants to learn about their satisfaction with the program.  The information gathered during the interviews also provided PLANS staff with ideas for improving program services.  To view the entire evaluation report, please follow this link:  PLANS 2008 Evaluation.

Family Support 360 PLANS is a program for the State of South Dakota.  It is led by the Department of Human Services, Division of Developmental Disabilities.  Funding is provided through a grant from the Administration on Developmental Disabilities #90DN0184.