Once the person provides consent to begin, the assessment process can start. Some components of a person centered assessment include – each identified by the individual and explored in detail:
- Personal strengths viewed as an important personal asset
- Areas of interest
- Areas for improvement in life satisfaction, short / long term goals:
- Employment – what kind
- Education – in what areas
- Socialization – what kind, how frequently, with whom
- Leisure – what kind, how frequently including interests not explored
- Community / environmental resources and assets that can be accessed
- Challenges / barriers:
- Financial, legal, safety, medical, interpersonal relationships
- Living situation – Preferred, realized, including location and with whom
- Mental health — current status, i.e., what mental health support is in place, coping strategies, challenges, etc.
- Desired outcome of services — where would the person like the process to end up?
Examples of questions that can be asked:
- Personal strengths:
- What are you most proud of in your life?
- What is one thing you would not change about yourself?
- Interests and activities:
- If you could plan the “perfect day,” what would it look like?
- What matters to you?
- What dissatisfies you about your life — what do you wish you could change?
- Living environment:
- What are the most important things to you when deciding where to live?
- Employment:
- What would be your ideal job and why?
- What skills do you have, for example, artistic, technological expertise, good with animals, strong writer or listener, organizer.
- Learning and School:
- What kinds of things have you liked learning about in the past?
- What would you like to learn more about now?