I wish we would have had this app when Alexa was younger. Great things to think about and help in making a plan. We can review this over and over at all ages. Thanks so much.
—S.A., Parent
We’re excited to announce the launch of a brand new app that helps individuals and families think about and create a plan for each stage of life.
My Life Plan—created by a partnership between the DD Council and The Arc of Washington State—puts the individual at the center of life decisions every step of the way.
The questions have been designed with input from families and professionals to identify age-specific questions related to a person’s strengths, interests.
All age groups are organized by the same seven categories across the lifespan:
- Home Living
- Community Living
- Lifelong Learning
- Social Activities
- Education/Employment/ Retirement
- Health & Safety
- Protection & Advocacy
Sitting down with my teenage daughter, I felt the planning app gave us opportunities to discuss her future hopes and dreams. It was a great chance for her to be involved and share her perspectives.
—B.A.M., Parent
My Life Plan is a free tool that has been designed for your use in any way that’s helpful to you; use as much or as little of it as you want.
Now that new federal rules require the state to create a person-center process, My Life Plan can help you start to think about goals and support needs at home, school, work, and in the community prior to meeting with your DDA case resource manager for an assessment and service planning.
Other ways the plan is helpful is in preparing for an IEP meeting, giving you something to share with team members in advance so that you and your child’s vision is included in the draft IEP.
My Life Plan is also a great tool for sharing your son/daughter’s goals and vision with those who play an important role in his/her life—family members, personal care staff and others who provide support.
I found the app to be a great tool for new parents to start planning for the future regarding how to develop/invest in our natural network, the people who are around our child and the skills that need to be developed for our child to have a life on their own. —C.A., Parent
Begin your journey here.