Introducing the 

National Center on Advancing 

Person-Centered Practices and Systems 

The National Center on Advancing Person-Centered 

Practices and Systems (NCAPPS) is a new initiative from the 

Administration for Community Living and the Centers for 

Medicare & Medicaid Services to help States, Tribes, and 

Territories to implement person-centered practices.

In the past 30 years, systems for people with disabilities and 

older adults with long-term service and support needs have 

generally shifted to embrace person-centered principles,

premised on the belief that people should have the authority 

to define and pursue their own vision of a good life. Yet, the 

degree to which systems have fully adopted person-centered

practices varies, and many continue to grapple with how to 

effectively implement person-centered practices.

The goal of NCAPPS is to promote systems change that 

makes person-centered principles not just an aspiration but 

a reality in the lives of people who require services and 

supports across the lifespan. NCAPPS will assist States, 

Tribes, and Territories to transform their service and support 

systems to implement U.S. Department of Health and Human 

Services policy on person-centered thinking, planning, and 

practices. It will support a range of person-centered thinking, 

planning, and practices, regardless of funding source.

NCAPPS will: 

• Provide in-depth, practical technical

assistance to States, Tribes, and

Territories

• Establish communities of practice to

promote broad-based learning and

sharing of best practices

• Hold educational webinars that will be

open to the public

• Develop a national clearinghouse of

actionable, up-to-date resources

What is person-centered thinking, 

planning, and practice? 

▪ Person-centered thinking is a foundational principle—

requiring consistency in language, values and actions—

that reveals respect, views the person and their loved

ones as experts in their own lives, and equally

emphasizes quality of life, wellbeing, and informed

choice.

▪ Person-centered planning is a methodology that

identifies and addresses the preferences and interests

that make up a desired life and the supports (paid and

unpaid) needed to achieve it. It is directed by the person,

and it is supported by others selected by the person.

▪ Person-centered practices are the alignment of services

and systems to ensure the person has access to the full

benefits of community living and to deliver services in a

way that facilitates the achievement of the person’s

desired outcomes.
What types of technical assistance and resources will NCAPPS offer?

NCAPPS Technical Assistance and other resources will cover topics such as:

• Reconfiguring long-term service and support (LTSS)

systems to support person-centered practices

• Service user and family engagement methods that

promote system responsiveness and accountability to

person-centered values

• Identifying key components of an effective personcentered planning and training model

• Assessing payment structures to facilitate alignment with

and incentivize use of person-centered practices with

fidelity

• Selecting and implementing structural, process, and

outcome measures to effectively incentivize and evaluate

the impact of person-centered practices

• Enhancing cultural and linguistic responsiveness in personcentered practices

• Collaborating across systems and programs to align and

integrate regulations, policies, and procedures that

support person-centered practices

• Using technology to enhance person-centered practices

Who’s involved?

NCAPPS is funded by The Administration for Community 

Living and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and 

administered by the Human Services Research Institute 

(HSRI). 

Engagement of people with lived experience will be at the 

heart of all NCAPPS activities. A Person-Centered Advisory 

and Leadership Group composed of national experts with 

lived experience receiving long-term services and supports 

will oversee and contribute to all aspects of NCAPPS. 

HSRI is partnering with leading national organizations to 

ensure the work is relevant and effective.

NCAPPS Partner Organizations

• National Association of State Head Injury

Administrators (NASHIA)

• National Association of States United for Aging

and Disabilities (NASUAD)

• National Association of State Directors of

Developmental Disabilities Services (NASDDDS)

• National Association of State Mental Health

Program Directors (NASMHPD)

• National Association of County Behavioral

Health and Developmental Disability Directors

(NACBHDD)

• National Association of Medicaid Directors

(NAMD)

NCAPPS is funded and led by the Administration for Community Living and the Centers for 

Medicare & Medicaid Services and is administered by HSRI.