About
Minnesota Positive Support Practices
Welcome to Minnesota Positive Support Practices. The goal of this site is to provide information, resources, and tools for people interested in positive supports. The term positive support refers to practices that are:
- culturally responsive and person centered,
- based on evidence that shows its effectiveness,
- using data to assess how well practices improve quality of life, and
- often part of plans that include multiple practices.
Positive Supports are about people, not programs. Positive supports are not chosen for convenience, instead, they are designed to meet the needs of each person.
Positive Supports are person-centered. Positive supports place a person at the center of decision-making. Person-centered supports are sensitive to the unique cultures and backgrounds of each person and include respecting personal choices.
Positive Supports are effective. Positive support practices are built on proven practices and on-going research.
All people want to be respected, have choices, and feel safe.
Positive supports are approaches that are used to help people using a variety of proven support strategies that do not include punishment or seclusion.
But positive supports are much more than that. Positive supports are about respecting the disgnity and rights of every person while offering individualized and effective services.
Whether someone is receiving mental health, housing, educational, disability, or any other services meant to improve a person’s life, positive supports:
- Build on a person’s unique strengths, assets, interests, expectations, cultures, and goals,
- Respect the rights and individuality of each person, and
- Offer solutions that are effective.
This Website is for…
- Early Childhood Professionals
- Mental Health Professionals
- People with Lived Experience with Services
- People interested in positive supports
- Social Workers
- Direct Support Staff
- Educators
