Personal Outcome Measures®

The foundation of Person-Centered Excellence: Network Accreditation is Personal Outcome Measures®. It is a powerful tool used to ensure supports and services are truly person-centered. In a Personal Outcome Measures® (POM) interview, 21 indicators are used to understand the presence, importance and achievement of outcomes, involving choice, health, safety, social capital, relationships, rights, goals, dreams, employment and more. POM interviews can then be used to inform a person-centered plan to be based on what a person wants for their lives and at an aggregate level, influence strategic planning. They are an effective data set for valid and reliable measurement of individual quality of life.


5 Factors | 21 Personal Outcome Indicators

Non-negotiable human and civil rights

1.       People are safe

2.       People are free from abuse and neglect

3.       People have the best possible health

4.       People experience continuity and security

5.       People exercise rights

6.       People are treated fairly

7.       People are respected

Access to be in, a part of, and with community

8.       People use their environments

9.       People live in integrated environments

10.       People interact with other members of the community

11.       People participate in the life of the community

Social support, intimacy, familiarity, and belonging

12.       People are connected to natural support networks

13.       People have friends

14.       People have intimate relationships

15.       People decide when to share personal information

16.       People perform different social roles

Decisions about ones’ life and community

17.       People choose where and with whom they live

18.       People choose where they work

19.       People choose services

Dreams and aspirations for the future

20.       People choose personal goals

21.       People realize personal goals


The Accreditation Team members are certified to complete facilitate POM Workshops and complete reliable POM interviews with people receiving supports and services throughout the provider network. POM interviews are used to promote person-centered planning, as well as evaluate person-centered service delivery within the network. at provider, regional and statewide levels. Training in Personal Outcome Measures® is available to the provider network. It is a 4-day in-depth training designed to further promote DIDD’s commitment to a person-centered approach to supporting people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. (The  POM training can be facilitated virtually in a 5- day workshop.) Training participants will experience real-world application of the tool and hands-on experience with interviewing and determinations. To schedule POM training or for more information contact Allison Boyd (Allison.Boyd@tn.gov

Additional training is available as elective courses through Relias Learning. They are:

  • Overview of Personal Outcome Measures®
  • The Power of Personal Outcomes Measures®

Another course goes into greater depth on the Personal Outcome Measures® for use with specific services and populations:

  • Application of the Personal Outcome Measures® for Behavioral Health

These next four courses take the learner to the next level - building on the foundation of understanding the personal outcomes approach to service delivery - either through the previous courses or prior knowledge.

  • Learning about People - Interviewing Techniques
  • Looking at the Data: Decision Making around Personal Outcome Measures®
  • Using the Personal Outcomes Measures® in Planning for People
  • Using Personal Outcome Measures® in Evaluation and Planning for Organizations

View this video to learn more about what to expect of during a Personal Outcome Measures interview: