The Individual Service Plan (ISP) module remains one of the most flexible and useful parts of Therap’s overall system. Given the rigorous state requirements for reporting on individual goals, this component provides enhanced and detailed information that allows for more methodical and concise Individual Plan-building. At its most basic, the ISP module allows tracking of an individual’s teaching skills programs as well as generating the necessary accompanying reports. The ISP module, however, can also comfortably act as a shift “checklist” to ensure that the Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) have attended to a particular individual’s needs, as well as being a place for a running log of, for example, an individual’s recreational activities or their case management notes.

The ISP component appears on the Therap FirstPage in two parts: ISP/IPP Program where the programs themselves are composed and ISP/IPP Data where the DSPs are able to enter the data. This is also where reports on said data are generated.

Creating an ISP begins by simply clicking on “New” under “ISP/IPP Program” which brings one to the plan’s page where the program details are entered into the system. The writer will detail the long-term objective, the goal itself, and the reason for implementing the plan. Baseline dates, criteria for completion, and tasks can be added one by one. There is also an area for the teaching methodology where specific parameters can be outlined for the DSPs who will be implementing the program. The form itself allows for a very detailed description of the goal as well as giving numerous options for scoring the progress of the individual.

The system presently allows for Level of Independence (graduated guidance), Level of Completion (completion, partial completion, and non-completion), Yes/No (discrete trials), and a “Custom” option that allows for numeric entries which may be helpful in tracking physical therapy goals. The system also allows for different input methods of “Grid” and “Non-Grid.” If it is necessary to simply capture quarterly averages (numeric values), “grid” allows for only the input related to the specific tasks listed in the program. If one selects “Non-Grid,” there are two fields that will be added to the list of tasks (or if no tasks within the program, the two default fields will appear on their own).

The two default fields allow for location of a given activity, the duration of said activity, and additional typewritten commentary to be added by the documenter.

Entering data also begins by clicking on “New” under “ISP/IPP Data” and choosing the given individual and then the given ISP. A staff member will be asked to acknowledge having read the ISP before the system will allow data to be entered. Depending on how the ISP was designed, input will vary from simply clicking on the task and choosing the appropriate score, or if within a “non-grid,” perhaps typing in the location, noting the duration of an activity, and offering commentary about the activity.

Reports are also generated from the “Data” piece of the module by clicking on “Report.” There are two types of reports that can be generated: Programmatic and Clinician. A programmatic report will generate averages for the time period chosen, breaking it down in the way chosen as well—from daily to annually. A report will automatically compare the averages to the baseline and the previous report period, as well as allowing for typewritten comments and recommendations for the report period. The clinician’s report will organize the typed commentary, location, and the hours and duration, of the tracked activities. Both reports will also display in a nice display printable form to be added to one’s quarterly or monthly report. As with other reporting within Therap, both of these reports can be exported to Microsoft Excel for further analysis and the creation of graphs.

Given the flexibility and simplicity of this module, it is extremely helpful in goal-tracking for both residential and day program settings. It provides swift report generation saving time for the supervisory staff as well as straightforward documentation options for the DSPs. As with all Therap modules, it is designed to allow expedient access to information which assists in all caregivers to focus on their primary concern: their clientele.