Individualized Action Plan
Also written as: IAP — Individualized Action Plan
A goal-oriented rehabilitation planning document developed collaboratively between a practitioner and a person receiving psychiatric rehabilitation services, detailing specific skills to be developed and supports to be arranged.
Full Definition
The Individualized Action Plan (IAP) is the primary planning document in psychiatric rehabilitation practice, analogous to but distinct from the treatment plan used in clinical mental health settings. Where a treatment plan focuses on symptom reduction and clinical interventions, the IAP centres on the client's self-defined goals in areas such as housing, employment, education, and social relationships. Editors should note the distinction between an IAP and an Individualized Service Plan (ISP), as the two instruments may coexist within the same agency for different regulatory purposes. The IAP should reflect person-first, recovery-oriented language; editors should flag deficit-focused or diagnostic language that is inconsistent with the document's framework. Misspelling 'individualized' as 'individualised' in U.S. documents should be corrected.
Usage
Usage note: Do not conflate with a treatment plan or a crisis plan. Use 'Individualized Action Plan' on first reference; 'IAP' thereafter. Flag non-person-first language during editorial review.
In Context
- "The Individualized Action Plan was updated quarterly to reflect the client's progress toward competitive employment." — Psychiatric rehabilitation progress note
- "Reviewers noted that three IAPs lacked the client's signature, indicating incomplete collaborative development." — Programme quality review report