In the I/DD field, written documentation is essential for tracking services, maintaining compliance, and keeping staff informed. However, text-based records can fail to capture important details, such as unique communication styles, specialized support techniques, and the voices of those receiving care. To address this limitation, Therap developed its Secure VideoDocumentation tool. This feature empowers providers to enrich their documentation with videos that bring person-centered practices to life.
Virginia-based non-profit Richmond Residential Services, Inc. (RRSI) was an early adopter of video documentation. Recently, three RRSI team members and a self-advocate joined Therap for a virtual panel to share how the tool has benefited their organization. Here are three key takeaways from the event on how video is transforming I/DD documentation:
1. Humanizing Documentation and Elevating Voices
Written care plans are necessary, but they often leave team members with basic facts rather than a true sense of an individual’s identity. Video introduces the person behind the paperwork, giving staff a better sense of who they are. Madeleine Olson, a Residential Supervisor at RRSI, noted, “I think seeing a video specific to each individual—it’s humanizing. When you’re reading data…you don’t have the real-world connection to reference. In a video, you get a little peek into their personality.”
Adding videos to documentation also supports self-advocacy. Instead of having staff write about the people they support, Therap’s “About Me” Video feature gives individuals a platform to introduce themselves within their documentation. Brittney Lee, a passionate self-advocate who has received services at RRSI for over 15 years, shared, “Videos help you get to know an individual just the way they are.” For Lee, making an “About Me” Video was a chance to share what is important to her and encourage her peers to do the same. “It was all so fun to do. I wanted people to know that you could do anything if you put your mind to it,” she said.
Watch Brittney Lee talk about making her “About Me” Video here.
2. Providing Clearer Details and Instructions
Some nuances are difficult to convey in writing. For example, reading about how an individual communicates isn’t as helpful as seeing it in action. To acquaint staff with individuals’ unique communication styles, RRSI has filmed clips of the people they support interacting with staff to show how they express themselves. Olson explained, “We’re not speaking for [individuals], we’re speaking alongside them to make sure that their communication style is integrated, but it can be easily understood by [staff] who may not be as familiar with them yet.”
Video is also an excellent tool for demonstrating physical support techniques. The RRSI team filmed an individual with multiple sclerosis working alongside his occupational therapist to demonstrate his fall prevention plan. Jocellyn Perry, RRSI’s Quality Assurance Director, shared, “It was such a meaningful and impactful video… It empowered this person to say, ‘I’m very vulnerable when I fall and here’s how I need support in my most vulnerable time in my apartment.’ There’s no way that you could capture that essence in a document.”
3. Enhancing Staff Onboarding and Training
Incorporating videos into documentation is a powerful way to onboard and train employees. Many people absorb and retain information better by watching a short video clip than reading pages of text. Wakita Pollard, a DSP at RRSI, recalled her excitement when the agency introduced the tool. “I was excited for new staff coming in to be able to have something to actually visually see what the clients need and want, as opposed to just reading it,” she said.
The benefits also extend well beyond initial orientation to ongoing professional development. Perry emphasized that videos help cultivate team competency. She stated, “If you are asking your staff to demonstrate person-centered thinking and person-centered interaction, the videos are going to be a tool to get them there and become more competent with understanding how to support individuals.”
Hear RRSI leadership and staff speak about how videos have improved training here.
Richmond Residential’s Success with Video Documentation
What began as a pilot project at RRSI has become a valued operational standard. Perry emphasized, “For us, it’s not a ‘we would like to do it.’ It’s a ‘have to.’ It is something that we will always have as a part of our enhanced case management processes at Richmond Residential.”
Olson is glad RRSI began using video documentation, noting that it benefits the people they support just as much as staff. “Video documentation is going to be a way for people’s light to really shine—for you to truly showcase that person-centeredness and let the individuals speak for themselves,” she said.
Embracing video documentation allows organizations to build more comprehensive records, better equip their teams, and amplify the voices of the individuals they support. Richmond Residential is a great example of what video documentation can do for agencies that are committed to person-centered practices. If your organization is ready to enhance your documentation with videos, Therap provides the secure, compliant tools to make it happen. Reach out to our team if you would like to learn more!
Michelle Saunders is the Associate Director of Business Development at Therap Services.
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