[citation needed] Unlike other person-centred planning processes, PATH is also intended to be a community-building opportunity, and is not limited to existing service systems.
[3] In PATH, a service plan is only the response of one of the parties for how they can contribute toward the focus person's vision for their life.
[4] PATH includes and stresses documentation and structures of accountability,[3][5] since follow through by support persons is essential for client wellbeing.
[6] It is especially suited for situations where all participants are already familiar with the focus person, since it does not include information gathering components.
[8][9][2] The PATH steps proceed backwards from an ideal future, steadily working from toward concrete actions.