Brief Action Planning
Brief Action Planning (BAP) is a structured, evidence-based approach that guides people in setting SMART goals, assessing confidence, problem-solving, and planning follow-ups.
What Learners Are Saying
Great course!
Thank you so much for the opportunity to take this course. I feel it was structured and delivered extremely well and I am really happy I took it. I’m looking forward to using BAP in my practice and sharing what I have learned with my team.
Thank you!
This course is very well done – the information is very clear, the exercises are very helpful, and the handouts are very useful. Thank you!
Great BAP course
It’s very dynamic and clear for the students. I love it.
Excellent course
Excellent content, easy to access the course, and the material supports me directly same as with workshops delivered in person or webinar format
Loved the Practice Sessions
I liked the practice sessions! The facilitator was amazing. Practicing this really allowed me to understand the purpose of BAP as well as how to effectively use BAP and set up SMART goals with clients. So far this has helped me communicate much better in my practice.
Varied Learning Methods
It was nice to have remote features of the program where you could complete it on your own time. You could also adjust the speed of videos or read CC instead of listening, which meets individual’s personal preferences and accessibility.
Effective Learning
Online format is great. Very easy to navigate and includes effective teaching and learning strategies.
Practical Blended Learning
The online platform and learning space was good. I liked that there was a blend of reading, video and learning activities on the different topics.
Great Information
The way the information was laid out was amazing, concise and printable for reference and use. The personal zoom meeting to practice was helpful too.
Liked the Interactive and Group Learning
We worked as a group to complete this program. I liked the group interaction and discussion components. I also liked the videos – they helped to see BAP in action.
Practical Application of Skills
The best thing for me was how you got to role-play, and actually use what you’ve learned and use it in a scenario.
Flexible Learning Format
I like that the modules were provided to us to go through on our own time and then we were able to apply the knowledge from them over a call.
Applying the Learning
I loved the ability to go through the training and have the 1:1, then a week in between to try and apply it to my job before having the last 1:1.
Great Course
Information was provided in a clear manner and the ability to practice with a facilitator.
Organized Learning
Number and clarity of the resources if fascinating. The organization of the BAP course activities was great. And I really enjoyed the opportunity to practice my skills on a timely basis.
Supportive Learning
I love how the course is designed, makes sense and supports learning.
Resources
The Brief Action Planning Guide describes the process in detail and the Brief Action Planning Flow Chart provides an overview.
| Language | Document Links |
|---|---|
| English | Guide / Flow Chart |
| French | Guide / Flow Chart |
| Punjabi | Guide / Flow Chart |
| Chinese - Simplified | Guide / Flow Chart |
| Chinese - Traditional | Guide / Flow Chart |
| Spanish | Guide / Flow Chart |
| Russian | Guide / Flow Chart |
| German | Guide / Flow Chart |
Thanks to collaborators and practitioners who have assisted with the following worksheets for people to use to record their Brief Action Plans.
Using BAP in groups:
The following documents are helpful when using BAP in groups but can be used in any BAP interaction.
Are you working with a group that could benefit from goal setting? It might be an education group that could move information to action. It could be a group medical visit, a peer support group or any other kind. This worksheet will help you to determine if BAP is an appropriate tool and offer guidance on how to use it.
We would appreciate any feedback that you might have on the tool (its form, possible usage).
Please download it and use it: Using BAP in Groups
"Checking in on my Plan" Worksheet
Based on feedback from our BAP Community of Practice, CCMI has developed a worksheet to assist in guiding a follow-up or check-in, particularly if they will not be coming back to check in with the person who helped them make the plan. Once a person has made a plan, they can take this worksheet home and use it to do a check-in on their own or with someone else.
The tool is now in a testing mode, and we would appreciate any feedback that you might have on the tool (its form, possible usage).
Here is the most recent version of the tool. Please download it and use it in your daily practice: Checking on my Plan Worksheet
"Things I want to Try" Worksheet
Action Planning Tool
CCMI has collaborated with Patient Voices Network Volunteers (https://www.patientsaspartners.ca/network) to create a tool to help patients and clinicians work at making an action plan for behaviour change using the concepts form Brief Action Planning (BAP):
The tool is now in a testing mode. We would appreciate any feedback that you might have on the tool (its form, possible usage).
Here is the most recent version of the tool. Please download it and use it in your daily practice:
Taking Care of my Health or Well-being Goal Setting Worksheet. Available in: English | Chinese (Traditional)
Goal Setting With Clouds Worksheet. Available in: English | Chinese | Punjabi
If you have questions about the tools or want to give us feedback please write to info@centrecmi.ca
Community Setting Examples
The following videos are demonstrations of BAP in various settings.
Chinese (Cantonese) Language Videos
With English subtitles.
Punjabi Language Videos
With English subtitles.
Musculoskeletal (MSK) Example
The following video shows Dr. Lucy Nee demonstrating Brief Action Planning with patients with musculoskeletal issues. These interactions occur towards the end of the visit. Download the Brief Action Planning MSK Videos Questions for Discussion for some questions to discuss about these four videos.
Brief Action Planning and Electronic Medical Records
Dr. Bruce Hobson has incorporated BAP into his EMR. This video demonstrates what that looks like in his practice.
Brief Action Planning with Families
This video, created in a collaboration with the University of Illinois, College of Medicine at Peoria, the American Cancer Society and CCMI depicts BAP being used with a mother and son.
Publications about BAP
- Gutnick D, Reims K, Davis C, Gainforth H, Jay M, Cole S. Brief Action Planning to facilitate behavior change and support patient self-management. JCOM. 2014; 21(1):17-21.
- Reims K, Gutnick D, Davis C, Cole S. Brief action planning white paper. 2012.
- The White Paper (updated 2014-09-30) provides additional description and background about BAP
Research that uses BAP in its methodology:
Aubrey-Bassler K, Fernandes C, Penney C, et al. The effectiveness of a proven chronic disease prevention and screening intervention in diverse and remote primary care settings: an implementation study on the BETTER 2 Program. BJGP Open. 2019; 3(3).
Christison AL, Walker Lowry K, Robin R, et al. Pediatric Obesity Prevention in Primary Care: Using Brief Action Planning & Family Nutrition Physical Activity Questionnaire. Poster presented at: 2016 Pediatric Academic Societies Annual Meeting. Apr 30 - May 03, 2016; Baltimore, MD.
- Abstract available here
Sopcak N, Aguilar C, Nykiforuk CIJ, et al. Patients’ perspectives on BETTER 2 prevention and screening: qualitative findings from Newfoundland & Labrador. BJGP Open. 2017. Published August 9, 2018. Accessed February 7, 2017.
Ayyoub L, Hvizd A, Grace S, Bassett-Gunter R. Glucofit: A pilot study evaluating a brief action planning intervention in individuals with type 2 diabetes following a community-based physical activity program. Exercise Psychology. 2017; 49(1).
- Abstract at available here
Frequently Asked Questions
Brief Action Planning is a self-management support approach to help people make action plans to address the aspects of their health or situation that are most important to them. It is practical and highly structured, and involves using an algorithm to guide someone step-by-step through deciding whether they want to make a plan, developing a SMART plan, assessing their confidence, problem-solving if necessary, and planning their follow-up. Each step of the process is carefully considered and is based on the literature and evolving understanding of what works and doesn’t work to help people change.
Brief Action Planning is designed to:
- Incorporate the Spirit of Motivational Interviewing (compassion, acceptance, partnership, and evocation).
- Use a person-centred stepped care approach.
- Build self-efficacy.
- Develop skills for independent self-management.
- Create concrete and realistic plans in under 10 minutes.
This approach works well for supporting people who are already thinking about change and need some help to get started, and it can be used by anyone who is interested in helping people make behavioural changes to impact their health or well-being.
BAP Certification demonstrates a trainee’s competence in BAP skills through an exam in the format of a structured and recorded interaction with a CCMI Standardized Patient. The exam is scored by a coder using a standardized rating scale. The rating scale emphasizes conversational tone, flow of the interaction and adherence to the Spirit of Motivational Interviewing in addition to demonstration of BAP skills.
Practice and feedback sessions increase trainees' confidence and proficiency in BAP skills. These video sessions provide opportunities for participants to practice BAP skills with a BAP trainer. The trainer role plays the part of a patient or client appropriate to the group participating in the video session. Past experience has shown that most BAP trainees become skilled with 2-3 practice sessions. These sessions are the ideal preparation for BAP Certification.