This Report summarizes activities and findings from a project to promote alternatives to guardianship and Supported Decision-Making for youth through an innovative, replicable decision-making workshop that was piloted in the summer of 2021 as part of Medford Public Schools’ transition program in Massachusetts. This PowerPoint summarizes the key results. This project was funded by the Massachusetts Developmental Disabilities Council and facilitated by the Center for Public Representation (CPR) and Emily Berheide, CPR consultant.
SDM Resource Library
Tag: youth
Conservatorship 101 And Ideas For Reform (July 2, 2021)
Radio show on Britney Spears and guardianship reform on Wisconsin Public Radio’s Central time featuring Anna Krieger of Center for Public Representation and Professor Rebekah Diller of Bet Tzedek Civil Litigation Clinic at Cardoza Law. Discussion includes Britney Spears’ case and alternatives to guardianship like Supported Decision-Making.
Access the Wisconsin Board for People with Developmental Disabilities Supported Decision-Making toolkit here.
Summary, Findings, and Recommendations of The Virginia Supported Decision-Making Pilot Project (2021)
Report from The Arc of Northern Virginia and the Burton Blatt Institute at Syracuse University about the success of the Virginia Supported Decision-Making Pilot Project. Includes reporting on the ten individuals who participated in the pilot and used Supported Decision-Making with positive outcomes. Four pilot participants use Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC).
Pilot was funded by the Virginia Board for People with Disabilities.
The supportive decision-making model that might have saved Britney Spears from conservatorship (June 27, 2021)
Article discussing Supported Decision-Making and Britney Spears. Describes the disability community movement to create guardianship alternatives. Features CPR partners Jimmy C., CPR pilot participant with Nonotuck, and Jordan Anderson, Co-Lead of Wisconsin Supported Decision-Making state team and Youth Ambassador from the Center on Youth Voice/Youth Choice first community of practice.
Supported Decision Making Resource Library (June 2020)
The Arc of Northern Virginia has created a collection of excellent, accessible resources about Supported Decision-Making including:
- video stories of decision-makers,
- 3 minute webinars on SDM,
- handouts, and
- presentations.
Supported Decision-Making Toolkit (Wisconsin) (2019)
Toolkit about getting started with using Supported Decision-Making. This toolkit has some references to materials specific to the Wisconsin state law, but is useful for anyone interested in thinking about Supported Decision-Making.
Copies of the toolkit in Spanish and Hmong available at this link.
Visit resource: Supported Decision-Making Toolkit (Wisconsin)
Your Vote Counts: A Self-Advocate’s Guide to Voting in the U.S. (2019)
Voting is important! Did you know that even if you have a guardianship you may still be able to vote? Whether you can vote while under a guardianship depends on the laws in your state and on what your guardianship paperwork says. If you are under a guardianship you may still have the right to vote. The Your Vote Counts guide from Autistic Self Advocacy Network explains the rules in every state about voting while under a guardianship.
You can also read more about your RIGHT to vote and HOW to vote on this page from Autistic Self Advocacy Network.
Visit resource: Your Vote Counts: A Self-Advocate’s Guide to Voting in the U.S.
Alternatives to Guardianship and Guardianship (Mass.) (November 2017)
Provides an overview of guardianship alternatives in Massachusetts including Supported Decision-Making, health care proxies, and powers of attorney. Also provides overview of guardianship in Massachusetts, including information about the rights of individuals who are subject to guardianship.
Visit resource: Alternatives to Guardianship and Guardianship (Mass.)
Hasan’s Journey with Supported Decision-Making
This is a video of a young man with disabilities, Hasan Ko, sharing his story with using Supported Decision-Making. In Mr. Ko’s culture, guardianship was not something that was used, and so his parents did not know what it was when Mr. Ko’s teachers said he needed a guardian. Mr. Ko talks about how he and his family decided to use Supported Decision-Making instead. This is just one example of how someone might use Supported Decision-Making. Everyone’s path is different!
Visit resource: Hasan’s Journey with Supported Decision-Making
Handout – Key Words to Know in Massachusetts: Supports for Decisions in Adulthood
The Center for Public Representation wants families and people with disabilities in Massachusetts to know about their options for decision-making support in adulthood, so they can find the right fit for them. We partnered on a training initiative with the Cambodian Mutual Assistance Association in Lowell, Massachusetts. This is the English version of one of the handouts we used. The Khmer version is available here.
Visit resource: Handout – Key Words to Know in Massachusetts: Supports for Decisions in Adulthood