From July 2023 through June 2024, the Center for Public Representation (CPR), in collaboration with key community partners and with the financial support of the Massachusetts Developmental Disabilities Council (MDDC), designed and implemented an innovative “gap filling” initiative to make Supported Decision-Making (SDM) more available to linguistically, ethnically, and culturally diverse communities in Massachusetts.
Pease read our FINAL REPORT,
“Addressing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion:
A Project to Advance Supported Decision-Making Through Community Partnerships.”
CPR partnered with community leaders and advocacy organizations to pilot trainings on SDM and other alternatives to guardianship that were specifically designed for and vetted by family members of people with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities within underrepresented and underserved populations.
We intentionally embedded this project within CPR’s Racial Equity Initiative, with the goal of reaching people who historically have not received accessible and culturally responsive information about SDM.
The lessons we learned from this project as an organization, coupled with the meaningful partnerships we fostered and deepened with community organizations, will continue to inform our broader work to bolster the use and acceptance of SDM not only in Massachusetts, but across the country.
CURRICULUM MATERIALS
-
Partnership with Conexiones Latinx-MA and The Arc of Greater Haverhill-Newburyport (March 2024)
- PowerPoint – “Guardianship is Not the Only Option: Supports for Decisions in Adulthood” (English and Spanish)
- Handout — Resources and Forms for Massachusetts Families (English and Spanish)
- Videos – Omar’s Journey with Supported Decision-Making (English and Spanish)
- Flyer – Want to Learn More? (English and Spanish)
-
Partnership with Black Autism Coalition and Autism 509 (March 2024)
- Facebook Live Session & YouTube Video (English and Haitian Creole)
-
Partnership with the Cambodian Mutual Assistance Association (August 2024)
- PowerPoint – “What Happens When My Child with a Disability Turns 18 Years Old? – Support for Decisions in Adulthood” (English and Khmer)
- Handout – Key Words to Know in Massachusetts (English and Khmer)
- Handout – CPR SDM Agreement Form Instructions for Massachusetts Residents (English and Khmer)
- Video – Hasan’s Journey with Supported Decision-Making (English)
THANK YOU to our many partners!
- Conexiones Latinx-MA
- The Arc of Greater Haverhill-Newburyport
- Black Autism Coalition
- Autism 509
- Parent/Professional Advocacy League (PPAL)
- Cambodian Mutual Assistance Association
- And more! Please read our July 2024 report
Any questions?
Email SDM@cpr-ma.org
This Project, “Supported Decision-Making: Diversity, Equity & Inclusion,” was funded in part through a grant from the Massachusetts Developmental Disabilities Council, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Community Living, Federal Award No. 93.630.
