Expanded Massachusetts SDM Pilot

The Center for Public Representation has partnered with five organizations to expand supported decision-making across Massachusetts. This second, expanded pilot has a particular focus on offering supported decision-making as an alternative to guardianship for transition-age youth and serving communities of color.

To help with initial planning for the pilots, CPR convened a group of advocates and numerous stakeholders (including self-advocates and family members), to assist with priority setting and the planning and implementation of the expanded pilots.

Around 30 people with intellectual and developmental disabilities have started using supported decision-making as part of the pilot. Participants reflected a more diverse population including transition age youth and people from diverse racial and cultural backgrounds.

Further, the pilot has been a catalyst for each of the five organizations to develop the internal capacity to offer SDM to people beyond the original pilot participants. For many of these organizations, SDM has now become part of the culture. This means more and more people are getting a chance to try out SDM and see if it works for them.

As part of the pilot, CPR has provided numerous trainings, technical assistance, and other oversight to the partners. CPR staff also worked individually with families and decision-makers interested in setting up SDM agreements. The pilot partners also had opportunities to meet (telephonically and in-person) with each other, share ideas, discuss best practices, and collaborate.

5 Pilot Partners:

Through workshops, conferences, and webinars, the SDM Project has reached hundreds of individuals, families, community leaders, and legislators.

Interested in learning more? Contact us.

This project is funded by a grant from the Northeast Arc‘s Arc Tank 2017, Changing Lives Fund. For more about the Arc Tank competition, see here: