Date: Wednesday, April 30, 2014
Supported Decision Making Webinar Series – Part Two
Jenny Hatch, her attorney and her supporter will discuss the “Justice for Jenny” case, the differences between SDM and guardianship and how SDM has worked for her. Presentations will focus on the contrasts between Jenny’s quality of life now as opposed to when she was under a guardianship and the practical and precedential importance of Jenny’s case for others who wish to avoid or be freed from overbroad or undue guardianship.
MaterialsIntroduction to Supported Decision-Making Presentation
Introduction to Supported Decision-Making Presentation Handouts
April 30, 2014 Webinar Video Recording
April 30, 2014 Webinar Transcript
Presenters:
Margaret “Jenny” Hatch, Jonathan Martinis, Kelly Morris, Ari Ne’eman
Margaret “Jenny” Hatch is a leader, advocate and inspiration to people across the country. Jenny lives and works independently, is active in politics, and counts as her friends local, state, and national leaders. However, because she has Down syndrome, Jenny spent a long, lonely year living in a group home, against her will, cut off from her friends and access to the life she built in her community. Like far too many people with disabilities, Jenny faced a guardianship petition challenging her right to make decisions, choices she always made for herself like where to live, what to do, and who to see. After six days of trial, Jenny won the right to make her own decisions using Supported Decision-Making. The “Justice for Jenny” trial Court was the first to Order the use of Supported Decision-Making instead of guardianship for a person with a disability. Jenny now lives and works where she wants, has the friends she chooses and – as the founder, inspiration and face of the Jenny Hatch Justice Project – encourages others to do the same.
Jonathan Martinis, the Legal Director for Quality Trust for Individuals with Disabilities, has over 20 years’ experience representing people with disabilities in cases under the ADA, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and the Constitution of the United States. In 2013, he represented Margaret “Jenny” Hatch in the “Justice for Jenny” case – the first trial to hold that a person with disabilities has a right to engage in Supported Decision-Making instead of being subjected to a guardianship. Prior to joining Quality Trust in 2012, Jonathan was the Managing Attorney for the Virginia Office for Protection and Advocacy, the Virginia state agency dedicated to protecting and advocating for the rights of people with disabilities. With VOPA, he served as lead counsel in Brinn v. Tidewater Transportation District Commission, the first case to hold that people with disabilities have a right to paratransit transportation on a next day basis and in Winborne v. Virginia Lottery, which held that the Lottery must ensure full and equal access to its products and services, even when they are sold by private businesses.
Kelly Morris is a committed and passionate advocate and parent, strongly supporting people with disabilities’ right to live their lives in the places and ways they choose. When Jenny Hatch, Kelly’s employee, was injured in an auto accident and had nowhere to go, Kelly and her fiancée, Jim Talbert, took her in and became her greatest supporters. When Jenny faced a guardianship petition seeking to put her in a group home and take away her right to make her own decisions, Kelly and Jim fought for Jenny, spending a year of their lives and thousands of dollars to defend their friend. Thanks to Kelly and Jim’s commitment, compassion and advocacy, Jenny won her trial and now lives with them, using Supported Decision-Making to make her own decisions about her own life. Since the “Justice for Jenny” case, Kelly has continued to advocate for people’s rights, appearing at national conferences and becoming a founding supporter of the Jenny Hatch Justice Project.
Reactor
Ari Ne’eman is the President and co-founder of the Autistic Self Advocacy Network, an advocacy organization run by and for Autistic adults seeking to increase the representation of Autistic people across society. He is an Autistic adult and a leading advocate in the neurodiversity and self-advocacy movements. In 2009, President Obama nominated Ari to the National Council on Disability. He worked to shut down the New York University Child Study Center’s “Ransom Notes” campaign and also led other successful disability community responses to offensive advertisements, including the response to the Autism Speaks “I am Autism” fundraising video. Ari serves as a member of the Institute of Medicine’s Forum on Aging, Disability and Independence, and as a board member of TASH. He previously served as a public member to the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee, Vice Chair of the New Jersey Adults with Autism Task Force, a member of the New Jersey Special Education Review Commission, and was the first ever Patricia Morrissey Disability Policy Fellow at the Institute for Educational Leadership. Ari has received the HSC Foundation “Advocates in Disability” Award, and the Expanding Horizons Award from United Cerebral Palsy. In his policy work, Ari has worked on a wide variety of disability rights related legislation relating to education, transition, employment, rights protection and other areas.
Hosted by: National Resource Center for Supported Decision-MakinN
Citation: Hatch, M., Martinis, J., Morris , K., & Ne’eman , A. (2014, April 30). Lessons Learned from the Canadian Experience: Supported Decision-Making Models Webinar. In Supported Decision-Making Three Part Webinar Series. Sponsored by Quality Trust for Individuals with Disabilities, the Burton Blatt Institute at Syracuse University, and and Autistic Self Advocacy Network