Disability Rights Experts Testify Before U.S. Senate Subcommittee: A Call for Conservatorship and Guardianship Reform

On Tuesday, September 28, 2021, the Senate Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on the Constitution hosted disability rights experts at a hearing tomorrow on “Toxic Conservatorships: The Need for Reform.” Morgan K. Whitlatch, Legal Director at Quality Trust, testified on the need for increased due process protections, the dismantling of the pipelines to overbroad and undue guardianship and conservatorship, and the advancement of supported decision-making.

The hearing also included testimony of Nick Clouse. Nick worked with Indiana Disability Rights, a former 2018 NRC-SDM state grantee, to successfully get his guardianship terminated nearly a decade after his traumatic brain injury. He testified about his experience with an overly restrictive guardianship, saying: “I could make medical appointments for my daughter but was not allowed to make them for myself.”

Video clips of other people with disabilities impacted by guardianship or who use supported decision-making were also shown at the hearing. Do you want to share a written statement or video for possible posting? Please email them to jhjp@dcqualitytrust.org.

Contents

Tim Jin

Video: https://supporteddecisionmaking.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/tim-jin-testimony.mp4
Written Testimony: https://supporteddecisionmaking.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/tim-jin-testimony.pdf

Jordyn Zimmerman

Video: https://supporteddecisionmaking.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/jordyn-zimmerman-testimony.mp4
Written Testimony: https://supporteddecisionmaking.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/jordyn-zimmerman-testimony.pdf

Ron Seay

Video: https://supporteddecisionmaking.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/ron-seay-testimony.mp4

Linda Warren

Video: https://supporteddecisionmaking.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/linda-warren-testimony.mp4

Kristi Magill

Video: https://supporteddecisionmaking.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/kristi-magill-testimony.mp4

Marie Bergum

Video: https://supporteddecisionmaking.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/marie-bergum-testimony%20.mp4
Written Testimony: https://supporteddecisionmaking.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/marie-bergum-testimony.pdf
Suzanne Bennett Francisco Exceptional Rights Advocacy Testimony

Cindy Bentley

Video: https://supporteddecisionmaking.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/cindy-bentley-testimony.mp4
Written: https://supporteddecisionmaking.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/cindy-bentley-testimony.pdf

Jordan Anderson

Video: https://supporteddecisionmaking.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/jordon-anderson-testimony.mp4
Written: https://supporteddecisionmaking.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/jordon-anderson-testimony.pdf

Jennifer Kratch

Written: https://supporteddecisionmaking.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/jennifer-kratch-testimony.pdf

James Dryer

Written: https://supporteddecisionmaking.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/james-dryer-testimony.pdf

Sarah Carmany

Written: https://supporteddecisionmaking.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/sarah-carmany-testimony.pdf

Diana Willard

Written: https://supporteddecisionmaking.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/diana-willard-testimony.pdf

Lisa Cabrera

Video: https://supporteddecisionmaking.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/lisa-cabrera-testimony.mp4

Kalei Bulwinkle

Video: https://supporteddecisionmaking.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/kalei-bulwinkinle-testimony.mp4
Written: https://supporteddecisionmaking.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/kalei-bulwinkinle-testimony.pdf
Mother’s Statement: https://supporteddecisionmaking.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/victoria-vermillion-kb-mother-testimony.pdf

Donna Umfress

Video: https://supporteddecisionmaking.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/donna-umfress-testimony.mp4

Judith Snedeger

Video: https://supporteddecisionmaking.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/judith-snedeger-testimony.mp4

Jenny Hatch

Video: https://supporteddecisionmaking.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/jennny-hatch-testimony.mp4
Written: https://supporteddecisionmaking.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/jennny-hatch-testimony.pdf

Crystal Patton

Video: https://supporteddecisionmaking.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/crustal-patton-testimony.mp4

Carrie Varner

Written: https://supporteddecisionmaking.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/carrie-varner-testimony.pdf

Michael Lincoln-McCrieght

Video: https://supporteddecisionmaking.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/michael-lincoln-mccreight-testimony.mp4

Cory Carlotto

Video: https://supporteddecisionmaking.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/cory-carlotto-testimony.mp4
Written: https://supporteddecisionmaking.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/cory-carlotto-testimony.pdf

Robert Terry

Video: https://supporteddecisionmaking.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/robert-terry-testimony.mp4
Written: https://supporteddecisionmaking.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/robert-terry-testimony.pdf

Diana Willard

Written: https://supporteddecisionmaking.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/diana-willard-testimony.pdf