For thousands of years – going back to Ancient Rome – society treated people with intellectual disabilities as if they were unable to take care of or make decisions for themselves. Today, it is still expected that someone else – usually called a guardian, but in California, a conservator – will be appointed to make decisions for them. In fact, that is often the advice parents get when their children with disabilities turn 18: become their guardian/conservator as soon as possible. It doesn’t have to be that way. This paper is about your options and actions you can take to help your children make their own decisions and direct their own lives to the maximum of their abilities.
Findings
- Potential negative impact of overbroad and undue guardianship
- Potential positive impacts of Supported Decision-Making
- Practical ways to explore whether Supported Decision-Making is appropriate for a family member or loved one
- Practical ways to create Supported Decision-Making networks and teams
- Practical ways to incorporate Supported Decision-Making into everyday activities and programs for people with disabilities
Supported Decision-Making Teams: Setting the Wheels in Motion