Like everyone else, older adults and people with disabilities have the Right to Make Choices when it comes to government programs like Medicare, Medicaid, and Vocational Rehabilitation. Everyone has the right to ask for and receive help in making their own decisions about their services and supports.
It’s important to advocate for government agencies to recognize and respect everyone’s Right to Make Choices. Government agencies and their programs often set the tone for how people interact with their community.
For example, the DC Department on Disability Services serves over 2,000 people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. We advocated for the Department to create and implement Supported Decision-Making policies and procedures, to make sure that the people they serve have a full and equal say in the services they receive.
The Department agreed. Today, we are working together to draft the policy and create training programs for their employees and providers.
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