BrainstormingGuide:
HowAreWeAlreadyUsingSupportedDecision-Making?
SupportedDecision-Makingcansoundlikeanew,foreignidea.Butmostfamilies,peoplewithdisabilities,andadvocatesarealreadyusingsupporteddecision-making,eveniftheydon'tcallitthat.Infact, mostpeoplewithout disabilitiesarealsoalreadyusingsupporteddecision-making!
Supporteddecision-makingmeanshelpingapersonunderstand,make,andcommunicateherowndecisions. Thiswilllookdifferentforeveryone.
Thistoolcanhelppeoplebrainstormwaysthattheyarealreadyusingsupporteddecision-making,andthinkaboutnewwayssupporteddecision-makingcouldhelpthepersonwithadisabilitylearntomakeherownsafe,informedchoices.
Howtousethistool:
•Gothrougheachareaoftheindividual'slife.Brainstormwhetheryouworktogethertomakechoicesinthisarea.Youmightnotyetbeusingsupporteddecision-makinginallofthesefields.Ifyouthinkofsupportsyoucouldstartusing,writethesedowntoo.
oIfyouareconsideringguardianship:supporteddecision-makingcansometimesbeformalizedintoarrangementsthatpreventtheneedforguardianship.Forexample,thepersonwithadisabilitycouldsignaformtoletyouaccesshermedicalrecordssoyoucanmakehealthdecisionstogether.
oIfyouareplanningforthefuture:thistoolcanhelpyouthinkaboutwaystolearnandpracticedecision-making.Learningtomakegoodchoicesisaskill,andpeoplecanlearn tomakebetter,safer,andmoreinformedchoiceswithpracticeandsupport.
oIfalawyer,doctor,schoolofficial,banker,oranyoneelseisworriedthatthepersonwithadisabilitycannot make herowndecisions: thistoolcanhelpyouexplaintothepersonthewaysinwhichthedecisionsofapersonwithadisabilityareinformedandsafe.
BrainstormingGuidetoSupportedDecision-Making
Howdoesthepersonwithadisabilitymanagehismoney?
Ifnooneevertalksaboutmoneywiththepersonwithadisabilityandtheydowhatevertheywant,that'snotsupporteddecision-making.
Ifsomeonetakesall oftheperson'smoneyandgiveshimnochoicesabouthowit'sspent, that'snotsupporteddecision-makingeither.
Anythingelse-openingajointbankaccount,makingabudgettogether,havinganSSIreppayeeandthendiscussinghowto spendmoney-issupporteddecision-making.
Howweworktogethertohelpthepersonwith adisabilitymembermanagehis/hermoney:
Additionalsupportsthatwemightwanttostartusing(examplesinclude:appointingarepresentative
payee,openingajoint bankaccount,makingandimplementing abudgettogether,takingamoneymanagementcourse): _
Howdoesthepersonwithadisabilitymakehealthcaredecisions?(
•Ifhemakeshisowndecisionswithouttalkingtoanyoneelse,that'snotsupporteddecisionmaking.
•Ifsomeone else makesallofthe person's medicalchoicesfor himwithout discussing hispreferencesandopinions,that'snotsupporteddecision-making,either.
•Anythingelse-attendingmedicalappointmentstogether,explaininghealthcarechoicesinplainlanguage,sharingaccesstomedicalrecords-issupporteddecision-making.
Howweworktogethertohelpthepersonwithadisabilitymakehealthcarechoices:
Additionalsupportsthatwemightwanttostartusing(examplesincludeexecutingaHIPAAauthorizationtosharemedicalrecords,attendingmedicalappointmentswithasupporter,providing complicatedhealthinformationinsimplifiedplainlanguage): _
BrainstormingGuidetoSupportedDecision-Making
Howdoesthepersonwithadisabilitydecidewhereshelivesandwhosheliveswith?
•Ifshemakesherownchoiceswithoutconsultinganyfriends,family,orotherresources,that'snotsupporteddecision-making.
•Ifsomeoneelsemakesalllivingchoicesforthepersonwithadisabilitywithouttalkingtoherorconsideringwhatsheprefers,that'snotsupporteddecision-making.
•Anythingelse-visitingpossiblehomestogether,makinglistsofprosandcons,settingup{{trialruns"visitingdifferenthomes,meetingpossibleroommates,discussingsupportstaffneeds-supporteddecision-making.
Howwe worktogether tohelpthepersonwithadisabilitymakechoices aboutwherehe/shelives:
Additionalsupportsthatwemightwanttostartusing(examplesincludeworkingwitha case managertofindhousingoptions,discussingprioritiesinhousing):------
Howdoesthepersonwithadisabilitydecidewhattododuringthedays?
•Ifshedoeswhatevershefeelslikeandnooneeverdiscussesherwork,activities,orsociallifewithher,that'snotsupporteddecision-making.
•Ifsomeoneelsedecideswhatsheshoulddoandwhosheshouldseeandforceshertodoitregardlessofwhatshewants,that'snotsupporteddecision-making.
•Anythingelse-helpingthepersonfindajobbasedonherinterests,respondingtoherpreferencesaboutwhatshedoeseveryday,teachinghertotaketransittogetwhereshewantstobe,talkingaboutsafety,consent,andchoiceinrelationships,helpingherthinkaboutdifferentoptionsanddecidewhichisthebestfitforher-issupporteddecision-making.
Howweworktogether tohelpthepersonwithadisabilitydecidehowtospendhis/hertime:
Additionalsupportsthatwemightwanttostartusing(examplesincludehelpfindingandapplyingforjobs,helplearningtotakepublictransportation,settingup"trialruns"orinternshipsinworkplaces):