Howarewealreadyusingsupporteddecision-Making?

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):