Decide Your Future
Use these steps as you DECIDE your future: Direct, Enlist, Choose, Inform, Determine, and Experience
Use these steps as you DECIDE your future: Direct, Enlist, Choose, Inform, Determine, and Experience
Everyone gets help making decisions. People with disabilities may simply need a different type of help.
Everyone gets help making decisions. That help may come from friends, family, professionals, or even through research. We all learn in our own unique way so we can consider our options and ask others for advice. Some people may need more or different help to accomplish their goals but the process is exactly the same.
Supported Decision-Making involves a person getting the help they need to make a decision. This process can be different from person to person, but the foundation of Supported Decision-Making is having a plan that shows who will support you and how. That plan must respect a person’s autonomy by making sure the person makes their own decisions and that their decision-making rights are not removed or diluted. Decisions are made by the person who needs support, not for them.
Video Source: Disability Rights Texas
Supported Decision-Making is not focused on with whether people can make their own decisions but instead tries to understand what kind of support people need in order to be involved in decision-making so they can be more independent.
We use the acronym D.E.C.I.D.E. to teach the process of Supported Decision-Making. Learn more by clicking each step on the right or read our full guide by clicking the button below.
Supported Decision-Making is not about doing it on your own but directing the people in your life to help you.
Enlisting support means everyone understands their role and is ready to be a part of the team.
Supported decision-making includes many choices; you will choose the people you want to support you, how they work together (or don’t), and what type of tools and supports work best for you when making decisions.
You will need to tell the people in your life about supported decision-making and how it works for you. You want to make sure all the people in your life are informed of how you make decisions.
Supported decision-making is about making sure you have what you need to live and lead the life you want. You determine what your life looks like and what you will achieve.
The more you practice the more you will learn and accomplish. You need experiences to learn what works best for you and opportunities to try new things.
No matter who you are, it’s a good idea to learn more about the benefits of Supported Decision-Making and how you can use it in your life or share it with someone you are supporting.
When individuals with disabilities direct their own decisions, they become more confident and become better self-advocates.
For both youth and adults, making your own decisions can be challenging. Learn how you can navigate these obstacles and take charge.
Support your family member in the supported decision-making journey and help them plan for their future.
Learn how professionals can make their practices more accessible and become a stronger ally for the disability community.
I DECIDE Georgia believes decision-making is a fundamental human right. We help people with disabilities, supporters, allies, family members, and other advocates.
Our Youth Ambassador Program is a training program which teaches youth how to become leaders and advocates. Learn more about our program and meet our leaders.
Some states have supported decision-making laws. Each of these laws is different. Some of these laws have rules about who can be your supporter. Some do not allow a person to be your supporter if they are paid to work with you or if they have broken the law in the past. Some require you to use a specific kind of Supported Decision-Making Agreement form or sign it in a special way. Some have other rules to follow. So, if you are living in one of these states, you should make sure you understand what is okay under your state’s laws. You can contact your state’s Protection and Advocacy Agency, Developmental Disabilities Council, or a lawyer to get information about the Supported Decision-Making law in your state.
For state-specific information and resources, we recommend checking first with your state’s protection and advocacy program or your state’s Council on Developmental Disabilities
You can contact the Georgia Advocacy Office, Atlanta Legal Aid or Georgia Legal Services to receive help in finding an attorney.
We would love to understand the reason you are seeking guardianship and help you explore less restrictive alternatives. Contact us at info@idecidega.org or 800.537.2329.
I DECIDE Georgia is supported by Georgia Advocacy Office, the state’s designated protection and advocacy system and non-profit organization in Decatur, Georgia that received the Supported Decision-Making grant from the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities. This project was supported, in part by grant number 2001GASCDD-03, from the U.S. Administration for Community Living, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C. 20201. Grantees undertaking projects with government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official ACL policy.