Supported Decision Making
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Life Planning: Supported Decision Making offers information and links that will help individuals maintain autonomy in their lives through the support of trusted family, friends and service providers.
While many of us don't require significant help in decision making, others may become overwhelmed when presented with complex decisions that could significantly impact the direction of one's life.
Often times, individuals who struggle with decision making are assigned a Power of Attorney (POA) or brought into restrictive guardianships, which essentially relinquishes their right to guide their own life choices. A single assigned guardian or POA can make decisions whether the individual agrees with it or not.
A handful of states, just 12 thus far, are finally recognizing that individual autonomy should be upheld as much as possible. In place of restricted guardianships and POAs individuals and families are setting up Supported Decision Making Agreements. These agreements keep the final decision in the hands of the individual, not a single guardian or POA.
Supported Decision Making brings one or several trusted "supporters" into the decision making process. These supporters are legally recognized and privy to health, financial or any other information the individual deems necessary, but have no control over that information and the decisions that may come from it.
Which means, YOU remain in control of your own life. YOU make informed decisions for yourself. Exactly how it should be, if you are comfortable doing so!
If you would like to explore Supported Decision Making for yourself or a loved one, check out the resources below.
If your state does not yet have Supported Decision Making available contact your state legislators and work with them to draft policies that will give you or your loved one more individual power and autonomy!
To learn more about supported decision making, visit the National Resource Center for Supported Decision-Making
As of April 2023, the following states legally recognize Supported Decision Making Agreements: