As a person responsible for a child,
your role in making decisions changes as the child gets older.
planning for their future can be overwhelming.
You may hear the only option for a young person with a
disability at the age of 18 is to have a guardian appointed.
We’re here to help you understand there are other options.
The young person with a disability in your life has decision making rights.
Supported Decision Making is the least restrictive decision-making option.
It allows them to keep all of their rights and
get as much help as needed to think through their options and choices.
This help can come from trusted people in their lives including you,
siblings, extended family, friends, educators, social workers, or medical staff.
It’s important to start thinking about different types of
decision making options before the young person you are responsible for turns 18.
Starting early helps you work with them to identify
their strengths and what is important to them.
You can also help them identify areas where they need
to learn and build more skills.
Together, start discussing options, goals, consequences,
and outcomes of decisions as early as possible.
Building these skills and identifying natural supports can set them up for success.
[A young person working at a grocery store.
Starting early can help you both feel more prepared for
changes in who handles decisions as they get older.
There are many free tools available to help you get started:
The Integrated STAR tool can help identify decision making
supports and how decisions will be communicated to others.
You can use the Trajectory for Supported Decision Making
[Trajectory for Supported Decision Making worksheet fills
out with clothes, house, budget and groceries.]
and what has worked and not worked in the past.
The Tool for Exploring Decision Making Supports can help them
think through the different levels of help they may need with decisions.
There are also templates for a supported decision making agreement
you can use to work through questions and concerns together.
The process of creating an agreement can help you both feel confident
in the process of making decisions, and help you plan how to support
them without defaulting to the most restrictive option of guardianship.
We all need help with decisions we make,
and young people with disabilities are no different.
You may be told by educators, medical staff or other professionals
that guardianship is the only option,
and while it is an option, it is not the only way
to support young people with disabilities after they turn 18.
Minnesota’s law requires that supported decision making and
other options are tried before guardianship can be pursued;
another great reason to plan ahead for adulthood.
For more information and to find Tools to Help You Start,
visit disabilityhubmn.org