After the Law: Guiding the I/DD Community to Supported Decision-Making
Why is NCCDD funding this initiative?
- Critical issues related to healthcare decision-making arose during the COVID-19 pandemic for individuals with I/DD.
- Individuals with I/DD have historically been prevented from making many critical life decisions because their rights have been unnecessarily taken from them through guardianship when some type of other supported decision-making or independent decision-making was possible.
What are the major goals and timeline?
- Build on the work of NCCDD’s previous initiatives that focused on rethinking North Carolina’s guardianship system and promoting alternatives to full guardianship.
- Educate individuals with I/DD, family members, the legal community, and other key stakeholders about the new Guardianship Rights law titled “An Act to . . . promote the rights and independence of persons subject to the guardianship process.”
- Educate community members on how these rights may specifically offer more independence in healthcare decision-making in preparation for or in light of any future pandemic.
What activities will this initiative set out to do?
- Identify and assemble subject matter experts and advisory council members, including people with I/DD, family members, and professionals.
- Develop a Decision Tre for people in guardianship proceedings, particularly people with I/DD, family members, and professionals in the I/DD community.
- Complete the Guardianship Alternatives Step-By-Step Guide, incorporation the Decision Tree as well as previously produced materials on the Rethinking Guardianship website.
Who can I contact for questions?
NCCDD: Philip Woodward, Systems Change Manager, [email protected]
Additional Resources
Download a PDF about this initiative: After the Law: Guiding the I/DD Community to Supported Decision-Making
Popular Links
North Carolina Council on Developmental Disabilities
This project was supported, in part by grant number 2001NCSCDD-02, 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.