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Supported Decision-Making as an Alternative to Guardianship

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Handbook of Positive Psychology in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

Part of the book series: Springer Series on Child and Family Studies ((SSCFS))

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Abstract

This chapter discusses Supported Decision-Making (SDM), an increasingly recognized paradigm in law, policy, and research occurring when people with disabilities meaningfully engage with trusted friends, family members, and professionals to understand the daily situations and choices they face that they may make their own decisions without the need for a court-appointed guardian and other “substitute” decision-makers. Because SDM aims to empower people to direct their own lives, often it is associated with increases in self-determination, which is related to overall improved life outcomes. This chapter will first discuss issues pertaining to self-determination in the context of how society has historically placed people with intellectual and developmental disabilities into guardianship, which decreases self-determination and can have harmful effects on quality of life. It then overviews of SDM as an alternative to guardianship. Finally, it overviews recent ways that SDM is being implemented and examined in the USA and in other countries.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Burton Blatt Institute, Syracuse University, 1667 K Street, NW, Suite 640, Washington, DC, 20006, USA

    Jonathan G. Martinis

  2. Quality Trust for Individuals with Disabilities, 4301 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 310, Washington, DC, 20008, USA

    Tina M. Campanella

  3. Burton Blatt Institute, Syracuse University, 900 South Crouse Avenue, Crouse-Hinds Hall, Suite 300, Syracuse, NY, 13244, USA

    Peter Blanck

  4. Department of Special Education, University of Kansas, 1200 Sunnyside Ave., Rm 3136, Lawrence, KS, 66045, USA

    Michael L. Wehmeyer & Karrie A. Shogren

Authors
  1. Jonathan G. Martinis
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  2. Tina M. Campanella
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  3. Peter Blanck
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  4. Michael L. Wehmeyer
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  5. Karrie A. Shogren
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jonathan G. Martinis .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Special Education, Kansas University Center on Developmental Disabilities, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas, USA

    Karrie A. Shogren

  2. Department of Special Education, Beach Center on Disability, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas, USA

    Michael L. Wehmeyer

  3. Department of Psychiatry and Health Behavior, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia, USA

    Nirbhay N. Singh

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Martinis, J.G., Campanella, T.M., Blanck, P., Wehmeyer, M.L., Shogren, K.A. (2017). Supported Decision-Making as an Alternative to Guardianship. In: Shogren, K., Wehmeyer, M., Singh, N. (eds) Handbook of Positive Psychology in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. Springer Series on Child and Family Studies. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-59066-0_17

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