Building Blocks of Supported Decision-Making

The building blocks of supported decision-making are simple and apply to everyone.

People without disabilities often take the right to make decisions for granted. No one questions their capacity to make a decision, even if other people don’t agree with the decision itself. This is not true for people with disabilities who are often underestimated and undervalued because of their appearance, diagnosis, or the way in which they communicate.

Supported decision-making creates a legal framework so that people with disabilities can choose the supports they want or need to make decisions about their lives. Supported decision-making agreements are a less restrictive alternative to guardianship. NH law (NH RSA 464-D) requires that less restrictive alternatives to guardianship are considered before guardianship is granted. These principles can also be incorporated into guardianship agreements.

The principles outlined below are universal. They apply to all people, including people with disabilities.

• All people have the right to make decisions and direct their own lives. Supported decision-making is designed to protect this right for people with disabilities.
• All people, as long as they are able to communicate in some way, should make their own decisions.
• All people need to understand all their options and the consequences in order to make the best decision for themselves.
• All people ask for help to make decisions from people they trust. The type of help is different for each person and for each decision.
• All people make decisions that other people don’t agree with. This doesn’t mean that a decision is wrong or that the decision-maker doesn’t have the right to make that choice.
• All people have the right to take risks and try new things.
• All people can learn from their decisions and experiences. Decisions are opportunities to learn and grow.
• All people have the right to change their mind. Circumstances change. Changing one’s mind doesn’t mean that a decision was a mistake or inappropriate.