What is Supported Decision-Making?
Making choices is an important part of life. Supported decision-making (SDM) is a tool that lets people with disabilities get help making choices about their personal life, health, and/or money.
Do you know about Delaware’s legal support choices?
In Delaware, people have choices when it comes to legal support when they turn 18. Other states may have different rules or may not offer the same legal support options as Delaware. We’ve created a workshop and resource guide collection to help you learn more about Delaware’s legal support choices.
You can view our Legal Support Choices in Delaware resource guides on this page and complete a workshop request form by clicking on the button below.
Legal Support Choices in Delaware – Resource Guides
Legal Support Choices in DE
You have choices when it comes to legal support when you turn 18. Each legal support choice in Delaware has different rules and can help a person to make decisions in different ways.
Advance Health Directive
An advance health directive (AHD) is a plan that tells others about your health choices. With an AHD, you can choose a person you trust to make health decisions for you during an emergency.
Psychiatric Health Directive
A psychiatric advance directive (PADs) is a plan to tell others about your medical and mental health choices. With a PAD, you choose a person you trust to make health decisions for you during an emergency.
Durable Power of Attorney
A durable power of attorney (DPOA) is a way to get help making decisions about money. With a DPOA, you choose a person you trust to make money decisions for you
Supported Decision-Making
Supported decision-making (SDM) is a way that you can get help making decisions in all areas of life. With an SDM agreement, you make all decisions with the help of a trusted support person or people.
Surrogate Decision-Making
Surrogate decision-making is a way to get help making decisions about your health care. With surrogate decision-making, you choose a person you trust to make health decisions for you.
Guardian for Adults
A guardian is a person who makes life decisions for you. You do not decide who your guardian will be. A guardian for adults, or full guardian, is in charge of making all life decisions for you.
Guardian with Limited Powers
A limited guardian is a person who makes life decisions for you. You do not decide who your guardian will be. With limited guardianship, a judge approves the types of decisions a guardian can make for you.
My Life, My Decisions: A Supported Decision-Making Summit Information
The My Life, My Decisions: A Supported Decision-Making Summit was an event held for people with disabilities, caregivers, and the professionals who serve them, to learn more about supported decision-making and the importance of living a self-determined life. Access summit-related resources, by clicking the link below.
DNEA Supported-Decision Making Resources
Training Videos
These videos are part of a three-part speaking series on supported decision-making with Jonathan Martinis. Supported decision-making (SDM) is an alternative to guardianship that allows people with disabilities to get the help they may need to make choices about their life.
Supported Decision-Making: From Justice to Jenny to Justice for All
Education, Employment, and Independent Living: SDM in Spec Ed and Voc Rehab
Taking Care, Taking the Lead: Supported Decision-Making in Health Care and Life Planning
Resource Guide
These resource guides are tailored to professionals in diverse sectors, including banks, medical institutions, offices, and agencies.
Supported Decision-Making in Delaware
This resource guide explores SMD and provides information about how it is different from guardianship. Delaware specific resource links are provided.
Understanding Supported Decision-Making in Delaware: A Guide for Community Members
This resource guide is tailored to professionals in diverse sectors, including banks, medical institutions, offices, and agencies.
If you are interested in this resource guide, click the link below to order free copies!
Funding for these resources was made possible by the Delaware Developmental Disabilities Council (DDC)
These resources were developed by the University of Delaware Center for Disabilities Studies in partnership with the Delaware Developmental Disabilities Council. Special thanks to the Legal Support Choices Project Advisory Group for their collaboration on this work.
This project is funded by the Delaware Developmental Disabilities Council using federal funds. The opinions do not necessarily represent the views of the Council or the Administration.