January 22, 2022 from 9 AM – 4 PM
Register at: https:// bit.ly/PFSSDM202

This VIRTUAL conference is for families, youth, young adults, professionals, or anyone who wants to learn more about supported decision making (SDM). 

Keynote Speaker Jonathan Martinis, Esq., JD will introduce the theory and practice of Supported Decision Making, explain roles within SDM, as well as provide an overview of resources and of what it can look like in education, employment, independent living, and health care.

Jonathan Martinis is the Senior Director for Law and Policy for the Burton Blatt Institute at Syracuse University, leading it’s efforts to ensure that older adults and people with disabilities have access to the services and supports they need to lead independent, inclusive lives. In 2013, Jonathan represented Margaret “Jenny” Hatch in the “Justice for Jenny” case – the first trial to hold that a person has the right to use Supported Decision-Making (SDM) to make her own life choices instead of being subjected to a permanent, plenary guardianship. Since then, Jonathan has led SDM projects in New York, Ohio, California, Virginia, Vermont, Missouri, North Carolina, and Kansas. He has also educated and trained tens of thousands of older adults, people with disabilities, families, and professionals across the country on SDM theory and practice. Jonathan has also written or co-written over 60 publications on SDM, including the first textbook and first theory-to-practice guidebook on the subject.

Session 1 – Supported Decision-Making: From Justice for Jenny to Justice for All

Study after study has shown that when people with disabilities have more control over their lives and make more decisions for themselves – when they have more self-determination – they have better lives. People with disabilities who are more self-determined are more likely to live independently, work, be integrated into their communities, and avoid abuse. This session will introduce the audience to the theory and practice of Supported Decision-Making (SDM). When people with disabilities use SDM, they work with friends, family, and professionals so they can understand their choices and make their own decisions.  As a result, SDM can help people be self-determined, have better life outcomes, and avoid unnecessary guardianship.

Session 2 – Education, Employment, and Independent Living: The Culture of Coordinated Support Model

Too often, services for people with disabilities are “siloed” – agencies,  organizations, and providers focus only on what they do and do not communicate or collaborate with others providing similar supports.  As a result, people with disabilities can receive ineffective, redundant, or even contradictory advice and support.  This session will demonstrate ways to create and implement effective and efficient support plans and services in programs including Special Education, Vocational Rehabilitation, and Medicaid supports. Using the Culture of Coordinated Support Model, based on Supported Decision-Making, people can improve their services and ensure that providers work together, allowing them to specialize in the areas where they perform best –  so people and providers can do better work in less time, with less effort and waste of resources.   

Bonus Session – Supported Decision-Making in Health Care and Life Planning

This session will focus on strategies and practical tips for maximizing independent living supports to help people lead their best, most independent lives. We’ll focus on best practices in areas including Informed Consent, Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment, Person-Centered Planning, Centers for Independent Living, money management, and ABLE Accounts. Using SDM, people with disabilities can plan for and access the supports they need throughout their lives!

Registration Fee: $40 For each Family Member that registers, a youth/young adult registration will be provided with that registration at no additional charge.

Register at: https://bit.ly/PFSSDM2022