I Decide

I decide with the support of people I trust.

Supported Decision Making in Kansas

SDM stands for Supported Decision Making. This website has information about SDM. The goal of this website is to be a quick resource about SDM. Use this website to:

Why SDM

Image of a woman with an intellectual disability and an older woman hugging. White text on blue box reads: " EVERYONE deserves to make decisions about their own lives. WE BELIEVE that people with disabilities should be able to make informed decisions based on their own values, preferences, and goals. IDECIDE where I live, who I love, who my friends are, and what kind of life I want. " White Button below with text reads "Learn More" and is linked to the SDM 101 page.

The Problem

There are a lot of Kansans with unnecessary guardianships. A guardianship takes away a person’s rights. A guardianship has someone else make decisions for a person. Guardianship is often the only option people are told about. Experts ask parents if they have "gotten their guardianship yet" when their child with a disability turns 17 years old. Families, friends, and teachers spend 17 years helping a child become independent. Then, they are told to take away the person's rights. People with disabilities deserve more. People with disabilities deserve to get the support they need without losing their rights.

The Solution

SDM is a solution to the problem of unnecessary guardianship. SDM empowers people with disabilities to make decisions with the support of people they trust. SDM is a lot of words for getting help when it is needed. With SDM, People with disabilities keep their rights intact. Loved ones help make important decisions. People with disabilities are self-determined. They are in control of their own lives.

How it Works

With SDM, the person gets to decide what they want to do and can talk about their choices with their supporters. This helps them stay in control of their own life and make their own decisions. To do this, you can use a Supported Decision Making agreement. A SDM agreement is a written plan that explains how the person will get help making their own decisions. It also lists the people who will help them and how they will help. This agreement makes sure that everyone knows what is expected. The agreement makes sure everyone knows how to support the person to make their own decisions.

Learn more about how people work together using SDM.

Read Stories & Watch Videos 

Make a Plan to Start Using SDM 

Understand Why SDM is Important