Supported Health Care Decision-Making for Parents and Supporters-Training
Supported Health Care Decision-Making for Parents and Supporters-Training
Supported Health Care Decision-Making for Parents and Supporters-Training
RESOURCE TYPE
Training
LANGUAGE
English | Spanish
AUDIENCE
Caregivers | Advocates | Family members
Resource Description
Introduction: This document explains Supported Health Care Decision-Making for adults with disabilities. It comes from the Office of Developmental Primary Care. The document helps parents and other supporters understand how this approach works. It shows how adults with disabilities can make their own health choices with help from people they trust.
Resource Summary
Content Summary: Supported Health Care Decision-Making lets adults with disabilities choose people to help them with medical choices. This helps them stay in control of their own care. Research shows that when people with disabilities make more of their own choices, they have better health and more freedom. In this system, the person with a disability picks trusted helpers called supporters. These supporters can be family, friends, or others who help them. Supporters explain choices and help the person understand their options. But the person with a disability still makes the final choice. Supporters can help in many ways. They might help talk with doctors, follow treatment plans, or understand medical steps. Some people need a little help, while others need more. Many families already give this kind of help without using this name for it. Almost anyone can be a supporter if the person trusts them. Supporters must agree that the person with a disability makes the final choice. Some people should not be supporters. These include the person's doctor, anyone suing them, or staff at their home. Agreements can be made to spell out who helps and how. These papers give helpers legal status without taking away the person's rights. This is better than guardianship, which takes away rights. The agreements are easy to make and can be changed when needed. These agreements help in many ways. They let people with disabilities take part in their care. They help the person learn to make choices. They make sure help will be there even if family can't help anymore. They also set good limits between the person and their helpers. The agreements have safety steps built in. A choice means knowing the good and bad points of each option. Many people who can't decide alone can decide with help. Doctors don't have to accept choices if they think the person was pushed or didn't understand. Most important, the person can change or stop the agreement any time they want.