Protecting and Advocating for the Rights of Texans with Disabilities Since 1977
African American man with Down Syndrome using a laptop with his mother at home
March Newsletter:
Exploring Alternatives to Guardianship
Celebrating DD Awareness Month
March is National Developmental Disability Awareness Month, and this year we're focusing on how people with DD and other disabilities can live more independently with the use of supported decision-making (SDM) and other alternatives to guardianship.

We all need help making important life decisions, right? Just because a person with a disablity needs support doesn't mean her rights should be taken away - yet that's what guardianship can do. It can take away your right to vote, drive, get married, make medical decisions, choose where you live or work, and more.

Many parents start considering guardianship when their child with a disablity turns 18. Often they do not understand how guardianship strips away rights and that they have other much less restrictive options. Learn how Timberley and her mom chose SDM instead of guardianship and why.

How Supported Decision-Making Works
Supported decision-making means choosing someone you trust to help you make decisions. Your helper, or supporter, can be someone like your parents or a good friend. Your supporter CANNOT make decisions for you. Your supporter CAN, however:
  • Help you understand your choices and decisions
  • Help you get and understand information to help you make your decisions
  • Help you tell your decisions to other people

With SDM, you make your own choices with help. This lets you be more independent.

Other Alternatives to Guardianship
Some other ways of helping you make life decisions and getting support without having your rights taken away include:
  • Power of Attorney
  • Representative Payee
  • Special Needs Trust
  • Joint Bank Accounts
  • ABLE Accounts
  • Person-Centered Planning

Supported decision-making is often used along with one or some of the above methods.

Getting Started
If you want to use supported decision-making, follow these steps:
  • Choose a person or people you trust to help you make decisions.
  • Ask them to be your supporter(s). You can change your mind and say you don’t want this person to support you whenever you want.
  • Think about what decisions you need help making. Your supporter can help you choose things like where to live, where to work, what medical help you want, and more.
  • Create a written plan called a supported decision-making agreement. 

Tools to Help You
Our Supported Decision-Making Resource Page has a sample agreement form, an easy to follow guide, a comprehensive toolkit that lists supports and services, video stories, and more. And watch our new SDM explainer video on the DRTx YouTube Channel.

A few times a year we offer free legal clinics to help you with the SDM process. Our next clinic will be virtual and held on June 12. Follow us on Facebook or check our website calendar for registration information when it becomes available in the next few weeks.
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Or if you don't want to wait until your birthday, you can raise money on Facebook anytime or make a donation today.

Thank you for your past and continued financial support.
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1.800.252.9108

Sign Language Video Intake Line:
1.866.362.2851

Purple Video Intake Line:
1-512-271-9391

If you can't call during our regular intake hours which are Monday through Friday, 9:00 am to 4:00 p.m. or can't get through due to high call volume, you can complete our online intake form available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. 
Disability Rights Texas (previously named Advocacy Inc.) is the federally designated legal protection and advocacy agency (P&A) for people with disabilities in Texas. Its mission is to help people with disabilities understand and exercise their rights under the law, ensuring their full and equal participation in society. Visit www.DRTx.org for more information.