When your youth who has a disability turns 18, there are a lot of legal decisions they will need to make. As parents we must consider how to best support our youth in making informed decisions. We should explore all alternatives to guardianship including Supported Decision Making.
Supported Decision-Making (SDM) allows individuals with disabilities to make choices about their own lives with support from a team of people they choose. Individuals with disabilities choose people they know and trust to be part of a support network to help with decision-making.
Here are some resources to help you make an informed decision about the most appropriate option for your young adult. Guardianship should be a last resort.
- Turning 18 with a Disability: Do I need to get guardianship? (Spanish version)
- Alternatives to Guardianship & Conservatorship may include:
- Supported Decision Making
- Professional Assistance
- Power of Attorney
- Decide Kansas Supported Decision Making 4-24 FTI
- National Resource Center for SDM
- Kansas University on Developmental Disabilities