“When Britney Spears chose this week to share her personal experience living under a conservatorship, she shined a national spotlight on the problems of guardianship systems and the damaging and potentially devastating impact they can have on people’s lives.”– Statement from Disability Justice and Supported Decision-Making Advocates
This week, The Arc of the US joined more than a dozen disability justice and Supported Decision-Making advocate organizations in acknowledging an over reliance on conservatorship and guardianship. The statement Britney Spears Spotlights the Need for Change Now, highlights an alternative option for people with disabilities – Supported Decision-Making. The St. Louis Arc has worked with more than 300 families through workshops and planning groups to better understand the benefits of Supported Decision-Making. We are committed to teaching individuals and families about their options for decision-making supports. We encourage people at all levels of decision-making to make the desires of the person with a disability the center of all life decisions.
For anyone wanting to learn more about what guardianships are and the alternatives to guardianships, we encourage you to attend:
Guardianships
Tuesday, July 13, 3:00 – 3:30 p.m.
This discussion will share the legal standards for guardianships, while exploring what alternatives there are to legal guardianships, and how all least restrictive alternatives must be considered. Register
Network of Support
We also acknowledge how building a network of support allows individuals and families a better path to success. Learn best practices from other families who have succeeded in building a circle of support.
Circle of Support – Strategies to Begin Meaningful Conversations with your Network of Support
Tuesday, July 27, 6:30 – 8:00 p.m.
Families are often overwhelmed with the idea of shifting any responsibility for caring about their family members with disabilities yet they recognize that there will likely be a time when they aren’t able to be the primary (or sole) provider of support. This structured conversation will be combination of success stories shared by other families and ideas to open up conversations with a wide array of people in your lives. This session was inspired by Janice Fialka’s book, “What Matters: Reflections on Disability, Community & Love.” Families of all ages and any configuration are welcome to attend! Register