Thread by @woodrumlaw

Will Jensen from the NV Department Education starting this morning's Supported Decision Making event off in Stateline with mentioning that they have changed the name from Office of Special Education to the Office of Inclusive Education. "You have signed up for the revolution!'

CJ Fields from DOE continuing the welcome and introductions. Talking about working between agencies to break down barriers as young people transition into adulthood. Introducing rockstar attorney Jonathan Martinis.

Jenny Hatch telling her story of wrongful guardianship and isolation. "I felt like a prisoner but I didn't do anything wrong. [...] I lost a year of my life."

THANK YOU Jenny for your courage and self advocacy.

Attorney Jonathan Martinis emphasizing that laws, policy, and regulation don't matter because we all act based on our values: "It is not about court, it is about the simple value of choice."

Martinis: "When guardianship can take away everything, we have to be careful." Reminding the audience guardianship is called a "civil death." "When we have the best intentions, troubling things can happen."

Guardianship is never needed just:
- "because you have..."
- "because you're __ years old"
- "because you need help"
- "because that's the way it has always been"
- "for your own good"

"Experience should teach us to be most on our guard to protect liberty when the Government's purposes are beneficent... The greatest damages to liberty lurk in insidious encroachment by men of zeal, well-meaning but without understanding." Olmstead v. US, 277 US 438 (1928)

"You are not your choices, you are your BAD choices."

Martinis now asking the audience to realize how much has changed just since 1995 when sheltered workshops were the norm.

The estimated number of people under Guardianship has tripled since 1995. We've lost a generation to guardianship as the majority of these individuals were young adults.

"Guardianship is neither a suit of armor not a chastity belt." - Martinis

(Love that he said this because I have a host of cases I call the chastity belt cases because of the control guardians attempt to exercise over reproductive freedoms.)

"Taking away rights and having low expectations is CULTURAL."

Martinis now sharing how Jenny Hatch was forced to work in a sheltered workshop for 8 months full-time and made less than a thousand dollars during that time where the guardians controlled her life.

Supported Decision-Making = "Getting help when it's needed just like you and me."

Alt text: photo from the day Jenny Hatch won her fight against guardianship with her attorney pumping his fist behind her

"There are a whole lot of Jennys and not a lot of Justice. [...] Justice and self determination should never depends on luck or who you know."

Supported Decision-Making is a paradigm, not a process. It is not one size fits all. It is a value. It could show up in an IEP or a plan or something else.

Three values for Supported Decision-Making:
1) everyone had the right to make choices to the maximum of their ability
2) you can get help exercising your right to make choices without giving it up and
3) they're are at many ways to give and get help as there are people

"If you want to protect your own rights, protect other people's rights."

Hearing from Jessalyn Gustin of Vermont about their experience with Supported Decision-Making. Parents are introducing themselves as well and it is awesome to hear how they embrace wishes for future independence for their loved ones.

Introductions ongoing (the educators in attendance are in a breakout session right now), so much gratitude from parents here for Mary Bryant and the Path to Independence program at UNR. It is well deserved. Thank you for all you do, Mary!

Jessalyn Gustin sharing the Vermont experience with Supported Decision-Making. Great that she let participants know that these topics can be deeply emotional and personal so we can work together at each stage of one another's journey.

Applause from attendees about how Vermont had no sheltered or segregated work for people with disabilities. Gustin pointing out that SDM can't work unless people have genuine friendships and can form those.

Hope expressed that Nevada can have a path to integrated employment but emphasis that each state has its own way. Vermont now looking at how to improve and increase individual advocacy going forward.

Important to start early, self determination and Decision-Making should be when into individualized education plans as early as possible.

Watch for goals shifting as children grow through the educational process. Ask how we can help children prepare for transition from an entitlement system to one of eligibility and need.

Concern expressed that schools sometimes bar students from meetings about them and it can hinder educational opportunities for self advocacy.

A dad shares that students rise to our expectations so we should have high expectations. Example of school making his daughter wipe tables and that creates a perception in her and for other students to accept somehow that such tasks are expected of a person with disabilities.

Discussing the Culture of Coordinated Support where the person is at the center but services are not siloed - instead they work together in their person centered support.

Neat idea: making vision boards and making sure to bring them to person centered planning or other meetings

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