Good News from SDMNY 2024 A Young Decision-Maker with a Different Kind of Guardian Celebrates His SDMA Signing Celebrating an SDM Champion’s Congressional Victory Voting is Everyone’s Right, Regardless of Disability! MHLS Wins New Case for Restoration of Rights Celebrating the Retirement of an SDMNY Friend, Colleague, and a True “Champion for Disability Rights” Good Decisions and Some Great Westchester Relationships Lead to a Joyful SDMA Signing An SDMA Signing and New York Mets Wins Provide Inspiration for SDMNY Facilitation Comment Period on OPWDD Regulations is Closing: SDMNY is “in the House”! This Week Marks Our 17th Training of Facilitators First State-Wide SDM Forum Held in Saratoga Springs A Bittersweet Farewell An SDMA Signing with a “Chosen Family” of Supporters An SDMA Signing, Building On The Decision-Maker’s Strengths A Different Kind of Good News –With Birthday Wishes The Regulations Implementing Our SDMA Law Are Finally Here,… Our Valued Faculty Associate Gina Riley Assumes New Responsibilities at SDMNY An Anniversary (or Two) to Celebrate Important, If Not Necessarily “Good News” An SDMA Signing We Were Looking Forward to, and Happy Birthday Maddy! The Fourth of July and Supported Decision-Making Bringing Community CareOrganizations (CCOs) on Board SDMNY Enters the National Conversation on New AAIDD Goals for National Health Equity Our First SDMNY Twins, a Step Toward Restoration of Rights, and a Surprising “Secret” Neighborhood in NYC SDMNY Advisory Council Members Win Important Legal Decision on Eligibility for Services and “Co-Diagnosis” Important Legal Decisions Involve Real People! Even Better the Second Time Around Supported Decision-Making and Values She’s Back! An Especially Exciting Restoration of Rights SDM And SDMNY Shine At State’s Largest Gathering Of Persons In The I/DD Field; OPWDD Commissioner Expresses Strong Support Decision-Makers Come from Everywhere SDMNY Storms Into Year 3 of Our OPWDD Implementation Grant A New Mentor’s First SDMA Signing SDMNY’s Unique Accomplishments Shine in the New International Treatise on the Human Right of Legal Capacity A Family Works Together Toward an SDMASigning Joyful News: An SDMNY Wedding The Importance of Guardians ad Litem (GALS)For SDM A New Attempt to Reform an Outmoded Guardianship Law Celebrating a Super Accomplished Self-Advocate’s SDMA Signing Celebrating the Restoration of Rights Looking Back on Last Year’s Accomplishments An Unglamorous, but Important Achievement The Importance–and Privilege–of Educating Judges SDMNY Facilitation Independently Validated! 2023 Changing the World, One Decision-Maker at a Time Celebrating a Human Rights Milestone Not Just Good, But Great News: A New SDMNY Baby! A Recent SDMA Signing And The Importance Of Curiosity Happy Thanksgiving! A “Wonderful” SDMA Signing And A First For Another Of Our New Mentors SDM and Alternative Dispute Resolution: An Award and A Continuing Collaboration A Big Step Forward for SDM–from Halfway Around The World! Educating Courts and Judges About SDM An “Aquatic” SDMA Signing And A “First’ For A New Mentor Expanding Our Decision-Making Initiatives: Inclusive Education at Hostos Community College and a Very Personal Contribution Life After SDMNY: More Great Work, A Wedding (Actually Two), and a Baby! Another Great International Connection Constantly Evolving: Celebrating Our 15th Training of Facilitators Great News From Mexico (And SDMNY May Have A [Small] Part In It) Amplifying the Voices of Decision-Makers Ensuring The Integrity Of SDMAs A Happy SDMA Signing and A Real Family Affair An Important Court Victory Won by Our Legal Partners Good News x 2: A New Position and an Engagement A Very Happy SDMA Signing and an Important Story of How it Came About An Unusually “Youthful” SDMA Signing and aPromise to “Spread the Word” The SDMNY/Agency Partnership Pilot is NowOfficially Underway! A Mentor Completes Her Third Facilitation and Celebrates a Very Happy SDMA Signing Spotlight on a Great Friend and Advisory Council Member Spreading the Word: SDMNY Educates a Variety of Stakeholders An Important-and Favorable-Supreme Court Decision A Long Journey Leads to an “Ideal” SDMA Signing Important, if not Necessarily “Good” News Bringing SDM Facilitation to the Private Bar SDMNY: Spreading the Words New UN Report Gives A Shout Out to SDM Moving SDMNY Forward with Our Mentors SDMNY Directors Receive National and StateAwards A Musical SDMA Signing Celebration Your Opportunity to be Heard on the NewSDMA Law:Be Part of the OPWDD Regulatory Process SDM and Transition Planning: A Promising NewInitiative SDMNY Returns to Its Beginnings Remembering and Celebrating Beloved SDMNY Decision-Maker Essie Welcome Naomi! Remembering and Celebrating the Life of Judy Heumann Moving Forward: Entering Year 2 of Our OPWDD Grant and Looking Forward to Spring Perserverence Pays: A Legendary Activist Signs His SDMA The Best Ambassadors for SDM A Joyous SDMA Signing Celebration A Champion for SDM Moves On Independent Report Shows That Providing Supported Decision-Making Facilitation to All will Bring Substantial Savings State Bar Gives Advocacy Award toSDMNY Director Cheers for Another Restoration of Rights A Ground-Breaking Court DecisionBrings SDMNY a New Decision-Maker 2022 A New Year, A New Beginning, and Some (Partial) Endings Ciao to a Great Friends and SDMNY Supporter An SDMA Signing and a Celebratory Dinner A Holiday Worth Observing-with Action-and a Hero’s Life to Remember A Holiday for Giving Thanks, and We Do! Our New Mentors are Hard at Work Our First Post-SDMA Legislation Restoration of Rights An SDMA Signing on the Way to Restoration of Rights One Anniversary, Super Storm Sandy, Reminds us of Another, the Beginning of SDM in the US Another Great Cooke SDMA Signing Another Award for SDMNY SDMNY Goes Back to School-and Celebrates an SDMA Signing SDMNY Holds 13th Facilitation Training Remembering Willowbrook Welcome Our New SDMNY Mentors: (In alphabetical order) Aylah, Jenna, Karen and Stephanie SDMNY Facilitation Takes a (Small) Village Meet-and Welcome-Jennifer Ivery Our First SDMA Signing Since the SDMA Legislation Signing and What It Means Moving Forward on Our New OPWDD Grant – SDMNY is Hiring! Welcoming Our First Summer Intern Great News!A Day Like No Other Two Indominatable Young Decision-MakersStriving To Be “Architects Of Their Own Lives” Sometimes We Just Want to Share Some Non-SDMNY Good News Families Make Great Supporters A Different Celebration for a Decision-Maker and His Facilitator Sharing SDMNY’s Learnings with OurInternational Colleagues First In-Person SDMA Signingin More Than a Year Celebrating Pride Month Great New Project Already Reaping Results Truly Great Good News: SDMA Legislation Passes A Flurry of SDMA Signing in Graduation Season Friends Make A Wonderful SDMA Signing Ceremony Special For SDMNY Celebrating The Amazing Moms In Our SDMNY Community 3 Days, 3 Presentations: Spreading The Word About Supported Decision-Making Another Self-Advocate Signs Her SDMA on the Way to Restoration of Her Rights Supported Decision-Making to be Featured at Major Autism Conference A New Beginning, and Welcoming a New SDMNY Staff Member An SDMA Signing on the Way to Restoration SDMA Law Passes the State Senate Unanimously An SDMA Signed: A Guardianship Averted SDMNY Joins Global “Right To Decide” Network A Moving SDMA Signing Ceremony with a Message for Parents SDM Comes to a New School Double Good News Spreading the Word About SDM and SDMNY Facilitation Good News About Good News A Strong Self Advocate Affirms Her Independence Celebrating Two More Long Island SDMAs (Belatedly) Celebrating The Arc Westchester’s First SDMA Signing–And Nancy Succoso! News, At Least Some Of It Good 2021 New Year 2022 Another Talented Decision-Maker Signs His SDMA Really, Really, Really Good News (OPWDD Grant Announcement) SDMNY Advisory Council Reconvenes An Early Good News For Thanksgiving SDMNY Goes Live Again For The First Time In 20 Months! Another Talented Decision-Maker Signs Her SDMA Saying Ciao to Naomi Westchester GAL Training Features SDM SDMNY And Cooke School Launch Curricular Initiative New SDMA Statutes Point Toward Need to Educate Decision-Makers and Supporters SDMNY Holds 12th Facilitator Training SDM Goes to the US Senate SDMNY Advisory Council Welcomes Two New Members A Great Partnership Continues Decision-Maker Moves Into Media Production Three More States Enact SDMA Laws A Double Celebration An Amazing Campaign For Disability Inclusion Working with the Surrogates Court Catching Up: More Wonderful Decision-Makers Sign Their SDMAs Decision-Makers Encourage Others To Try SDM A Signing Ceremony “For the Birds” Support in Decisions Around Art and Culture Independence Day Another “International” SDMA signing A Very Irish SDMA Signing A friend and supporter validatesthe use of SDM and SDMAs forpeople on the autism spectrum SDMNY Honored A Signing Ceremony with aDeadline! Prestigious Fourth NationalGuardianship SummitEmbraces SDM A Signing Ceremony Muy Especial Our First SDMNY Restoration From ceremony, to work, to (delayed) celebration We’re Still Here What a Difference a Year Makes SDM meets Mediation A Year of Covid-19 Celebrating Joan Cornachio Celebrating the First SDMA from the Inclusion Project at Queens College SDMNY Launches New, Improved Website Another Decision-Maker Joins the SDMNY Advisory Council SDM and SDMNY make it to the NYS court website A Star Self-Advocate signs her SDMA SDM Comes to the New York State Bar Association An SDMA “Sister Act” Making Supported Decisions Legal Celebrating the new year with SDMAs, and many more to come! 2020 Happy New Year! 2021 The SDMNY Videos SDM in the National Agenda! Giving & Getting: SDMNY Partners with the Hunter CollegeSilberman School of Social Work Thanksgiving-2020 SDM Meets the Education System SDMNY Advisory Council Conference Remarks remind us how we are part of a world-wide human rights movement We the People are the Decision-Makers of SDMNY Decision-Makers Talk About the Right to Vote More SDMAs Coming First Long Island SDMA Signing Remembering Ruth Bader Ginsburg, “Notorious RBG” for her contributions to Disability Rights Decision-Makers Got Talent – MO BARZ A Really Cool SDMA Signing Ceremony SDMNY is Everywhere, Even the Czech Republic Marisol Does it All Belated Happy Birthday to the ADA SDMNY Launches New Initiative with AIM Services Decision-Makers Choose the Areas in which They Want Support Kristin Booth Glen Albany Law Review Article Protecting the Right to Vote for Everyone A Great Decision Restoring Rights to a Person Under Guardianship SDMNY Year 4 Project Updates Congratulations to Ketrina Another Decision-Maker Signs His SDMA Facilitator Debby and a Supporter from North Carolina