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 Care
Organizations (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 SDMA
Signing
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 a
Promise to “Spread the Word”
The SDMNY/Agency Partnership Pilot is Now
Officially 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 State
Awards
A Musical SDMA Signing Celebration
Your Opportunity to be Heard on the New
SDMA Law:
Be Part of the OPWDD Regulatory Process
SDM and Transition Planning: A Promising New
Initiative
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 to
SDMNY Director
Cheers for Another Restoration of Rights
A Ground-Breaking Court Decision
Brings 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-Makers
Striving 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 Our
International Colleagues
First In-Person SDMA Signing
in 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 validates
the use of SDM and SDMAs for
people on the autism spectrum
SDMNY Honored
A Signing Ceremony with a
Deadline!
Prestigious Fourth National
Guardianship Summit
Embraces 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 College
Silberman 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