An August 2019 independent evaluation of SDMNY’s New York City pilot program found that participating in its facilitation process was as associated with:
- increased self-advocacy, greater self-confidence, a wider array of experiences and trying new things, reduced anxiety, and greater happiness in people with IDD.
- reduced concerns that may have led to guardianship petitions for most potential guardian family members.
- removal of stereotypes about people with IDD in facilitators who engaged in the SDMNY training and experience.
- aligning with their values and expectations of how to treat their adult family members with IDD: respecting their voice, encouraging them to advocate for themselves, and supporting them to have more control over their own lives.