OMRDD’s Statement on self-determination

New York State Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities (OMRDD) supports the concept of self-determination for individuals with developmental disabilities. self-determination is for those who choose this approach and where self-determination would continue to provide for the person’s safety and well being.

Self-determination provides people with developmental disabilities the opportunity - with the help of a circle of support that includes chosen family members and friends to have:

The freedom to develop a personal life plan. People with developmental disabilities have the freedom to make life decisions. Self-determination recognizes that this is an ongoing and dynamic process. The work of those committed to persons with disabilities is to assist the individual when she or he needs assistance in exercising this right.

The authority to control a targeted amount of resources. The resources are under the control of the individual and freely chosen family members and friends. This means that the resources are portable. They can be re-configured; priorities can be changed and the dollars follow the individual as his or her priorities change. Public dollars are used wisely to buy supports and services the person wants and needs.

The support needed to obtain personal goals. Those supporting individuals with disabilities also must be free to provide the desired assistance, either as employees of service agencies or when hired by the individual, to achieve the variety and intensity of supports that an individual my desire.

The responsibility for contributing to one’s community and using public dollars wisely. They have the ordinary obligations associated with freedom in America. These are obligations of citizenship and include the obligation to spend public dollars in ways that are life-enhancing and cost effective. This obligation includes engaging other social, business, and religious organizations in ways the help redefine and build community for all of us. The individual also has the responsibility to give back to the community through paid and volunteer work whenever possible. This includes seeking jobs in the community, and using supports to find and keep employment.

Self-determination is a natural extension of the development of the Individualized Service Environment (ISE), in which OMRDD has been engaged for several years. Any and all types of supports can be made available to people including those that have been considered "traditional" . People may choose new or different support providers or they may choose to receive supports from traditional agencies. Self-determination assures that the interests of the individual are not only central, as they are in the person-centered planning process, but that conflicts of interest associated with the control of the resources are mitigated. Independent support brokers and fiscal intermediaries assist the individual to maintain control.

Through self-determination, the individual can enhance quality in his or her own life, with the help of freely chosen family members, friends and staff. The individual discovers and shares his or her natural gifts and talents, nourishes and enriches his or her life and the lives of others through friendship and association, leading to richly rewarding and independent life. He or she experiences successes as a consequence of choices and sense of self-worth as a result of personal growth.

OMRDD supports the expanded development of self-determination opportunities so that individuals, with the support of freely chosen family members and friends, independent support brokering and fiscal intermediaries, will have the authority and control over the supports and services they choose.