Policy Statement on Legislative and Social Issues

Self Determination

(March, 2001)

• WI AAMR supports initiatives that empower people to make decisions that affect their lives in meaningful ways.
• WI AAMR believes that people make the best decisions when they have the skills, resources, and support to make choices. One of the most important roles that human services professionals, community leaders, families and government officials can play is to help make opportunities for self-determination for everyone.
• Choices that make a meaningful difference must include how people live, work, receive an education, recreate, make friends, express their faith, and stay healthy. Choices are best made within a continuum of residential and life supporting options.
• Some choices may include the acceptance of increased responsibility and even risk. Within reason, people can enjoy fuller lives when they are afforded choices that might include an element of risk. This should not be confused with subjecting an individual to unreasonable risk or dangerous situations. The concept of "protecting" people with disabilities from danger and of "protecting" society from people with disabilities is considered obsolete.
• Self-advocacy is most effective when it results in increased responsiveness from the community in which a person lives. Examples of responsiveness include mechanisms for self-advocacy to influence governments, civic organizations, citizens of the community, local businesses, and places of worship.
• WI AAMR recognizes that the trend toward increased longevity for all Americans changes how people need to be empowered at various stages of their lives. This includes persons with developmental disabilities. Those individuals with needs for the most intensive medical supports are living longer than ever. This poses new challenges for the expression of meaningful self- determination.
• WI AAMR recognizes that many of the issues related to self-determination, individual choice and personal responsibly are not clearly delineated within American society. There is a tremendous diversity of thinking on these issues. People with disabilities are not immune to this diversity of thinking and, like everyone else, may be subjected to various points of view on many matters. The challenge is to find common ground, accept individual differences and respect a persons cultural and social background and values. People with disabilities should also be given opportunities to express themselves in diverse and individualized ways.