What is Self-Determination?

Self-determination describes a person’s ability to choose how they want to live. We are all born with the ability to make choices about our lives, however, this ability can be limited by our circumstances. For people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), their self-determination is limited when people make decisions for them, when they are discriminated against because of their disability, and when they aren’t prepared and supported to successfully learn, work, and live in the community.

Why is Self-Determination Important?

Research shows that the ability to make choices about our lives is one of our basic needs and is important to our happiness.Greater self-determination has been shown to lead to a higher quality of life and increased lifestyle satisfaction.

People with IDD who do not have guardians typically live more self-determined lives because they have the legal authority to make their own choices. Research has shown that these people are more likely to live independently, have paid employment, and engage with their communities.

5 Key Principles of Self-Determination:

1. Freedom:

Freedom to make choices about your life such as where you want to live, who you want to live with, whether and where you want to work, and how you want to spend your time.

2. Authority: 

Authority over your money and other resources to determine how they are used.

3. Support:

Choosing what kind of support you want to live your life and who you want to receive this support from.

4. Responsibility: 

Accepting the positive and negative consequences of your decisions.

5. Confirmation:

Knowledge that you are in charge of your own life.

The Self-Determined Lives Project will Address Barriers to Self-Determination by:

– Promoting less-restrictive alternatives to guardianship  

– Addressing disability discrimination in employment, housing, and public accommodations

– Ensuring adequate transition services for students receiving special education

Quality Trust’s legal team will help people with IDD createSupported-Decision Making Agreements, challenge negative housing and employment decisions based on their disability andget more or different transition services. As a result, we hope that more people will retain control over their own lives, will have safe, accessible housing, will retain or gain employment, will transition from school-based services to postsecondary education, employment, or integrated living in the community with the supports they need to succeed. Ultimately, more people with IDD will experience a quality-of-life in the DC community that is equal to the quality-of-life people without disabilities enjoy, and they will achieve self-determination.