Supported Decision-Making Service

Supported Decision-Making Service for Persons with Disabilities | Service Model

The Human Rights Center for People with Disabilitis

C. Target audience

A considerably large target audience can benefit from supported decision-making services. The

following are some guidelines for identifying this target audience (whether the support is given

by family members or by external support professionals):

1. Persons under guardianship:

Any person to whom a guardian has been appointed

or who is considered for a guardianship appointment may be a candidate for receiving

supported decision-making services. The amendment to the Israeli Legal Capacity

and Guardianship Law

emphasizes that the court should consider

the option of appointing a decision-making supporter prior to appointing a guardian.

However, the appointment of a supporter concurrently with a guardian was repeatedly

proven in the pilot to be ineffectual: the supporter cannot really help the person

pursue their wishes when every choice is subject to the guardian's approval, and the

supporter's work releases the guardian from their responsibility toward the supported

person. Therefore, it must be clear that the supporter should substitute the guardian and

that once a supporter is appointed, guardianship in areas in which support is provided

should be revoked.

2. A person's will and motivation:

The more motivated a person is to make their own

decisions about their life and live autonomously through support – the greater the

chances the support process will be effective and significant.

3. Age:

The CRPD is premised on the concept that every adult has the right to full

legal capacity; Israeli law is also based on the same premise. Therefore, every person

over eighteen years of age can enjoy supported decision-making services at any age.

However, age is a significant variable as far as the nature of the support is concerned:

where younger persons are concerned (mainly 18-21), who still attend special

education institutions, decision–making support usually focuses on providing tools

and practicing decision-making processes; with older persons, the process tends to

be less educational and provides more practical support in day-to-day challenges.

4. Disability:

Several segments of the population of persons with disabilities that

can benefit supported decision-making services may be identified: people with

psychosocial disabilities, people with intellectual disabilities, people on the autism

spectrum and people with other disabilities (rare diseases, complex learning

disabilities) coping with difficulties in various stages of the decision-making process.

Guardian and relative of pilot participant:

Too many cooks spoil the broth. Efrat has an emotional therapist, a coordinator and

counselors at the housing program, someone from Bizchut, someone from employment

and us. Nobody knows what the others are doing and she manipulates us: ‘My Bizchut

supported told me I could do whatever I want…’ It’s too confusing.