Supported Decision Making Project – Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired with Texas Law INCLUDE Project

Students will assist young adults with disability transitioning out of special education programs and their families (or other caregivers/supporters) in learning about guardianship and alternatives to it, with an emphasis on a new option in state law to enter into Supported Decision Making (SDM) agreements. Students will provide direct counseling of transitioning youth on alternatives to guardianship and will assist in drafting and executing SDM agreements where appropriate and desired. SDM agreements and other alternatives to guardianship allow individuals with disabilities to maintain maximum control over their lives and avoid unnecessary and costly probate proceedings.

Organization

INCLUDE Project, Mithoff Pro Bono Program

The INCLUDE Project enables students with interests in disability and probate law to provide free legal serves to persons with disabilities and their families. Through INCLUDE, law students have counseled more than 400 families on guardianship alternatives since the 2015 passage of the Texas Supported Decision Making Act, a law that is the first of its kind nationally and that incorporates certain protections afforded by the U.N. Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Texas Law. INCLUDE is an internal project of the Richard and Ginni Mithoff Pro Bono Program, in partnership with the William Wayne Justice Center for Public Interest Law.

Project Details

Project Date

Saturday, November 9

Project Time
12:00pm-2:30pm
Approximate hours of work requested
4.5 hours, including training and self-study
Training
Tuesday, October 29, 6pm-8pm (Jury Room (CCJ 2.310))
Skills used
Client interviewing/counseling; community education/outreach; mediating between those with divergent interests; cultural competence; document preparation
Project location
Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired, 1100 West 45th Street, Austin
Number of student volunteers requested
15
Class year preference
1L, 2L, 3L, LLM
Required skills
Strong English skills required; Spanish helpful but not necessary; students with an interest in probate and disability law are strongly encouraged to apply
To Apply
Register at https://sdmtsbvi2f19.eventbrite.com