You Get Help, You Stay in Charge

Everyone needs a little help making decisions sometimes. You might ask a friend for advice, talk with your parents about money, or ask a teacher to explain your options. Getting help doesn’t mean someone else makes the decision for you.

That’s the idea behind Supported Decision-Making (SDM).

SDM is a way for people with disabilities to make their own decisions with help from people they know and trust. Whether you’re deciding where to live, managing money, making health care choices, or planning your future, SDM helps you understand your options while staying in control of your life.

Unlike guardianship, where a guardian may have legal authority to make certain decisions for someone else, SDM keeps decision-making authority with the person. You choose who helps you, what kind of help you want, and what decisions you make.

You can use SDM at any age without a legal agreement. For adults who want a formal arrangement, Utah now has a legal option called a Supported Decision-Making Agreement.

In 2025, Utah passed H.B. 334: Guardianships and Supported Decision-Making Agreements Amendments. The law took effect on May 7, 2025, creating legal rules for formal SDM agreements in Utah.

Let’s explore how SDM works and how it can help you plan for your future.

How Does SDM Work?

You may want help making choices about:

• Where to live.
• Health care.
• Friends and relationships.
• Money.
• School or work.

You do not always need a guardian to make these choices. Your support team can explain information, answer questions, and help you look at your options. You make the final decision.

You choose your supporters. They may be family members, friends, co-workers, or other trusted people. Supporters are usually not paid to help you.

A good supporter should:

• Know you well.
• Listen to you.
• Respect your wishes.
• Honor your choices.
• Never pressure you.

You can use SDM anytime. You do not need a written agreement to ask for help making decisions.

What Is an SDM Agreement?

You can also make a legal Supported Decision-Making Agreement. This is a written agreement that explains:

• Who will support you.
• What choices you want help with.
• How your supporters may help.
• What your supporters cannot do.
• How you make and communicate decisions.

In Utah, a formal SDM agreement is for adults who are at least 18 years old, have a disability, and understand the agreement. You must choose to make the agreement without pressure or force.

Your formal supporters must also meet certain legal requirements. They must be at least 18 years old. In most cases, they cannot be paid to provide support to you. There are also restrictions related to certain histories of abuse, neglect, exploitation, protective orders, and criminal convictions.

A formal agreement must be signed by you and your supporters. It also requires two adult witnesses or a notary. If another person has legal authority to make decisions for you in an area covered by the agreement, additional rules apply. That person may need to review and sign the agreement.

The agreement helps teachers, doctors, banks, and other organizations understand who your supporters are and how they can help. It gives your supporters a recognized legal role, but it does not give them the power to make decisions for you.

You can have more than one supporter. You can also include a backup supporter in your agreement.

For a step-by-step explanation of the legal requirements, see the Disability Law Center’s Utah Supported Decision-Making Agreement: Information and Instructions.

What Are a Supporter’s Responsibilities?

Supporters have important responsibilities. They should:

• Help you understand information and your options.
• Help you get information you need to make decisions.
• Respect your wishes and follow your agreement.
• Protect your private information.
• Keep records of their work with you and make those records available to you.
• Help you communicate your decisions to others.

Supporters should provide help in areas where they have the knowledge or skills to assist you. They must also follow the agreement and avoid conflicts of interest that could affect their support.

What Can a Supporter Not Do?

Your supporter is there to help you, not to take control.

A supporter cannot:

• Make decisions for you.
• Pressure or force you to do something you do not want to do.
• Sign documents or provide an electronic signature for you.
• Use your private information for reasons outside the agreement or share it without proper permission.

You stay in charge. You can ask for help, say no, or change your supporters.

Is SDM Hard?

No! We all use Supported Decision-Making in our lives.

You may ask a friend what they think. You may ask a parent about money. You may ask a teacher about school. You listen to their ideas and then make your own choice.

SDM can help you:

• Speak up for yourself.
• Have control over your life.
• Feel more sure of yourself.
• Learn to do more on your own.

SDM Can Change With You

SDM is flexible. This means your support plan can change when your life changes.

You may need help with money now, but not later. You may want to add a new supporter or stop working with someone. Your plan should fit your needs, goals, and dreams.

If you have a formal SDM agreement, there are legal rules for changing or ending it. You or your supporter can cancel the agreement. It is a good idea to put the cancellation in writing and share it with people who have a copy. Other situations may also end an agreement, such as a court order or the appointment of a guardian or conservator, depending on the circumstances.

For more information about making, changing, or canceling a formal agreement, read the Disability Law Center’s current instructions.

Benefits of SDM

With SDM:

• You plan your life with help from people you trust.
• You choose who is on your support team.
• You decide what kind of help you want.
• Your wishes and choices matter most.
• You learn from your choices and their results.
• You retain more freedom and control than you would under guardianship.

SDM is one option for getting support. It may not work for everyone, and you do not have to use it if it does not meet your needs.

Learn More About SDM

You can learn more about SDM and find helpful worksheets in the red section of the Youth Workbook and the Choices Book.

Explore these additional resources:

• Supported Decision-Making: Disability Law Center
• Utah H.B. 334: Guardianships and Supported Decision-Making Agreements Amendments
• Utah Supported Decision-Making Agreement: Information and Instructions
• Utah Supported Decision-Making Agreement: Template