Supported Decision-Making (SDM) Training Resources for Professionals
The Center for Disability Justice Research at CSU East Bay is excited to share educational training modules addressing Supported Decision-Making (SDM) for professionals who work with individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs), aging communities and individuals with mental health conditions in the following settings:
- Education
- Healthcare
- Legal and Judicial settings
- Social work and Behavioral health
- Speech Language Pathology
Modules were developed in partnership with CSUEB Online Campus, the Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund (DREDF), with funding from the State Council on Developmental Disabilities (SCDD).
Photo by Helena Lopes on Unsplash
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With the completion of all six module videos, review of the slides, and facilitation guides you will be prepared to facilitate workshops on SDM in your specific field.
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Review additional training and education workshops addressing Supported Decision-Making (SDM) from our conference, Building Bridges: Advancing SDM in Diverse Communities (10/25/2025).
- Understanding Black Family Motivations with Dr. Jolan Smith (CSU, Long Beach)
- How to Implement SDM for Healthcare: Community Conversation with Dr. Clarissa Kripke (USCF)
- SDM in Practice with Dr. Sarah Taylor and Dr. Sara McDaniel (CSU, East Bay)
- Discussion with Family Resource Navigators, and Support for Families with Eileen Crumm, Amelia Ott and Cheryl Theis
- Keynote Address: Dashiell Meier, College student, filmmaker and self advocate
- Keynote Address: Ayesha E. Lewis, Senior Staff Attorney, DREDF
Videography and editing by Kevin Pina.
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Supported Decision-Making an Introduction for Professionals
https://www.csueastbay.edu/cdjr/supported-decision-making-introduction-for-professionals.pdf
This document was prepared in September 2024 by the Supported Decision-Making Outreach Team at Cal State East Bay with collaboration from the Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund (DREDF) and the Center for Disability Justice Research (CDJR) at Cal State East Bay. Thank you to the California State Council on Developmental Disabilities for funding this outreach project.
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Supported Decision Making Conference
Thank you to everyone who presented, volunteered, and participated in our statewide Supported Decision Making Conference on October 25, 2025 at Laney College in Oakland! Visit our conference page for all the details!
Grant Awarded! - July 2024
The Cal State East Bay Center for Disability Justice Research: Health Equity, Education, and Creativity is thrilled to share that our campus has been awarded a grant from the California State Council on Developmental Disabilities to support implementation of Supported Decision Making (SDM) across our state. SDM is a less restrictive alternative to conservatorship that allows people with Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities (I/DD) to retain their adult rights. We are looking forward to partnering with Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund (DREDF) on this project.
The Cal State East Bay Supported Decision Making Outreach Team aims to address this issue by conducting outreach and developing educational products for professionals to increase their knowledge and application of SDM. The team will achieve this by partnering with people with I/DD and their families to develop and deliver engaging, accessible, accurate, culturally responsive professional development content that will increase professionals’ capacity to use supported decision-making.
Congratulations to Dr. Rachel Torres, Assistant Professor in Nursing (PI) and Dr. Talya Kemper, Associate Professor in Teacher Education (Co-PI) as well as Key Senior Faculty Dr. Sara McDaniel, Assistant Professor in Special Education, Dr. Sarah Taylor, Professor and Department Chair in Social Work, and Dr. Shubha Kashinath, Professor in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences