ICI’s Center on Youth Voice, Youth Choice Recognized in Center for American Progress Report about Guardianship and Reproductive Rights

Guardianship is a legal status that gives someone else (a “guardian”) the legal authority to make decisions for a person with a disability. ICI’s Center on Youth Voice, Youth Choice (CYVYC) works with youth with disabilities, their families, and their supporters to conduct research, advocate, and teach about alternatives to guardianship. Alternatives to guardianship are tools other than guardianship that people can use to get the support they need to make tough decisions about their lives.

In light of attacks on reproductive rights for people across the US, the Center for American Progress (CAP) recently published a report highlighting how to protect disabled people’s rights to reproductive health care with alternatives to guardianship. They highlight CYVYC’s work as a key part of the solution:

“The Administration on Community Living should continue to fund and expand initiatives such as Youth Voice, Youth Choice that include training for youth ambassadors to raise awareness about how alternatives to guardianship work in practice. These programs provide families and individuals with disabilities examples of how to create transition plans that fit students’ needs and ensure that they maintain as many rights as possible.”

Read the full report by CAP, Rethinking Guardianship To Protect Disabled People’s Reproductive Rights.