Individuals with disabilities have the same right to happy, healthy, and fulfilling lives as those who do not have disabilities. Self-determination is a set of beliefs and practices that supports this idea and brings it to life. Many disability services, including the California Self-Determination Program, are based on the fundamental principles of self-determination. Let’s take a closer look.
What is Self-Determination?
Self-determination is all about believing in yourself. It means controlling your own goals and destiny. The attitudes and abilities that self-determination emphasizes push people to be in charge of their goals and achieve them.
Your definition of self-determination can look a little different from someone else's. Some pieces of the overall meaning of self-determination might be unique to you. For example, setting your own goals might mean deciding where to work or live, or it might mean pursuing the hobbies you love.
If you live in California, you may have heard of self-determination in the context of the Self-Determination Program, or SDP for short. The SDP is designed to put participants in charge of their lives using creative, person-centered plans. It also embodies core principles of self-determination.
5 Principles of Self-Determination to Remember
Everything the SDP does – from connecting people with hired workers to helping them join their communities – is built off a few important ideas known as self-determination principles.
According to the California State Council on Developmental Disabilities (SCDD), the five principles of self-determination are as follows.
1. Freedom
You have the right to the freedom to control your life. No one else can decide where you want to live, whom you live with, or how you will spend your time other than you. You also have the freedom to choose who gets to support you.
2. Authority
The SDP grants participants the authority to control an individual budget. You also have the power to choose which services or support options to purchase with that budget.
You are not a player on the team; you’re the leader. Your friends, family, and any hired support workers you find are there to help, but you get to make the final decision.
3. Support
You have the right to find and secure resources and staff that help you live how you want to. Support is built into the SDP in the form of Regional Centers and your individual program plan team.
Another support option the SDP offers is the choice to work with an independent facilitator. This is a person who helps participants create their person-centered plans, maintain their budgets, and live by self-determination principles.
4. Responsibility
Self-determination gives individuals the responsibility to use public money (granted through Medicare and Medicaid funding) wisely. It empowers you to identify and be proud of the contributions you make to your community.
5. Confirmation
Laying the groundwork is only one piece of the puzzle. Confirmation is an ongoing self-determination principle that says you have the right to oversee the services you want. In other words, you get to understand and verify that you play an important role in making decisions in your life.
NeuroNav is Your Self-Determination Hub
Want to learn more about self-determination and how it can help you access even more disability resources and support than ever? Contact NeuroNav for a free consultation.
Our independent facilitation services can help guide you through each step of the Self-Determination Program. We also proudly practice and encourage you to incorporate the principles of self-determination into your everyday life.
For more reading on disability resources in California, check out the rest of our Self-Determination Hub.
