Promising Practices

Texas: Using CYVYC’s Youth Ambassador Model to Promote Access to Health Care

Issue #8: The Texas Council for Developmental Disabilities and Wellpoint adapted CYVYC’s Youth Ambassador model to empower youth with disabilities to create accessible tools promoting self-determination and health care access.

New Jersey: Promoting the Use of Alternatives to Guardianship by Changing Court Rules

Issue #7: When changing state law wasn’t feasible, the New Jersey State Team partnered with the state judiciary to reform court rules to clarify the burden of proof, strengthen the right to counsel, and make it easier to restore rights and end unnecessary guardianships.

CYVYC: Strategies for Advancing Alternatives to Guardianship through Responsive Technical Assistance for Youth with IDD

Issue #6: CYVYC supported 11 State Teams in advancing alternatives to guardianship for youth with IDD through technical assistance, youth-led action plans, and cross-state collaboration that led to reforms in courts, education, and SDM initiatives.

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California: Spotlight on Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) in Supported Decision-Making Advocacy

Issue #5: The California State Team integrated communication access into Supported Decision-Making reforms across disability services, courts, and schools.

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Vermont: Collaborating to Educate Self-Advocates about Alternatives to Guardianship

Issue #1: Vermont’s Green Mountain Self-Advocates partnered with the Vermont Disability Law Project to host legal clinics for people with IDD.

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Wisconsin’s Self Determination YouTube Channel “By self-advocates, for self-advocates”

Issue #2: The piece explains how Wisconsin’s Self Determination YouTube Channel “By self-advocates, for self-advocates” began, outlines its purpose, and offers tips for others to create similar channels.

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Georgia’s Youth Mentorship Strategy: Using Mentors to Support Youth Ambassadors

Issue #3: This publication discusses Georgia's engagement of mentors to support Youth Ambassadors and their family members.

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Voices of Change: Youth Ambassadors from the Center on Youth Voice, Youth Choice Promote Alternatives to Guardianship

Issue #4: This brief discusses how the advocacy of youth ambassadors has influenced others to re-evaluate decisions around guardianship.